Liquid aeration method and pump apparatus with stationary vanes and downward flow

Claim 2

In a pump for use in aerating or cooling a body of liquid such as water having a normal surface level, said pump being of the type having rotationally stationary tube means about a vertical axis, a device connected to the tube means to support the tube means in the liquid with the bottom of the tube means below the normal surface level, power drive means, impeller means connected to said drive means and positioned below said normal surface level, said impeller means having blades pitched in a predetermined direction, and vane means within said tube means and affixed thereto, at least part of said vane means being pitched in the opposite of said predetermined direction, said vane means defining a central opening, said impeller means being positioned within said central opening, the improvement comprising: the tube means having a top below said normal surface level, and said power drive means rotating said impeller means in a direction such as to force the liquid downwardly in the tube means.

Claim 3

In a pump as set forth in claim 1, wherein said part of said vane means is spaced from the top of the tube means, said vane means including a second part extending upwardly from the first mentioned part, said second part also being inclined downwardly in approximately the same direction as the first mentioned part.

Claim 4

In a pump as set forth in claim 2, wherein said tube means is cylindrical about said axis, and said vane means comprises a plurality of vanes regularly spaced about said axis.

Claim 5

In a pump as set forth in claim 3, wherein said impeller means has a diameter about said axis which is approximately sixty percent of the internal diameter of the tube means, said vane means extending closely adjacent the impeller means.

Claim 6

In a pump for aerating a body of liquid such as water having a normal surface level, said pump being of the type having rotationally stationary tube means about a vertical axis, a device connected to the tube means to support it in the liquid with the bottom of the tube means below the normal surface level, power drive means, and impeller means connected to the power drive means and positioned below the normal surface level, said impeller means being rotated by the power drive means to move the liquid axially in the tube means, the improvement comprising: the top of said tube means being below said normal surface level a given distance, the top of said impeller means being below the top of the tube means, said power means rotating said impeller means in a direction such that the axial movement of the liquid is downwardly with the impeller means rotating at sufficient speed that a vortex extends from said normal surface level approximately to the top of said impeller means, and including vane means within said tube means and affixed thereto, part of said vane means being radially adjacent the impeller means and being pitched in a direction opposite to the pitch of the blades on the impeller means.

Claim 7

In a pump for aerating a body of liquid such as water having a normal surface level, said pump being of the type having rotationally stationary tube means about a vertical axis, a device connected to the tube means to support it in the liquid with the bottom of the tube means below the normal surface level, power drive means, and impeller means connected to the power drive means and positioned below the normal surface level, said impeller means being rotated by the power drive means to move the liquid axially in the tube means, the improvement comprising: the top of said tube means being below said normal surface level a given distance, the top of said impeller means being below the top of the tube means, said power means rotating said impeller means in a direction such that the axial movement of the liquid is downwardly with the impeller means rotating at sufficient speed that a vortex extends from said normal surface level approximately to the top of said impeller means, and including vane means within said tube means and affixed thereto, part of said vane means being radially adjacent the impeller means and being pitched in a direction opposite to the pitch of the blades on the impeller means.

Claim 8

In a pump as set forth in claim 5, wherein said vane means extends above said impeller means and there is also pitched in the direction opposite to the pitch of the blades.

Claim 9

In a pump as set forth in claim 6, wherein said impeller means rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from above, said vane means being in the form of a helix which descends in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from above.

Claim 10

In a pump as set forth in claim 5, wherein the power drive means rotates the impeller in a counterclockwise direction for pumps used in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise for pumps used in the Southern Hemisphere.