Diesel Driven Water Pump with Vacuum Priming System - Centrifugal Clutch Engagement Speed

[IOC-AUS]

Hello All,
We are Building a Diesel Engine Driven Water Pump System that includes a Vscuum Priming Kit.
The Unit needs Remote Start/Stop & Telemetry.
We have fitted a Centrifugal Clutch to disengage Water Pump for first 5 minutes so Water Pump can be Primed before engagement.
The Priming is managed via a Vacuum Pump and Catch Tank + Overflow Tsnk.
Our challenge is Diesel Engine Speed for Priming due to limitation of Engagement Speed of the Centrifugal Pump.
We are Absorbing in the order of 45 kW to Supply the Water Pump at Duty [ 2 : 1 Ratio @ Duty - Engine 1800rpm / Pump 900rpm ].
Clutch engagement is Max 1000rpm and working with a Pulley to Operate the Vacuum Pump we can only Run Engine at Max 900 to 950rpm (below engagement of Clutch) and this isn't ideal for the Engine with Vacuum Pump not supplying enough Lift (Suction) ftom the Warerline 8 to 9 Metres to the Water below to Prime Pump.
Question was asked if we could engage Clutch @ 1200rpm or 1300rpm but this is not possible.
We are not keen on increasing Engine Dtive Pulley further to Speed up Vacuum Pump (currently 280mm OD).
Any thoughts on a solution.
Cheers

 

[Artisi]

Why are you trying to re-invent the wheel, there are many vacuum primed pumps already on the market, including Australia

It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. (Sherlock Holmes - A Scandal in Bohemia.)

 

[LittleInch]

Make the vacuum pump electric driven off the engine alternator?

Make the water pump self priming?

run some more pulleys and add a speed uplift?

We have no idea of space issues or why you don't want to increase the pulley size.

However whatever you do a "suction" lift of 8 to 9 metres is beyond the range of most pumps to do this successfully for a long periods without cavitation damage to the impellor. I would normally limit any long term operation to 7m lift and also hope the water temperature isn't very high...

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