Pump Impeller

Abstract

An impeller for a pump, the impeller comprising a main body which in use is rotatable about a central axis, the main body including a front side and a rear side, the front side having a generally spherical cap-like or dome-shaped surface with an apex region in the vicinity of the central axis and a peripheral outer region in the vicinity of the rear side, a plurality of channels extending through the main body each having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet openings being in the vicinity of the apex region and the outlet openings being in the vicinity of the peripheral outer region.

1 . An impeller for a pump, the impeller comprising a main body which in use is rotatable about a central axis, the main body including a front side and a rear side, the front side having a generally spherical cap-like or dome-shaped surface with an apex region in the vicinity of the central axis and a peripheral outer region in the vicinity of the rear side, a plurality of channels extending through the main body each having a channel surface, an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet openings being in the vicinity of the apex region and the outlet openings being in the vicinity of the peripheral outer region at least a part of the channel surface provides for a pumping surface. 
     
     
         2 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the channels are curved. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet openings are spaced around the central axis. 
     
     
         5 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet openings are spaced around the peripheral outer region. 
     
     
         6 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance of each channel with respect to the central axis increases when moving from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. 
     
     
         7 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet openings are generally oval shaped and have a long or major axis, the long or major axis being inclined to the central axis. 
     
     
         8 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet openings are generally oval shaped and have a long or major axis the long or major axis generally following the periphery of the peripheral outer region. 
     
     
         9 . The impeller according to  claim 7 , wherein the inlet openings have a curved leading edge portion. 
     
     
         10 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a central mount to which a pump drive shaft can be operatively fitted. 
     
     
         11 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear side comprises a recessed face. 
     
     
         12 . The impeller according to  claim 11 , including auxiliary pump-out vanes on the recessed face. 
     
     
         13 . The impeller according to  claim 12 , wherein the main body includes a cover which overlies the recessed face. 
     
     
         14 . A pump intake device for use with an impeller according to  claim 1 , the pump intake device comprising an outer section comprising a conduit having an inner surface and an inner section having an inner profiled surface which is substantially similar in profile to part of the impeller surface. 
     
     
         15 . The pump intake device according to  claim 14 , wherein the inner profiled surface is partially dome shaped. 
     
     
         16 . The pump intake device according to  claim 14 , wherein the inner surface of the outer section diverges or curves outwardly. 
     
     
         17 . The pump intake device according to  claim 16 , wherein the inner surface of the outer section and the inner profiled surface of the inner section provide a continuous curving surface between regions adjacent opposed end of the device. 
     
     
         18 . A pump comprising a pump casing which includes a main casing part and front side casing part comprising a pump intake device comprising an outer section comprising a conduit having an inner surface and an inner section having an inner profiled surface which is substantially similar in profile to part of the impeller surface and an impeller mounted within the pump casing, the impeller comprising a main body which in use is rotatable about a central axis, the main body including a front side and a rear side, the front side having a generally spherical cap-like or dome-shaped surface with an apex region in the vicinity of the central axis and a peripheral outer region in the vicinity of the rear side, a plurality of channels extending through the main body each having a channel surface, an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet openings being in the vicinity of the apex region and the outlet openings being in the vicinity of the peripheral outer region at least a part of the channel surface provides for a pumping surface. 
     
     
         19 . The impeller according to  claim 1 , wherein the channels have a cross-section which progressively increases in cross-sectional area from the inlet openings to the respective outlet openings.