Patent ID: 7094016

Claim:
A pumping arrangement for pumping a pre-established multi-phase fluid flow, said arrangement comprising: a centrifugal pump which has engaged thereto, a fluid inlet pipe connected in fluid communication with a multi-phase fluid source and an outlet pipe and said centrifugal pump being driveable by a power providing means, a fluid communication providing means to provide a communication of fluid between said outlet pipe and said inlet pipe, said fluid communication being such as to provide a fluid connection between said outlet pipe and said inlet pipe to deliver higher pressure multi-phase fluid from said outlet pipe into the lower pressure multi-phase fluid at said inlet pipe upstream of said centrifugal pump, when said centrifugal pump is in operation, wherein said centrifugal pump includes an impeller which has a plurality of vanes configured to define there between one of three and four impeller vane separated passageways.