Method and apparatus for pumping fiber suspensions

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein the pump housing inlet includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes and said pump housing inlet includes rib-shaped lobes for generating said shear force field.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein said non-circular rotor extends through said inlet into said vessel.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, wherein said rotor is located adjacent said impeller.

Claim 8

A centrifugal pump for fluidizing a high consistency fiber suspension stored in a vessel having an outlet and for pumping the fiber suspension having a consistency of from about 8 to about 20% fiber in the fluidized state, said pump comprising: (a) a pump housing having an inlet connectable with said vessel outlet; (b) an impeller mounted within said housing for discharging said fluidized suspension; (c) a shaft operatively connected to said impeller; (d) a non-circular rotor mounted for rotation within said inlet for generating a shear force field of sufficient strength to fluidize said suspension in said housing inlet and in said vessel adjacent said pump housing inlet.

Claim 9

A centrifugal pump for fluidizing a high consistency fiber suspension stored in a vessel having an outlet and for pumping the fiber suspension having a consistency of from about 8 to about 20% fiber in the fluidized state, said pump comprising: (a) a pump housing having an inlet connectable with said vessel outlet; (b) an impeller mounted within said housing for discharging said fluidized suspension; (c) a shaft operatively connected to said impeller; (d) a non-circular rotor mounted for rotation within said inlet for generating a shear force field of sufficient strength to fluidize said suspension in said housing inlet and in said vessel adjacent said pump housing inlet.

Claim 10

The pump of claim 7, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 11

The pump of claim 7, wherein said pump housing inlet includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 12

The pump of claim 7, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes and said housing inlet includes rib-shaped lobes for generating said shear force field.

Claim 13

The pump of claim 7, wherein said non-circular rotor extends through said pump housing inlet into said vessel.

Claim 14

The pump of claim 11, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 15

The pump of claim 12, wherein said pump housing inlet includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 16

The pump of claim 7, wherein said non-circular rotor is mounted on the same shaft as said impeller.

Claim 17

The pump of claim 7, wherein said rotor is located adjacent said impeller.

Claim 18

In combination a vessel for holding a fiber suspension having a consistency of from about 8 to about 20% fiber and a centrifugal pump for fluidizing and pumping the fiber suspension therefrom comprising: (a) a vessel outlet; (b) a pump housing having a suspension inlet part connected to said vessel outlet for allowing said suspension to pass into said housing; (c) said housing further having a suspension outlet; (d) an impeller mounted within said housing for discharging said suspension through said housing outlet; (e) a shaft operatively connected to said impeller; (f) a non-circular rotor mounted for rotation within said inlet part for generating a shear force field of sufficient strength to fluidize said suspension in said inlet part and in said vessel adjacent said vessel outlet.

Claim 19

In combination a vessel for holding a fiber suspension having a consistency of from about 8 to about 20% fiber and a centrifugal pump for fluidizing and pumping the fiber suspension therefrom comprising: (a) a vessel outlet; (b) a pump housing having a suspension inlet part connected to said vessel outlet for allowing said suspension to pass into said housing; (c) said housing further having a suspension outlet; (d) an impeller mounted within said housing for discharging said suspension through said housing outlet; (e) a shaft operatively connected to said impeller; (f) a non-circular rotor mounted for rotation within said inlet part for generating a shear force field of sufficient strength to fluidize said suspension in said inlet part and in said vessel adjacent said vessel outlet.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 16, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 16, wherein said inlet includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 16, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes and said inlet includes rib-shaped lobes for generating said shear force field.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 16 wherein said vessel outlet includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 16, wherein said non-circular rotor extends through said inlet part into said vessel.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 21, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 22, wherein said inlet part includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 23, wherein said vessel outlet includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 28

The combination of claim 16, wherein said non-circular rotor is mounted on the same shaft as said impeller.

Claim 29

The combination of claim 16, wherein said rotor is located adjacent said impeller.

Claim 30

The pump of claim 26, wherein said non-circular rotor is mounted on the same shaft as said impeller.

Claim 31

The pump of claim 26, wherein said rotor is located adjacent said impeller.

Claim 32

A centrifugal pump for fluidizing a high consistency fiber suspension having a consistency of from about 8 to about 20% fiber stored in a vessel having an outlet and for pumping said fiber suspension in the fluidized state, said pump comprising: (a) a pump housing having an inlet connectable with said vessel outlet; (b) an impeller disposed within said housing for discharging said fluidized suspension; (c) a shaft operatively connected to said impeller; (d) a non-circular rotor mounted for rotation within said pump housing inlet; (e) said inlet and said rotor defining and being spaced apart by a space, at least one of the surfaces defining said space being non-circular for generating a shear force field, said shear force field extending through said pump housing inlet into said vessel adjacent said inlet and being of sufficient strength to disrupt the fiber-to-fiber bonds of said fiber suspension for fluidizing said suspension and rendering said suspension pumpable.

Claim 33

A centrifugal pump for fluidizing a high consistency fiber suspension having a consistency of from about 8 to about 20% fiber stored in a vessel having an outlet and for pumping said fiber suspension in the fluidized state, said pump comprising: (a) a pump housing having an inlet connectable with said vessel outlet; (b) an impeller disposed within said housing for discharging said fluidized suspension; (c) a shaft operatively connected to said impeller; (d) a non-circular rotor mounted for rotation within said pump housing inlet; (e) said inlet and said rotor defining and being spaced apart by a space, at least one of the surfaces defining said space being non-circular for generating a shear force field, said shear force field extending through said pump housing inlet into said vessel adjacent said inlet and being of sufficient strength to disrupt the fiber-to-fiber bonds of said fiber suspension for fluidizing said suspension and rendering said suspension pumpable.

Claim 34

The pump of claim 29, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 35

The pump of claim 29, wherein said pump inlet includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 36

The pump of claim 29, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes and said pump inlet includes rib-shaped lobes for generating said shear force field.

Claim 37

The pump of claim 29, wherein said non-circular rotor extends through said pump inlet into said vessel.

Claim 38

The pump of claim 33, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 39

The pump of claim 34, wherein said inlet includes rib-shaped lobes.

Claim 40

The pump of claim 33, wherein said non-circularity of said rotor is imparted by the inclusion of rib-shaped lobes and said inlet includes rib-shaped lobes.