Experimental Study of a Novel, Jet Booster Pump

A new form of a low head, jet booster pump was evaluated. The jet pump consisted of a constant diameter pipe fitted with two wall jets energizing the flow and a constant area diffuser consisting of a slotted wall portion of the pipe where water and solid fines were withdrawn. The withdrawn water was pressurized and recirculated to the j~ts by an external centrifugal slurry pump, thus performing a pressure 1 booster operation on the main line flow. The jet pump was evaluated in a 3 inch pipe recirculating flow facility. Extensive tests were conducted with water flow to evaluate and optimize performance characteristics. The best efficiency obtained was about 17 percent. Addition of solid particles to the flow in sizes up to 3/4 inch resulted in plugging of the screened diffuser for concentrations above about 20 percent by weight. Coal particles were rapidly eroded to very small sizes due to the action of the high velocity side jets. Problems associated with the screened diffuser limit the pumps' usefulness.