Enclosed double suction pump

Abstract

A dual intake centrifugal pump is provided. An impeller is mounted inside a pump housing, which is mounted within a pipe tee having an inlet, an outlet, and two ends closed with blind flanges. The pump housing has opposing inlet openings on opposite sides of the housing so that fluid is sucked into the housing from both sides and discharged by the impeller. The impeller is mounted on a driveshaft that extends through the dual inlet openings and openings in each of the blind flanges. An electric motor or dual hydraulic motors are mounted on each respective blind flange and cooperatively rotate the driveshaft. The inlet has a flange connection so that the entire assembly can be connected to a flanged outlet on a tank or to a flanged pipe for use as an inline booster pump.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump apparatus, comprising:
 a. a sealed chamber having an inlet and an outlet;   b. a pump housing having a discharge outlet and opposing inlet openings on opposite sides of the pump housing, wherein the pump housing is mounted within the sealed chamber; and   c. an impeller mounted on a driveshaft within and in spaced relationship with the pump housing, wherein the impeller has outwardly extending blades for movement of flowable material outward to the discharge outlet, and wherein the driveshaft is mounted within the sealed chamber and connected to a motor configured for rotating the driveshaft.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the driveshaft extends through the opposing inlet openings of the pump housing. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the sealed chamber comprises a pipe tee having an inlet, an outlet, and two ends, wherein each end is closed by a respective blind flange. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each blind flange has an opening therethrough, wherein the driveshaft extends through the opening in each blind flange. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a rotary shaft seal installed in each respective opening for sealing each opening around the driveshaft. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a shaft bearing attached to each respective blind flange and configured for supporting the driveshaft. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each shaft bearing has a flange mount and is installed on the exterior of each respective blind flange. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus comprises two motors, wherein each end of the driveshaft is connected to a respective motor, and wherein the two motors are configured for cooperatively rotating the driveshaft. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus comprises two motors, wherein each end of the driveshaft is connected to a respective motor, and wherein the two motors are configured for cooperatively rotating the driveshaft. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a hydraulic motor. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , comprising two hydraulic motors, wherein each motor is connected to a respective end of the driveshaft and the two motors are configured for cooperatively rotating the driveshaft. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is an electric motor. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is free of internal bearings, mechanical seals, and wear plates. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are configured for attaching both the inlet and the outlet to a means for conveying or storing fluid. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the inlet of the sealed chamber has a flange. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the inlet flange is attached to an outlet of a tank. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a valve configured such that the sealed chamber can be isolated from the tank by closing the valve. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the outlet of the sealed chamber has a flange. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein both the inlet and the outlet have a flange, wherein the inlet and the outlet are each connected to a flanged end of a pipe. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the pipe tee inlet has a flange. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the inlet flange is attached to an outlet of a tank. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a valve configured such that the pipe tee can be isolated from the tank by closing the valve. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the pipe tee outlet has a flange. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein both the inlet and the outlet have a flange, wherein the inlet and the outlet are each connected to a flanged end of a pipe. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the motor is a hydraulic motor. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , comprising two hydraulic motors, wherein each motor is connected to a respective end of the driveshaft and the two motors are configured for cooperatively rotating the driveshaft. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller has a slope on both sides of about 30 to about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein there is approximately equal pressure on both sides of the impeller. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump apparatus is self-priming. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump housing is a split housing. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the driveshaft extends through the opposing inlet openings in a spaced, non-contacting relationship to the pump housing. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller comprises two halves that are bolted together such that the two halves are compressed against the driveshaft. 
     
     
         33 . A pump apparatus, comprising:
 a. a sealed chamber having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet and the outlet each comprises a flange;   b. a pump housing having a discharge outlet and opposing inlet openings on opposite sides of the pump housing, wherein the pump housing is mounted within the sealed chamber;   c. an impeller mounted on a driveshaft within and in spaced relationship with the pump housing, wherein the impeller has outwardly extending blades for movement of flowable material outward to the discharge outlet, wherein the driveshaft is mounted within the sealed chamber and extends through the opposing inlet openings of the pump housing, and wherein the ends of the driveshaft extend through openings in opposing sides of the sealed chamber; and   d. at least one motor located on the exterior of the sealed chamber, wherein the at least one motor is connected to one end of the driveshaft and configured for rotating the driveshaft, and wherein the apparatus is free of internal bearings, mechanical seals, and wear plates.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , comprising two hydraulic motors, wherein each motor is connected to a respective end of the driveshaft and the two motors are configured for cooperatively rotating the driveshaft. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one motor is an electric motor. 
     
     
         36 . A pump apparatus, comprising:
 a. a pipe tee having an inlet, an outlet, and two ends, wherein each end is closed by a respective blind flange;   b. a pump housing having a discharge outlet and opposing inlet openings on opposite sides of the pump housing, wherein the pump housing is mounted within the pipe tee; and   c. an impeller mounted on a driveshaft within and in spaced relationship with the pump housing, wherein the impeller has outwardly extending blades for movement of flowable material outward to the discharge outlet, and wherein the driveshaft is mounted within the pipe tee and connected to a motor configured for rotating the driveshaft.   
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the driveshaft extends through the opposing inlet openings of the pump housing. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , comprising two hydraulic motors, wherein each motor is connected to a respective end of the driveshaft and the two motors are configured for cooperatively rotating the driveshaft. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the motor is an electric motor. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the apparatus is free of internal bearings, mechanical seals, and wear plates.