The inventive technology, in particular embodiments thereof, may be described as an apparatus (e.g., a pump) that imparts work to and redirects a fluid, and that features an impeller configured to contact and redirect an impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial and tangential velocity components, where the axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to a direction of an impeller inflow, in a meridional plane, the apparatus also featuring a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with an impeller axis of rotation, the diffuser featuring a diffuser outlet annular radial size that is greater than a diffuser inlet annular radial size; and/or curved diffuser vanes established as part of the diffuser, that redirect the impeller discharge so as to reduce the tangential velocity components.

A drain pump for a laundry treating apparatus includes a housing, an impeller, a motor, a circulation outlet, and a drain outlet. The circulation outlet and the drain outlet are defined on an outer circumferential surface of the housing, enable communication of the washing water with the housing, and protrude outward in directions tangential to the outer circumferential surface. The housing includes a rib that protrudes from an inner circumferential surface of the housing, that is located between the circulation outlet and the drain outlet, and that is to configured to guide the washing water to the circulation outlet or to the drain outlet based on a direction of rotation of the impeller.

The present invention is a reversible pump-turbine installation positioned in a vertical borehole instead of in a conventional underground powerhouse or deep concrete powerhouse. The required plant cavitation coefficient may be achieved by simply boring a vertical borehole to the required depth rather than routing the water flow to and from a deeply buried powerhouse. A pneumatically controlled pressure relief valve may be incorporated into this invention.

A drain pump for a laundry treating apparatus includes a housing, an impeller, a motor, a circulation outlet, and a drain outlet. The circulation outlet and the drain outlet are defined on an outer circumferential surface of the housing, enable communication of the washing water with the housing, and protrude outward in directions tangential to the outer circumferential surface. The housing includes a rib that protrudes from an inner circumferential surface of the housing, that is located between the circulation outlet and the drain outlet, and that is configured to guide the washing water to the circulation outlet or to the drain outlet based on a direction of rotation of the impeller.

In an aspect, a clutched device is provided, and includes an input member, an output member, a one-way clutch that can operatively connect the input member to the output member, and a motor including a stator and a rotor. The rotor is connected for rotation with a portion of the one-way clutch. The stator is operable to apply a first magnetic driving force to cause movement of the portion of the one-way clutch in a first rotational direction to increase a force of engagement between the input and output members. The stator is operable to apply a second magnetic driving force to cause movement of the portion of the one-way clutch to disengage the input and output members from each other.

The inventive technology, in particular embodiments thereof, may be described as an apparatus (e.g., a pump) that imparts work to and redirects a fluid, and that features an impeller configured to contact and redirect an impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial and tangential velocity components, where the axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to a direction of an impeller inflow, in a meridional plane, the apparatus also featuring a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with an impeller axis of rotation, the diffuser featuring a diffuser outlet annular radial size that is greater than a diffuser inlet annular radial size; and/or curved diffuser vanes established as part of the diffuser, that redirect the impeller discharge so as to reduce the tangential velocity components.

The present invention is a reversible pump-turbine installation position in a vertical shaft instead of in a conventional underground powerhouse or deep concrete powerhouse. The required plant cavitation coefficient may be achieved by simply boring a vertical shaft to the required depth rather than routing the water flow to and from a deeply buried powerhouse. A pneumatically controlled pressure relief valve may be incorporated into this invention.

An ESP pump includes a first centrifugal pump having a first vane design to operate in a clockwise direction, and a second centrifugal pump having a second vane design to operate in a counterclockwise direction, with a submersible induction or permanent magnet motor for driving the first and second centrifugal pumps. The first and second centrifugal pumps being connected to a common shaft.