Patent ID: 7549442

Claim:
A wet pit pump intake assembly for directing fluid flow to a pump, the pump intake assembly comprising: a pump intake column including a lower end having a pump bell; and a pump intake pit including an upper intake pit encircling the pump intake column and having a tapered inner surface providing the upper intake pit with a decreasing cross-sectional area to accelerate the fluid flow toward the pump bell, at least one vane extending inwardly from the inner surface of the upper intake pit, wherein the vane is configured to suppress rotation of a fluid flowing through the upper intake pit, and a lower intake pit floor positioned substantially below the pump bell and including a projection member upwardly extending from a central region of the lower intake pit floor toward the pump bell, the lower intake pit floor having a lower surface interconnecting the upper intake pit to the projection member, the lower surface configured to redirect and accelerate fluid flow toward the pump bell; and a shroud extending from the lower end of the pump intake column including a bowl and bell portion to the pump intake column, wherein the shroud is configured to facilitate acceleration of fluid flow toward the bell portion of the pump.