Disclosed is a permanent magnet direct-drive slurry pump based on gas film drag reduction, which includes a permanent magnet motor, a main shaft, an impeller, and a valve block. The permanent magnet motor includes a housing, a stator core, stator windings, a rotor core, and a permanent magnet. The rotor core and the impeller share the main shaft, and an airflow channel is provided inside the main shaft. The impeller includes a front cover plate, a back cover plate, and blades. The blades are modularly manufactured, and blade gas jet holes and hemispherical pits are provided on the pressure surface. The airflow channel in the main shaft is communicated with the blade gas-jet holes. The valve block is disposed at the tail end of the main shaft so as to control gas exhaust and prevent liquid from entering the shaft. The present invention has such advantages as a small size, high efficiency, and strong wear resistance.

A method of making an impeller includes building the impeller in a layer by layer process in a build direction along the rotational axis starting from a base of the hub. The plurality of blades includes a plurality of perforated blades that support the shroud during additively manufacturing the impeller. The method can include installing the impeller in a fuel pump, air compressor, or the like, without removing the perforated blades from the impeller.

Disclosed is a permanent magnet direct-drive slurry pump based on gas film drag reduction, which includes a permanent magnet motor, a main shaft, an impeller, and a valve block. The permanent magnet motor includes a housing, a stator core, stator windings, a rotor core, and a permanent magnet. The rotor core and the impeller share the main shaft, and an airflow channel is provided inside the main shaft. The impeller includes a front cover plate, a back cover plate, and blades. The blades are modularly manufactured, and blade gas jet holes and hemispherical pits are provided on the pressure surface. The airflow channel in the main shaft is communicated with the blade gas-jet holes. The valve block is disposed at the tail end of the main shaft so as to control gas exhaust and prevent liquid from entering the shaft. The present invention has such advantages as a small size, high efficiency, and strong wear resistance.

A method and apparatus for a centrifugal pump according to which an annular retainer is positioned around a first end portion of a pump shaft, an open end portion of a compression cylinder is positioned around the first end portion of the pump shaft so that the pump shaft extends within an internal cavity of the compression cylinder, the compression cylinder is moved towards an annular groove formed in the first end portion of the pump shaft, and the annular retainer is sprung into the annular groove. In some embodiments, springing the annular retainer into the annular groove constrains one or more impellers and one or more annular spacers between the annular retainer and another annular retainer connected to the pump shaft.

An impeller for pumping fluid that comprises discharge flow paths that allow high pressure liquid to be used to flush out low pressure gas that can accumulate within the internal structure of the impeller. The impeller comprises transition regions, vanes, and at least one discharge flow path. The vanes are rotational about a central axis. The transition regions and the plurality of vanes have a high pressure flow path and a low pressure flow path. The at least one discharge flow path is in fluid communication with a section of the low pressure flow path of at least one of the transition region(s) and the vane(s).

A method and apparatus for a centrifugal pump according to which an annular retainer is positioned around a first end portion of a pump shaft, an open end portion of a compression cylinder is positioned around the first end portion of the pump shaft so that the pump shaft extends within an internal cavity of the compression cylinder, the compression cylinder is moved towards an annular groove formed in the first end portion of the pump shaft, and the annular retainer is sprung into the annular groove. In some embodiments, springing the annular retainer into the annular groove constrains one or more impellers and one or more annular spacers between the annular retainer and another annular retainer connected to the pump shaft.

Disclosed herein are a dual inlet volute with an impeller and pump for same, and related methods. In one form a pump is provided comprising a motor configured to rotate a shaft, an impeller operatively coupled to the shaft, and a volute housing the impeller, the volute having a first inlet, a second inlet, and a discharge in fluid communication with the first and second inlets.

A double suction impeller is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the impeller is configured for centrifugal pumps and hydraulic power recovery turbines. The impeller's flow-path arrangement comprises inter-blade channels, intersecting each other at the impeller's outer diameter and defining a variable cross section shape, so that the equivalent number of blades is at least doubled with respect to a conventional configuration obtained by the coupling of two single suction impellers and an improved control over the velocity of the flow within the inter-blade channels is achieved.

An impeller for pumping fluid that comprises discharge flow paths that allow high pressure liquid to be used to flush out low pressure gas that can accumulate within the internal structure of the impeller. The impeller comprises transition regions, vanes, and at least one discharge flow path. The vanes are rotational about a central axis. The transition regions and the plurality of vanes have a high pressure flow path and a low pressure flow path. The at least one discharge flow path is in fluid communication with a section of the low pressure flow path of at least one of the transition region(s) and the vane(s).

A system having a variable diameter impeller device that is operable for reducing an energy consumption of a rotating fluid or gas pump by increasing the impeller diameter as a speed of the rotating fluid or gas pump increases and decreasing the impeller diameter as the speed decreases. An extendable vane arrangement is configured to move along an elongated curved or sloping slot, the movement along the elongated curved or sloping slot is operable for increasing and decreasing a diameter of the impeller device. A spring arrangement having a first end and a second end extends and retracts to dynamically increase or decrease a diameter of the impeller device.