Pump for molten metal or other fluid

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:869299

Horton, James A ^[1]; Brown, Donald L ^[1]

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1. Livermore, CA

A pump having no moving parts which can be used to pump high temperature molten metal or other fluids in a vacuum or low pressure environment, and a method for pumping such fluids. The pump combines elements of a bubble pump with a trap which isolates the vacuum or low pressure region from the gas used to create the bubbles. When used in a vacuum the trap prevents the pumping gas from escaping into the isolated region and thereby reducing the quality of the vacuum. The pump includes a channel in which a pumping gas is forced under pressure into a cavity where bubbles are formed. The cavity is in contact with a reservoir which contains the molten metal or other fluid which is to be pumped. The bubbles rise up into a column (or pump tube) carrying the fluid with them. At the top of the column is located a deflector which causes the bubbles to burst and the drops of pumped fluid to fall into a trap. The fluid accumulates in the trap, eventually forcing its way to an outlet. A roughing pump can be used to withdraw the pumping gas from the top of the column and assist with maintaining the vacuum or low pressure environment.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5312232
• OSTI ID: 869299
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

pump
molten
metal
fluid
moving
temperature
fluids
vacuum
pressure
environment
method
pumping
combines
elements
bubble
trap
isolates
region
gas
create
bubbles
prevents
escaping
isolated
reducing
quality
channel
forced
cavity
formed
contact
reservoir
contains
pumped
rise
column
tube
carrying
top
located
deflector
causes
burst
drops
fall
accumulates
eventually
forcing
outlet
roughing
withdraw
assist
maintaining
pumping gas
pressure environment
pressure region
molten metal
temperature molten
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