Abstract:
A remote pumping system for cisterns or water storage tanks is disclosed, comprising a high volume water pump driven by a hydraulic or electrically powered motor, for rapidly supplying a large volume of water to an extinguishment operation involving a burning object or building, from a local water source such as a pond, pool, portable basin, municipal hydrant, or cistern. The pump is lowered into a cistern by means of a rail system and is powered electrically or hydraulically by a remote or unit mounted power supply. In a further embodiment, a water-tight, above ground containment cabinet houses the discharge hose reels and/or the power supply for the pump motor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/953003, filed on Jul. 31, 2007. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to remote water delivery means and water pumping assemblies. More particularly, this invention relates to a remote water storage with an integrated high volume and pressure water delivery pump for use in fire protection and emergency situations. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In emergency situations, such as when a building, vehicle, or other large object catches fire, a matter of seconds can determine not only whether the object is a total loss, but whether lives could be at risk. It is, therefore, imperative that personnel trained to put out the fire arrive on the scene as quickly as possible. Often, due to expanding population growth in rural areas not supplied with water by public utilities, water storage tanks for fire suppression are being used in increasing numbers. These tanks, which are often times buried in the ground to save space and prevent freezing, require the utilization of a ‘drafting apparatus’ in order to extract the water and deliver it to the emergency or firefighting operations. This means of retrieving the water in an expedient manner and in sufficient volumes necessary to salvage the burning object proves difficult at best. Because the water must be drafted, an effective vacuum must be established on the intake side of the pump. This historically has been fraught with human and mechanical failure with an undesirable frequency. Furthermore, there is a physical limitation as to tank proximity with regard to the drafting apparatus. In addition, the effort and time required to establish water delivery is increased due to the effort associated with ensuring suitable drafting characteristics (i.e., hardware connections, water-tight seals, etc.). The problems previously encountered with poor water delivery from submersible water storage vessels relate primarily with the incompatible design features of submersible pumps with requirements for high volume and high pressure applications. Submersible pumps are typically designed having low head open center designs for industrial watering or outputting solids and wastes from a submersed storage tank or sediment pond where the volumes may be high but the pressure of water delivery is low to protect the pump from the solids. These submersible pumps are not designed to pump large volumes of water with the requisite pressure for fire-fighting applications (for example, sufficient pressure to enable delivery of water through tack lines of 250 feet of 1 and ¾ inch hose for fighting emergency fire situations). 
         [0004]    Therefore, it is advantageous to utilize a submersible, mechanically driven means of pumping water out of these sources which can be quickly implemented in an emergency situation and provide the firefighters or other emergency personnel with a supply of water having high enough pressure and volume to quickly attend to the fire. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a submersible water pump of sufficient volume and pressure handling capabilities which can be placed into a remote cistern for extracting a supply of water stored there within. 
         [0006]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a submersible pump as described above which can be either hydraulically or electrically powered, suitable for situations such as firefighting or industrial watering. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a removable cistern pump which may be utilized in conjunction with prior art ‘drafting’ to significantly increase discharge volume. 
         [0008]    Still, a further object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulically powered submersible pump for use with in-ground cisterns which provides a rapid, simplistic, and efficient water delivery technique. 
         [0009]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hydraulically powered submersible pump for use with in-ground cisterns which is highly reliable and predictable in performance. 
         [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a hydraulically powered submersible pump for use with in-ground cisterns which allows for increased flexibility of the physical location of the cistern with regard to the power supply, or discharge outputs due to the elimination of the need to be in proximity of the drafting apparatus. 
         [0011]    Finally, it is an object of the present invention to be able to retrofit the pump system onto existing cistern/storage tanks with minimal effort or equipment. 
         [0012]    These and other objects will be understood wherein the present invention discloses a remote pumping system for cisterns, comprising a high volume and pressure water pump driven by a hydraulic or electrically powered motor, for rapidly supplying a large volume of water to an extinguishment operation involving a burning object or building. The pump is lowered into a cistern by means of a rail system and is powered electrically or hydraulically by a remote power supply. In a further embodiment, a water-tight, above ground containment cabinet houses the discharge and hydraulic hose reels, and optionally the power supply. 
         [0013]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0014]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a partial side schematic of the cistern, with the implemented remote pumping system, depicting the primary embodiment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the preferred embodiment comprising the water pump, coupler, and hydraulic motor assembly; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side, phantom view of the water pump assembly within a pump housing body; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a partial side view of a containment cabinet, housing the discharge hose reel and pump power supply. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6A  is a cross-section side view of water pump assembly when the motor assembly is engaged with the coupler and water pump in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6B  is a cross-section side view of water pump assembly when the motor assembly is disengaged from the coupler and water pump in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 6C  is a side view of the water pump in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
         [0024]    Referring now to the figures, in particular  FIG. 1  the overview schematic of the remote pumping system for use in conjunction with a cistern  14  or water storage vessel is shown. In some embodiments, the water storage vessel or cistern  14  can include any water storage vessel that can be built for storage of water for various purposes commonly encountered, for example, in rural or urban locations. One such purpose is for the storage of water for fire fighting applications, for storage of potable water and the like. In general, the cistern  14  or water storage vessel can be any water containment device and can include a pond, a pool, a portable basin, a municipal hydrant, or a cistern capable of holding from about 10,000 L to about 100,000 L. In some embodiments, the cistern  14 , commonly found buried below the ground level 8 in many urban and rural locations, is utilized for storing a supply of water for various uses. As stated above, prior to the present invention, water was extracted from the cistern  14  through an existing ‘drafting’ pipe  15 , as surface air entered the cistern  14  via surface vent  13 , through pipe  11 . In some embodiments, the remote water pump assembly  10  described herein is capable of discharging water at volumes ranging from about 10,000 L/per minute (L/min) to about 200 (L/min), from about 5,000 (L/min) to about 200 (L/min), from about 2000 (L/min) to about 200 (L/min), from about 1000 (L/min) to about 200 (L/min) or from about 500 (L/min) to about 200 (L/min), or from about 10,000 L/per minute (L/min) to about 500 (L/min), from about 10,000 (L/min) to about 1000 (L/min), from about 10,000 (L/min) to about 2000 (L/min), from about 10,000 (L/min) to about 5,000 (L/min) or from about 10,000 (L/min) to about 7,500 (L/min) In some embodiments, the volume of water discharged can be at least 10,000 (L/min), or at least 7,500 (L/min), or at least 5,000 (L/min), or at least 1,000 (L/min), or at least 500 (L/min), or at least 200 (L/min). 
         [0025]    The operating volumes delivered by the water pump assembly  10  of the present disclosure can operate at specific pressures designated by the user and in some embodiments meet and/or exceed fire service performance. In some embodiments, the operating pressures used to deliver the volumes of water described above can range from about 100 kPa (14.5 psi) to about 2100 kPa (305 psi), or from about 200 kPa (29 psi) to about 2100 kPa (305 psi), or from about 500 kPa (73 psi) to about 2100 kPa (305 psi), or from about 750 kPa (109 psi) to about 2100 kPa (305 psi), or from about 1000 kPa (145 psi) to about 2100 kPa (305 psi), or from about 1500 kPa (218 psi) to about 2100 kPa (305 psi). 
         [0026]    The primary embodiment of this invention comprises a high volume, high pressure water pump assembly  10  which is lowered into the cistern by means of a rail system  16  extending above ground. The rail system  16  can comprise any type of controlled guiding means available, so long as it is highly durable and can stand up to the conditions of implementation subterraneously. In some embodiments, the rail guiding means can comprise a powered lift device  19  which can be powered electrically and/or hydraulically to raise and lower rail system  16 . In some embodiments, the high water pressure water pump  20  can include, for example, any rotary non-positive displacement pump. In some embodiments, the pump can be a centrifugal pump, a boundary layer pump, a disc pump and turbine pumps. In some preferred embodiments, the water pump  20  is a centrifugal pump. 
         [0027]    The water pump assembly  10 , when lowered into the cistern to withdraw a supply of water, remains interconnected to the surface by both the discharge pipe  63  and the power supply lines  37 , which depending upon the desired pump utilized in a given application may consist of either electrical or hydraulic lines. An optional above ground, water-tight storage cabinet  12  may be utilized to store the pump&#39;s power supply or additional equipment. In some embodiments, power supply  82  can be mounted on site and contained within storage cabinet  12 . In some embodiments, power supply  82  is mounted to a mobile vehicle, for example a fire truck, municipal and military vehicles capable of providing the power necessary to operate the high pressure water pump assembly  10  via motor assembly  30  (as shown in  FIGS. 2-4 ). In some embodiments the power supply  82  can be mated to the power supply lines  37  through a remote hydraulic hose reel (not shown) mounted in the storage cabinet  12  or mounted on a vehicle for remote power operation. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a preferred embodiment of the water pump assembly  10  utilized in the remote pumping system for cisterns is shown. The main components of water pump assembly  10  comprise a water pump  20 , hydraulic or electric motor assembly  30 , and coupler  50  disposed there between. Water pump  20  comprises a pump housing  21 , containing the high volume impeller rotatably supported therein. An intake screen  22  is attached to the bottom side of the housing by a plurality of fasteners  25  bolted through evenly spaced apertures in the intake flange  23  surrounding intake screen  22 . The screen prevents large foreign materials from being drawn into the pump impeller during operation which could possibly cause damage to water pump assembly  10 . In some embodiments, the intake screen can range from 2 cm to about 200 cm in diameter depending on the water delivery capabilities of the water pump assembly  10 . 
         [0029]    Pump housing  21  further comprises a tangential pump output  27 , which terminates in a flange plate  24  journally attached to a discharge elbow  61  having a complementary flange plate  66 , by means of fasteners  26  positioned through the two plates  24 ,  66 . 
         [0030]    In some embodiments, the water pump assembly  10  can include a single or two stage series and/or parallel pump coupled to a mounted motor. In some embodiments, the water pump assembly  10  can comprise a piston motor driven centrifugal pump, for example a HE 500 motor driven centrifugal pump commercially available from Darley, Melrose Park, Ill. USA. 
         [0031]    Opposite intake screen  22  on water pump  20 , pump housing  21  attaches to the drive shaft housing  57 , by means of the shaft housing flange  28  and mounting hardware  51 . Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , shaft housing  57  surrounds and supports the splined impeller shaft  54  and attaches to coupler  50  opposite the water pump by flange  52 . Coupler  50  has a throughbore  59  which contains and supports the union of splined impeller shaft  54  with the output shaft  95  of hydraulic or electric motor assembly  30 , (shown in  FIG. 6B ). As mentioned, coupler  50  comprises a cylindrical housing, attaching at a lower end  55  to water pump shaft housing  57  and at an upper end  58  to the hydraulic motor assembly flange  35  through mounting apertures  53  in coupler  50  threadably receiving mounting hardware  47 . Coupler  50  comprises a connection plate and/or an adaptation plate  92 . The connection and/or adaptation plate  92  allows for the pump impeller shaft  54  to connect to the motor output shaft  95 . The connection and/or adaptation plate  92  is shown attached to the water pump  20  and motor assembly  30  in  FIGS. 6A ,  6 C and detached in  FIG. 6B  respectively. In various embodiments, the connection and/or adaptation plate can be a large round cylindrical concentric attachment plate having a pilot bore concentric to the motor assembly output shaft  95 . In some embodiments, the hydraulic motor assembly  30  can include a bent axis piston motor as illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4 , a radial piston motor, and a caning gear hydraulic motor. 
         [0032]    Hydraulic or electric motor assembly  30 , known in the art, receives a pressurized supply of hydraulic fluid or electrical power by means of power supply lines  37  depicted in  FIG. 1 , which, in the event hydraulic power is utilized, enters the pump through attached input  32  and discharges through fluid output  34  to the power supply  82  located above ground level  8 . These power supply lines  37  can optionally be stored on a reel mechanism for simplified disbursement and retraction while water pump assembly  10  is being utilized. If hydraulic power is utilized, a hydraulic motor case drain  31  is connected between motor assembly  30  and the hydraulic fluid output  34  in a venturi arrangement preventing a buildup of excess case pressures. Attached to the body of hydraulic motor assembly  30  is a mounting element  40 , secured by means of a support collar  46  and threaded U-bolt  44 . Mounting element  40  has a plurality of housing attachment apertures  42  therein for attaching water pump assembly  10  within the pump assembly housing  70  and optionally to a rail system  16  for lowering and raising the water pump assembly  10  in and out of the cistern. In some embodiments, motor assembly  30  can be a bent-axis motor. In some embodiments, the bent-axis motor can include a VOAC F11 Series 19 bent-axis motor rated as having a displacement of 19 cm 3 /rev and a maximum continuous speed of about 8100 rpm and 3500 rpm selfpriming speed at the oil providing approximately 50 horsepower. The VOAC/Parker F11 Series 19 bent-axis motor is commercially available from Parker Hannifin, Trolhättan, SE. 
         [0033]    The optional pump assembly housing  70 , manufactured from aluminum, stainless steel, or other suitable material, comprises a rectangular container which protects water pump assembly  10  from damage during operation and further provides protection of water pump assembly  10  from large foreign matter entering the pump impeller and causing damage while in use. This is accomplished by providing pump assembly housing  70  with a series of apertures  72  through which the water must flow into prior to being drawn into intake screen  22  of water pump  20  located therein. Apertures  72  are numerous enough not to impede the pump&#39;s performance and supply delivery and are positioned low enough on pump assembly housing  70  so as to allow the pump assembly to operate in as little as two inches of water as shown by numeral  74 . One or more access apertures  78  may be positioned higher up on the housing for accessing the hydraulic pump or lines for maintenance or replacement. 
         [0034]    As previously disclosed herein, pump housing  21  attaches to discharge elbow  61 , which in turn attaches journally to a discharge pipe  60  running vertically up and out of the housing, parallel to water pump assembly  10 . Discharge pipe  60  terminates at an upper end  62  through the top side  79  of pump assembly housing  70  and connects to discharge pipe  63  depicted in  FIG. 1 . Discharge pipe  60  and  63  can range from about 2 cm to about 20 cm in diameter (about 1.6 inches to about 7.9 inches) in diameter. In one preferred embodiment, the discharge pipe  60  and  63  are about 10.2 cm (4 inches) in diameter. In some embodiments, the discharge hose  85  can be from about 7.6 cm to about 10.2 cm in diameter (3 inches to about 4 inches in diameter) when threadably attached to discharge pipe  63 . 
         [0035]    In a further embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the cistern pump system disclosed herein may be utilized in conjunction with a water-tight storage cabinet  12  for storing various components associated with the pump. These components may include, but are not limited to, the power supply  82  which, depending on the application, supplies either electrical or hydraulic power to the water pump assembly  10  and a discharge hose storage reel  84 , which stores the discharge hose  85  when not in use. The discharge hose  85  may extend outside the storage cabinet  12  for quick access in the event of an emergency. Furthermore, a hydraulic hose reel may be implemented for attaching to a remote power supply such as a responding fire apparatus. Additionally, the rail system  16  may be housed within the storage cabinet  12 , allowing for protected above ground access to the water pump assembly  10  when raised above ground for maintenance and/or storage. 
         [0036]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.