A refrigerant pump with dynamically adjustable balancing structure
By introducing a fluid kinetic energy feedback mechanism and adjustment components into the refrigerant pump, the axial force is dynamically adjusted, solving the problems of rotor axial movement and wear under high-speed operation, and achieving efficient axial force balance and low-energy operation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- XIAN LEEHUA THERMAL TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-23
Smart Images
Figure CN121828255B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of centrifugal pumps, and more particularly to a refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure. Background Technology
[0002] In data centers and communication equipment rooms, various types of refrigerant pumps are increasingly used. Among these pump types, especially centrifugal pumps, axial force is an unavoidable issue during operation. The axial force arises because a pressure difference exists on both sides of the impeller during centrifugal pump operation. The impeller inlet is at low pressure, while the back side is at high pressure, and the different effective areas create this pressure difference, generating an axial force that points towards the inlet and is parallel to the shaft. Without balancing measures, the rotor will move back and forth under the influence of this axial force. For suspended centrifugal pumps, this axial force is borne by the bearings. If the axial force is too large, it will increase the load on the bearings, increase pump power consumption, shorten bearing life, and in severe cases, cause bearing damage. Existing technology uses sliding bearings and axial force balancing, integrating radial support and axial force balancing functions. While bearing the radial load (supporting the rotating shaft), it utilizes the fluid pressure difference to balance the axial force. However, this design has certain limitations. It cannot flexibly control the magnitude of the axial force by adjusting the clearance of the sliding bearing. It is limited by the size of the sliding bearing. For example, the refrigerant pump disclosed in patent application CN113389737A includes: an integrated frame, including a housing and a first bearing bracket; a pump housing, sealed to the first axial end of the housing; a wiring cover, sealed to the second axial end of the housing, which has a sealing terminal; a motor, located in the motor fixing cavity and connected to the sealing terminal through a lead wire; and a drive shaft, which is interference-fitted with the rotor of the motor. In this technical solution, the drive shaft is directly lubricated with the first and second bearings through refrigerant, avoiding the adverse effects of using lubricating oil on the heat exchange of the air conditioning system. However, the balance clearance and lubrication clearance of the sliding bearing affect each other, and wear can easily lead to a decrease in the balance effect or bearing lubrication failure. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention
[0003] In view of the problems existing in the refrigerant pump with the dynamically adjustable balance structure, the present invention is proposed.
[0004] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure, which can be dynamically adjusted. The balancing component can respond to fluctuations in operating conditions through its own mechanism and dynamically adjust the magnitude of the balancing force through dynamic changes in the gap.
[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure includes a water pump assembly, including a housing, a motor rotor disposed within the housing, an impeller connected to the motor rotor, and a circulation pipeline disposed on the housing; and an adjustment assembly, including a water wheel, a rotating rod connected to the water wheel, a limiting block connected to the rotating rod, slide bars symmetrically disposed on both sides of the limiting block, a mounting bracket disposed outside the slide bars, a left transmission rod and a right transmission rod disposed on both sides of the mounting bracket, a spring connected to the right transmission rod, and a rotating plate disposed on one side of the left transmission rod.
[0006] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, the outer casing has a pump inlet and a pump outlet, and the other side of the outer casing opposite to the pump inlet is also connected to a circulation pipeline.
[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, the motor rotor is fixedly installed inside the housing, the output shaft of the motor rotor is connected to the impeller, and the impeller is located near the pump inlet.
[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, the circulation pipeline starts from the end opposite to the pump inlet, connects to the outside of the casing to the end of the casing near the pump inlet, and connects to the inside of the casing. The outlet direction of the circulation pipeline is consistent with the refrigerant flow direction.
[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, the circulation pipeline is further provided with a cavity, the water wheel is rotatably disposed in the cavity, the water wheel rotation shaft is fixedly connected to the rotation rod, and the mounting bracket is provided with a mounting cavity.
[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, the limiting block is disposed in the mounting cavity, the other end of the rotating rod away from the water wheel is fixedly connected to the limiting block, and the limiting block is cross-shaped.
[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, wherein: columns are symmetrically arranged inside the mounting cavity, and the columns are respectively arranged at the four corners inside the mounting cavity; two sliders are provided and are centrally symmetrically arranged, and each slider has a wavy sidewall on the side near the limiting block, and the limiting block can be embedded in the wavy sidewall.
[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, the mounting bracket is fixedly mounted on the outer casing and extends into the outer casing. One of the slide bars is fixedly connected to the left drive rod, and the other is fixedly connected to the right drive rod. The left and right drive rods are slidably mounted on the mounting bracket and extend into the mounting cavity and are fixedly connected to the slide bar. The mounting bracket is also provided with a slide rail.
[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, the spring is disposed in the slide rail, one end of the spring is fixedly connected to the side wall of the mounting bracket, and the other end is fixedly connected to the right transmission rod.
[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure described in this invention, the left drive rod extends into the housing, the rotating plate is disposed at the end of the mounting bracket extending into the housing, the rotating plate is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket, a plurality of balls are embedded in the side wall of the rotating plate near the impeller, and a baffle is also disposed at the end of the left drive rod.
[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are:
[0016] Employing a unique fluid kinetic energy feedback mechanism, this system converts the refrigerant flow velocity into mechanical regulating power through a circulation pipeline connected in parallel with the main pump pipeline and an internal water impeller. This design allows for precise adaptive matching of the regulating force to the pump's operating state; that is, the higher the pump speed and the faster the internal flow velocity, the greater the reverse support force generated by the regulating components. This effectively solves the problem of rotor sway and unstable operation caused by excessive axial force in traditional refrigerant pumps at high speeds. Moreover, this process is entirely automated by the mechanical structure, requiring no additional electronic sensors or complex control units, significantly reducing the system's energy consumption and failure rate. Attached Figure Description
[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Wherein:
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure according to the present invention.
[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the outer shell of the present invention.
[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment component structure of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating plate structure of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the spring structure of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting cavity structure of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure according to the present invention.
[0025] Reference numerals: 100, pump assembly; 101, housing; 1011, pump inlet; 1012, pump outlet; 102, motor rotor; 103, impeller; 104, circulation pipeline; 1041, cavity; 200, adjusting assembly; 201, water wheel; 202, rotating rod; 203, limit block; 204, slide bar; 205, mounting bracket; 2051, mounting cavity; 2052, column; 2053, slide rail; 206, left drive rod; 2061, baffle; 207, right drive rod; 208, spring; 209, rotating plate; 2091, ball bearing. Detailed Implementation
[0026] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0027] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0028] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.
[0029] Secondly, the present invention is described in detail with reference to the schematic diagrams. When detailing the embodiments of the present invention, for ease of explanation, the cross-sectional views illustrating the device structure may be partially enlarged, not according to the usual scale. Furthermore, the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition, actual fabrication should include three-dimensional spatial dimensions of length, width, and depth.
[0030] Example 1
[0031] Reference Figures 1-7 This first embodiment of the invention provides a refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure. The refrigerant pump includes a water pump assembly 100 and an adjusting assembly 200. The water pump assembly 100 includes a housing 101, a motor rotor 102 disposed within the housing 101, an impeller 103 connected to the motor rotor 102, and a circulation pipe 104 disposed on the housing 101. The adjusting assembly 200 includes a water wheel 201, a rotating rod 202 connected to the water wheel 201, a limiting block 203 connected to the rotating rod 202, slide bars 204 symmetrically disposed on both sides of the limiting block 203, a mounting bracket 205 disposed outside the slide bars 204, a left transmission rod 206 and a right transmission rod 207 disposed on both sides of the mounting bracket 205, a spring 208 connected to the right transmission rod 207, and a rotating plate 209 disposed on one side of the left transmission rod 206.
[0032] The outer casing 101 has a pump inlet 1011 and a pump outlet 1012. The other side of the outer casing 101 opposite to the pump inlet 1011 is also connected to a circulation pipe 104. The motor rotor 102 is fixedly installed inside the outer casing 101, and its output shaft is connected to an impeller 103, which is positioned near the pump inlet 1011. The circulation pipe 104 starts from the other end opposite to the pump inlet 101, connects to the outside of the outer casing 101, extends to the end of the outer casing 101 near the pump inlet 1011, and then connects to the inside of the outer casing 101. The outlet direction of the circulation pipe 104 is consistent with the coolant flow direction. A cavity 1041 is also provided on the circulation pipe 104. The water wheel 201 is rotatably installed within the cavity 1041, and its rotation shaft is fixedly connected to a rotating rod 202. A mounting cavity 2051 is provided on the mounting bracket 205.
[0033] The limiting block 203 is disposed within the mounting cavity 2051. The other end of the rotating rod 202 away from the water wheel 201 is fixedly connected to the limiting block 203, which is cross-shaped. Columns 2052 are also symmetrically arranged within the mounting cavity 2051, each positioned at one of the four corners. Two sliders 204 are provided and symmetrically arranged. Each slider 204 has a wavy sidewall on the side closest to the limiting block 203, allowing the limiting block 203 to be embedded within the wavy sidewall. The mounting bracket 205 is fixedly mounted on the outer casing 101 and extends into the outer casing 101. One of the slide bars 204 is fixedly connected to the left drive rod 206, and the other is fixedly connected to the right drive rod 207. The left drive rod 206 and the right drive rod 207 are slidably mounted on the mounting bracket 205. The left drive rod 206 and the right drive rod 207 extend into the mounting cavity 2051 and are fixedly connected to the slide bar 204. The mounting bracket 205 is also provided with a slide rail 2053. The spring 208 is disposed in the slide rail 2053. One end of the spring 208 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the mounting bracket 205, and the other end is fixedly connected to the right drive rod 207. The left transmission rod 206 extends into the housing 101. The rotating plate 209 is disposed at the end of the mounting bracket 205 that extends into the housing 101. The rotating plate 209 is rotatably disposed at the end of the mounting bracket 205. Several balls 2091 are embedded in the side wall of the rotating plate 209 near the impeller 103. A baffle 2061 is also disposed at the end of the left transmission rod 206.
[0034] When the device starts operating, the water pump assembly 100 is first activated. The motor rotor 102, located inside the housing 101, is energized and begins to rotate at high speed, thereby driving the impeller 103, which is fixedly connected to its output shaft, to rotate synchronously. At this time, the refrigerant is drawn in from the pump inlet 1011 under negative pressure. After being pressurized and worked by the impeller 103, it obtains a higher flow velocity and pressure, and is finally discharged from the pump outlet 1012 to enter the external circulation system. During this basic pumping process, because the motor rotor 102 is fixed inside the housing 101 and the impeller 103 is located close to the pump inlet 1011, the high-speed rotating fluid often generates a significant axial tensile or thrust force on the impeller 103. If this axial force is not balanced, it will cause the motor rotor 102 to move axially, affecting the pump's lifespan and operational stability.
[0035] To address the aforementioned axial force balance issue, this device utilizes the fluid's own kinetic energy for adaptive adjustment. When the refrigerant flows within the pump, a portion enters the circulation pipe 104 located on the outer casing 101. Since the circulation pipe 104 originates from the end of the outer casing 101 furthest from the pump inlet 1011 and connects to the end closest to the pump inlet 1011, the pressure difference between the two ends drives the refrigerant to flow along the coolant flow direction within the pipe. When the fluid passes through the cavity 1041 on the circulation pipe 104, the flowing refrigerant impacts the water impeller 201 located within it, causing the water impeller 201 to rotate. This design not only utilizes the energy of the bypass fluid to achieve passive drive but, more importantly, establishes a feedback mechanism: the faster the pump's main shaft speed, the faster the flow velocity within the circulation pipe 104, and the greater the impact on the water impeller 201, enabling it to rotate. This provides a power source that matches the operating conditions for subsequent dynamic adjustment.
[0036] The rotational motion of the water turbine 201 is transmitted to the core mechanism of the adjusting assembly 200 via the rotating rod 202 fixed to it. The rotating rod 202 extends into the mounting cavity 2051 of the mounting bracket 205, driving the end limit block 203 to rotate. Because the limit block 203 has a cross-shaped design, and the inner side of the slide bars 204 surrounding the limit block 203 has a wavy sidewall, when the limit block 203 rotates within the mounting cavity 2051, its cross-shaped arm continuously sweeps across the wavy protrusions of the slide bars 204. This mechanical interaction produces a pushing effect similar to a cam or ratchet, forcing the centrally symmetrically arranged slide bars 204 to overcome resistance and move outwards. During this process, the column 2052 within the mounting cavity 2051 acts as a limiter and guide, ensuring that the slide bars 204 do not extend indefinitely outwards, efficiently converting the original rotational motion into linear reciprocating thrust or continuous compressive force.
[0037] As the slider 204 moves outward under force, it drives the left drive rod 206 and right drive rod 207 connected to it to slide on the mounting bracket 205. The movement of the right drive rod 207 compresses the spring 208 located within the slide rail 2053. The spring 208 has a dual technical effect: firstly, it provides necessary reverse resistance, ensuring that only when the pump speed reaches a certain threshold (i.e., when the risk of axial movement is high), and the impact of the coolant on the turbine 201 is sufficiently large, can the driving force be generated to overcome the spring force and trigger the regulating component 200, thus avoiding malfunctions at low speeds; secondly, when the pump stops working or the speed decreases, the restoring force of the spring 208 can quickly reset the right drive rod 207 and slider 204, while simultaneously causing the left drive rod 206 to retract synchronously, restoring the entire system to its initial state.
[0038] Meanwhile, the left drive rod 206, pushed by the slide bar 204, extends into the housing 101. Its end baffle 2061 pushes the rotating plate 209, causing the other end of the rotating plate 209 to move towards the impeller 103. When the left drive rod 206 extends to a certain extent, several balls 2091 embedded on the side of the rotating plate 209 near the impeller 103 will contact the end face of the impeller 103 or the motor rotor 102. At this time, the left drive rod 206 applies a reverse supporting force through the rotating plate 209, effectively counteracting the axial force generated by the high-speed rotation of the impeller 103, and achieving dynamic balance. Of particular note is that by having the ball bearings 2091 contact the impeller 103, the possible sliding friction is transformed into rolling friction. Combined with the rotatable setting of the rotating plate 209 at the end of the mounting bracket 205, contact wear and mechanical noise are greatly reduced. While ensuring the axial stability of the motor rotor 102, the service life of each component is extended. It can be expected that the greater the impact force generated by the coolant, the larger the angle of rotation of the water wheel 201, the more the spring 208 is compressed, the longer the left transmission rod 206 extends, and the greater the force exerted by the rotating plate 209 on the impeller 103. This force is dynamically matched according to the rotation speed of the impeller 103 to achieve the effect of eliminating axial force.
[0039] The advantage of this solution lies in its unique fluid kinetic energy feedback mechanism. By setting up a circulation pipeline 104 connected in parallel with the main pump pipeline and an internal water impeller 201, the refrigerant flow velocity is converted into mechanical regulating power. This design allows the regulating force to achieve precise adaptive matching with the pump's operating state. That is, the higher the pump speed and the faster the internal flow velocity, the greater the reverse support force generated by the regulating component 200. This effectively solves the problem of motor rotor 102 swaying and unstable operation caused by excessive axial force in traditional refrigerant pumps at high speeds. Moreover, this process is completed automatically by the mechanical structure, without the need for additional electronic sensors or complex control units, significantly reducing the system's energy consumption and failure rate. Through the cooperation of the limit block 203 and the wave-shaped slide bar 204, the rotational motion is efficiently converted into axial displacement. With the setting of the spring 208, not only is the device's response sensitivity to speed changes guaranteed, but the regulating component 200 can also be automatically reset when the pump stops or operates at low speed, avoiding unnecessary interference. More importantly, at the actuator end that contacts the high-speed rotating impeller 103, the present invention adopts a rotating plate 209 design with ball bearings 2091, which transforms the traditional rigid sliding friction into low-resistance rolling friction. This flexible contact method greatly reduces operating noise and mechanical wear, and while ensuring the axial balance of the motor rotor 102, it significantly extends the service life of the impeller 103 and the entire pump body.
[0040] It is important to note that the constructions and arrangements of this application shown in several different exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative. Although only a few embodiments are described in detail in this disclosure, those who consult this disclosure will readily understand that many modifications are possible (e.g., changes in the size, dimensions, structure, shape, and proportions of various elements, as well as parameter values (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, color, orientation, etc.) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described in this application. For example, an element shown as integrally formed may be composed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be inverted or otherwise altered, and the nature or number or position of discrete elements may be changed or altered. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be changed or rearranged according to alternative embodiments. Any "device plus function" clause is intended to cover the structure described herein that performs the function, and not only structurally equivalent but also equivalent in structure. Other substitutions, modifications, alterations, and omissions may be made in the design, operation, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, but extends to various modifications that still fall within the scope of the appended claims.
[0041] Furthermore, in order to provide a concise description of exemplary embodiments, not all features of actual embodiments (i.e., those features that are not relevant to the currently considered best mode for carrying out the invention, or those features that are not relevant to implementing the invention) may be omitted.
[0042] It should be understood that numerous specific implementation decisions can be made during the development of any practical implementation, such as in any engineering or design project. Such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, the development effort will be a routine work of design, manufacturing, and production without requiring much experimentation.
[0043] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A refrigerant pump having a dynamically adjustable balance structure, characterized by, include: The water pump assembly (100) includes a housing (101), a motor rotor (102) disposed within the housing (101), an impeller (103) connected to the motor rotor (102), and a circulation pipeline (104) disposed on the housing (101). The adjustment assembly (200) includes a water wheel (201), a rotating rod (202) connected to the water wheel (201), a limiting block (203) connected to the rotating rod (202), slide bars (204) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the limiting block (203), a mounting bracket (205) arranged outside the slide bars (204), a left transmission rod (206) and a right transmission rod (207) arranged on both sides of the mounting bracket (205), a spring (208) connected to the right transmission rod (207), and a rotating plate (209) arranged on one side of the left transmission rod (206). The outer casing (101) is provided with a pump inlet (1011) and a pump outlet (1012), and the other side of the outer casing (101) opposite to the pump inlet (1011) is also connected to the circulation pipeline (104); The circulation pipeline (104) starts from the other end opposite to the pump inlet (1011), connects from the outside of the housing (101) to the end of the housing (101) near the pump inlet (1011) and connects to the inside of the housing (101). The outlet direction of the circulation pipeline (104) is consistent with the coolant flow direction. The limiting block (203) is disposed in the mounting cavity (2051), and the other end of the rotating rod (202) away from the water wheel (201) is fixedly connected to the limiting block (203). The limiting block (203) is cross-shaped. The mounting cavity (2051) is also symmetrically provided with columns (2052), which are respectively located at the four corners inside the mounting cavity (2051); there are two sliders (204) arranged symmetrically at the center, and each slider (204) has a wavy sidewall on the side near the limiting block (203), and the limiting block (203) can be embedded in the wavy sidewall.
2. The refrigerant pump with dynamically adjustable balance structure of claim 1, wherein: The motor rotor (102) is fixedly installed inside the housing (101). The output shaft of the motor rotor (102) is connected to the impeller (103), and the impeller (103) is located near the pump inlet (1011).
3. The refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The circulation pipeline (104) is also provided with a cavity (1041), the water wheel (201) is rotatably disposed in the cavity (1041), the rotating shaft of the water wheel (201) is fixedly connected to the rotating rod (202), and the mounting frame (205) is provided with a mounting cavity (2051).
4. The refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The mounting bracket (205) is fixedly mounted on the outer shell (101) and extends into the outer shell (101). One of the slide bars (204) is fixedly connected to the left drive rod (206) and the other is fixedly connected to the right drive rod (207). The left drive rod (206) and the right drive rod (207) are slidably mounted on the mounting bracket (205). The left drive rod (206) and the right drive rod (207) extend into the mounting cavity (2051) and are fixedly connected to the slide bar (204). The mounting bracket (205) is also provided with a slide rail (2053).
5. The refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The spring (208) is installed in the slide rail (2053). One end of the spring (208) is fixedly connected to the side wall of the mounting bracket (205), and the other end is fixedly connected to the right transmission rod (207).
6. The refrigerant pump with a dynamically adjustable balance structure as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The left drive rod (206) extends into the housing (101), and the rotating plate (209) is located at the end of the mounting bracket (205) that extends into the housing (101). The rotating plate (209) is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket (205). Multiple balls (2091) are embedded in the side wall of the rotating plate (209) near the impeller (103). A baffle (2061) is also provided at the end of the left drive rod (206).