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A system for conveying fluid includes a conduit segment and a pump disposed downstream of and fluidicly coupled to the conduit segment. The conduit segment has an interior volume for conveying the fluid in a predetermined direction of flow and a plurality of elongate vanes disposed within the interi

A system for conveying fluid includes a conduit segment and a pump disposed downstream of and fluidicly coupled to the conduit segment. The conduit segment has an interior volume for conveying the fluid in a predetermined direction of flow and a plurality of elongate vanes disposed within the interior volume.

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1. An apparatus for conveying fluid, the apparatus comprising: a conduit segment having an inner surface and an interior volume for conveying the fluid in a predetermined direction of flow; anda plurality of pins flexibly coupled to the conduit segment, wherein each pin is configured to support one

1. An apparatus for conveying fluid, the apparatus comprising: a conduit segment having an inner surface and an interior volume for conveying the fluid in a predetermined direction of flow; anda plurality of pins flexibly coupled to the conduit segment, wherein each pin is configured to support one of a plurality of elongate vanes within the interior volume. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vanes are coupled to the pins such that the vanes are spaced apart from the inner surface. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the vanes is radially skewed relative to a direction that is normal to the inner surface. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the pins comprises a base portion extending into the conduit segment and a vane-supporting portion extending from the base portion and into the interior volume. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of the base portions has a non-circular cross-section. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cross-section of the at least one base portion has a shape selected from the group consisting of polygonal, elliptical, and ovoid. 7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of said vane-supporting portions includes a slot, and wherein one of said vanes is disposed in said slot. 8. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an elastomeric insert disposed between at least a first of the pins and the conduit segment, wherein the flexible insert has a receptacle configured to receive the base portion of the first pin. 9. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of elastomeric inserts, wherein each insert is disposed between one of the pins and the conduit segment, wherein each elastomeric insert has a receptacle configured to receive the base portion of the corresponding pin, and wherein each of the elastomeric inserts has a tapered outer surface that engages a correspondingly tapered surface formed in the conduit segment. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the elastomeric inserts comprises an elastomeric material and is vulcanized to the base portion of the corresponding pin. 11. A system for conveying fluid, the system comprising: a conduit segment having an interior volume for conveying the fluid in a predetermined direction of flow, wherein the conduit segment includes a cylindrical inner surface, and a plurality of pin-receiving bores extending into the inner surface;a plurality of pins having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of each of the plurality of pins is flexibly inserted within one of the plurality of bores and the second portion extends into the interior volume; anda plurality of elastomeric inserts each disposed between one of the pin-receiving bores and the corresponding pin, wherein each insert includes a receptacle configured to receive the first portion of the corresponding pins. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein each insert includes a tapered outer surface that slidingly engages with a tapered portion of the corresponding pin-receiving bore. 13. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a pump disposed downstream of and fluidicly coupled to the conduit segment, anda flexible connection disposed between the conduit segment and the pump. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the flexible connection has a first end coupled to the conduit segment, the first end having a first cross-sectional area substantially normal to the direction of flow, and a midsection disposed downstream of the first end, the midsection having a second cross-sectional area substantially normal to the direction of flow and greater than the first cross-sectional area. 15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of elongate vanes disposed within the interior volume, wherein each vane is coupled to the second portion of one of the pins, and wherein each of the vanes extends into the flexible connection. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of vanes has a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is downstream of the first end and disposed between the first and second cross-sectional areas of the flexible connection. 17. An apparatus for conveying fluid in a predetermined direction from upstream to downstream, the apparatus comprising: a conduit segment having an inner surface and an interior volume; anda plurality of vanes disposed within the interior volume, the vanes including first and second ends, wherein the first end is tapered and is upstream of the second end;a plurality of pins flexibly coupled to the inner surface of the conduit segment, wherein each pin flexibly supports one of the plurality of vanes within the interior volume. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of pins has a first portion flexibly anchored to the conduit segment and a second portion extending into the interior volume, wherein the second portion includes a slot retaining one of the vanes therein. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the vanes include a midpoint, and wherein pins connect to the vanes at a location between the midpoint and one of the first and second ends. 20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of flexible inserts interconnecting the pins and the conduit segment. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein each flexible insert has a pin-receiving recess and a generally frustoconical outer surface. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pin-receiving recess of each insert has a shape that is non-circular, and wherein the first portion of each pin has a cross-section that corresponds to the shape of the pin-receiving recess of the corresponding insert. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the shape of the pin-receiving recess of each insert is selected from the group consisting of polygonal, elliptical, and ovoid.