Slurry Pump

Abstract

A fluid transfer device, comprising an outer housing having an inward facing cylindrical or partially cylindrical surface, an outer rotor with radial projections having at least a leading face which is, along any plane perpendicular to the outer rotor axis, offset from a radial line radiating from the outer rotor rotational axis, a carrier secured to prevent rotation relative to the outer housing at least partly within the outer rotor; an inner rotor secured for rotation about an axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having an outward facing surface plane perpendicular to the inner rotor axis and outward projections arranged around the outward facing surface configured to operate as a pump.

1 . A pump, comprising:
 an outer housing having an inward facing cylindrical or partially cylindrical surface. an outer rotor with radial inward projections having at least a leading face which is, along any plane perpendicular to the outer rotor axis, offset from a radial line radiating from the outer rotor rotational axis;
 a carrier secured for rotation at least partly within the outer housing; 
 an inner rotor secured for rotation about an axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having an outward facing surface and outward projections arranged around the outward facing surface; 
 the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier; 
 the outward projections each having a leading edge and trailing edge; 
 fluid transfer passages on at least one of the outer housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers; and 
   the outer rotor is connected to be driven with a rotary shaft input, and convex trailing contact surfaces of the outward projections of the inner rotor contact the leading contact surfaces of the inward projections, the leading surface of each inner rotor outward projection does not seal and can be any shape as long as it prevents the rotors from locking up when the pump is freespinning or backturning.   
     
     
         2 . A pump, comprising:
 an outer housing having an inward facing cylindrical or partially cylindrical surface. an outer rotor with radial inward projections having at least a leading face which is, along any plane perpendicular to the outer rotor axis, offset from a radial line radiating from the outer rotor rotational axis;
 a carrier secured for rotation at least partly within the outer housing; 
 an inner rotor secured for rotation about an axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having an outward facing surface and outward projections arranged around the outward facing surface; 
 the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier; 
 fluid transfer passages on at least one of the outer housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers; and 
   other advantages of driving the outer rotor include the ability to drive subsequent stages with a drive shaft that extends from both ends of one or more outer rotors to drive multiple similarly constructed outer rotors, coaxial stator shaft through the center of the drive shaft would be supported (at the opposite end from the drive shaft input) to the pump casing and would prevent the inner rotor housings from spinning   
     
     
         3 . A pump, comprising:
 an outer housing having an inward facing cylindrical or partially cylindrical surface. an outer rotor with radial inward projections having at least a leading face which is, along any plane perpendicular to the outer rotor axis, offset from a radial line radiating from the outer rotor rotational axis;
 a carrier secured for rotation at least partly within the outer housing; 
 an inner rotor secured for rotation about an axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having an outward facing surface and outward projections arranged around the outward facing surface; 
 the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier; 
 fluid transfer passages on at least one of the outer housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers; and 
   in one configuration of the pump, it is designed to handle the admission and pumping of breakable solids such as but not limited to methane hydrate ice crystals, it does this with a combination of features such as sharp leading edges on spinning components and sharp trailing edges on stationary components which will slice the ice as it flows into and through the pump. It is also designed to minimized areas where ice could become wedged and restrict the flow by using increasing cross sections along the flow path.   
     
     
         4 - 22 . (canceled)