Portable Hydrostatic Test Pump

Abstract

A portable hydrostatic test pump and a system incorporating the portable hydrostatic test pump to pressurize a closed piping system for leak testing purposes is described herein and illustrated in the accompanying figures. The portable hydrostatic test pump includes a compact, lightweight, low power pump module operable using a portable power source. This allows the portable hydrostatic test pump to be used for testing closed piping systems located in areas that are physically difficult to access and/or without access to a permanent power source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable hydrostatic test pump comprising for pressurizing a closed piping system to a selected hydrostatic pressure:
 a pump module comprising a low friction pump, an inlet, and an outlet, said inlet selectively connectable to and detachable from a fluid supply, said outlet selectively connectable to and detachable from the closed piping system;   a power module comprising a battery; and   a drive module comprising a motor and a switch, said drive module selectively attachable to and detachable from said power module, said motor selectively connectable to said low friction pump in operable engagement, said switch operable to place said battery in electrical communication with said motor such that said motor drives said low friction pump to draw fluid from the fluid supply via said inlet and, when said low friction pump is in fluid communication with the closed piping system, to pump fluid into the closed piping system via said outlet until the closed piping system reaches a selected hydrostatic pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  further comprising a pressure gauge having a gauge inlet and a gauge outlet, said gauge inlet in fluid communication with said outlet of said pump module. 
     
     
         3 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  further comprising a reservoir module selectively connectable to and detachable from said inlet of said pump module, said reservoir module has a fluid capacity selected from approximately 37.85 l (10 gal), approximately 18.93 l (5 gal), approximately 15.14 l (4 gal), approximately 11.36 l (3 gal), approximately 7.57 l (2 gal), and approximately 3.79 l (1 gal). 
     
     
         4 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that said inlet of said low friction pump is selective attachable to and detachable from an external water supply. 
     
     
         5 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that said low friction pump is capable of pressurizing the closed piping system to a minimum hydrostatic pressure selected from approximately 3.45 bar (50 psi), approximately 10.34 bar (150 psi), and approximately 13.79 bar (200 psi) when said portable hydrostatic test pump is battery powered. 
     
     
         6 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that pump module weighs approximately 2.26 kg (5 lb) or less. 
     
     
         7 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that when said switch ceases to be actuated after pressuring the fluid in the closed piping system to said selected hydrostatic pressure, said low friction pump holds said closed piping system closed to maintain said selected hydrostatic pressure for a selected length of time absent a leak in the closed piping system. 
     
     
         8 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that said low friction pump is a self-priming rotary vane pump. 
     
     
         9 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that said drive module physically connects to said pump module and to said power module to form a single unit. 
     
     
         10 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that said drive module and said pump module physically connect to and are carried by said reservoir module. 
     
     
         11 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 10  characterized in that said power module physically connects to and is carried by said reservoir module. 
     
     
         12 . A portable hydrostatic test pump comprising for pressurizing a closed piping system to a selected hydrostatic pressure:
 a pump module comprising a low friction pump, an inlet, and an outlet, said low friction pump including a pump shaft, said inlet selectively connectable to and detachable from a fluid supply, said outlet selectively connectable to and detachable from the closed piping system, said low friction pump capable of pressurizing the closed piping system to a selected hydrostatic pressure of at least 150 psi while powered by a battery and holding the closed piping system at the selected hydrostatic pressure;   a power module comprising a battery; and   a drive module comprising a motor and a switch, said drive module selectively connectable to and detachable from said power module, said motor selectively connectable to said pump shaft of said low friction pump, said battery placed in electrical communication with said switch when said power module is connected to said drive module, said switch operable to place said battery in electrical communication with said motor such that said pump module forces fluid from said fluid supply into said closed piping system to pressurize the closed piping system to a selected hydrostatic pressure and to hold the closed piping system at said selected hydrostatic pressure for a selected length of time.   
     
     
         13 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 12  characterized in that said low friction pump is a self-priming rotary vane pump. 
     
     
         14 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 12  further comprising a pressure gauge having a gauge inlet and a gauge outlet, said gauge inlet in fluid communication with said outlet of said pump module. 
     
     
         15 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 12  further comprising a reservoir adapted to contain a volume of fluid sufficient to pressurize the closed piping system to said selected hydrostatic pressure, said reservoir selectively connectable to and detachable from said pump module, said inlet being in fluid communication with reservoir when said reservoir is connected to said pump module. 
     
     
         16 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 15  characterized in that said reservoir has a fluid capacity selected from approximately 37.85 l (10 gal), approximately 18.93 l (5 gal), approximately 15.14 l (4 gal), approximately 11.36 l (3 gal), approximately 7.57 l (2 gal), and approximately 3.79 l (1 gal). 
     
     
         17 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that said low friction pump is capable of pressurizing the closed piping system to a minimum hydrostatic pressure selected from approximately 3.45 bar (50 psi), approximately 10.34 bar (150 psi), and approximately 13.79 bar (200 psi) using said battery and said motor. 
     
     
         18 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 1  characterized in that pump module weighs approximately 2.26 kg (5 lb) or less. 
     
     
         19 . A portable hydrostatic test pump for pressurizing a closed piping system pre-filled with fluid comprising:
 a power module comprising a battery;   a drive module comprising a motor and a switch, said drive module selectively connectable to and detachable from said power module, said switch selectively placing said motor and said battery in electrical communication when said power module is connected to said drive module;   a reservoir module with a fluid capacity of no more than 18.93 l (5 gal), and   a pump module comprising a self-priming rotary vane pump, an inlet, and an outlet, said inlet in fluid communication with said reservoir module, said outlet selectively connectable to and detachable from the closed piping system, said self-priming rotary vane pump selectively engaged by said motor, said self-priming rotary vane pump drawing at least a portion of the fluid from said reservoir module while said switch is actuated and, when said outlet is connected to the closed piping system, forcing the portion of the fluid out of said outlet into the closed piping system until the fluid contained by the closed piping system reaches a selected hydrostatic pressure.   
     
     
         20 . The portable hydrostatic test pump of  claim 19  characterized in that said low friction pump is capable of pressurizing the closed piping system to a minimum hydrostatic pressure of selecting from the group of pressures consisting of 3.45 bar (50 psi), 10.34 bar (150 psi), and 13.79 bar (200 psi) when driven by said motor powered by said battery.