US 12,311,324 B2
Pump device with a centrifugal pump and a mixing unit
Jens Hald, Bjerringbro (DK); Klaus Frederiksen, Bjerringbro (DK); and Bent Ole Emdal Domino, Bjerringbro (DK)
Assigned to GRUNDFOS HOLDING A/S, Bjerringbro (DK)
Appl. No. 18/841,201
Filed by GRUNDFOS HOLDING A/S, Bjerringbro (DK)
PCT Filed Feb. 7, 2023, PCT No. PCT/EP2023/052980
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 23, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/161017, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 31, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. PA202270067 (DK), filed on Feb. 25, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0108345 A1, Apr. 3, 2025
Int. Cl. F04D 15/00 (2006.01); B01F 25/64 (2022.01); B01F 35/213 (2022.01); B01F 35/221 (2022.01); B01F 35/71 (2022.01); B01F 35/82 (2022.01); B01F 35/83 (2022.01); F04D 7/04 (2006.01); F04D 29/42 (2006.01); F16K 15/03 (2006.01); F24D 3/10 (2006.01); G05D 11/13 (2006.01)
CPC B01F 25/64 (2022.01) [B01F 35/213 (2022.01); B01F 35/2211 (2022.01); B01F 35/7174 (2022.01); B01F 35/718051 (2022.01); B01F 35/82 (2022.01); B01F 35/833 (2022.01); F04D 7/045 (2013.01); G05D 11/13 (2013.01); B01F 2215/0422 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Pump device comprising:
a centrifugal pump having a pump inlet for receiving a fluid to be pumped, and
a mixing unit mounted to or integrated with the centrifugal pump,
wherein the mixing unit comprises:
a first inlet configured to be connected to a first fluid supply,
a second inlet configured to be connected to a second fluid supply,
an outlet in fluid communication with the pump inlet, and
a flapper valve configured to perform a pivoting movement between:
a first position in which it is engaged with a first valve seat of the first inlet so that the flapper valve closes the first inlet while providing fluid communication between the second inlet and the outlet, and
a second position in which it is engaged with a second valve seat of the second inlet so that the flapper valve closes the second inlet while providing fluid communication between the first inlet and the outlet,
wherein at least one of the first inlet and the second inlet houses a piston being:
configured to move along an inner surface of the respective inlet,
biased towards being in contact with the flapper valve during use,
provided with at least one piston channel or annular space extending between:
an end of the piston facing towards the respective fluid supply, and
a region of a circumferential surface of the piston, which region:
is covered by the inner surface of the respective inlet, when the flapper valve is engaged with the valve seat of the respective inlet,
extends beyond the inner surface of the respective inlet, when the flapper valve is out of engagement with the valve seat of the respective inlet, and
shaped and dimensioned to provide a flow passage having a smaller flow-through area via the piston channel or the annular space than a cross-sectional area of the respective inlet, and
wherein the position of the flapper valve is controllable, and the flapper valve is configured to maintain intermediate positions between the first position and the second position thereby providing corresponding mixing ratios of fluids flowing into the centrifugal pump via the first inlet and the second inlet during use of the pump device.