A tubular pump with water cooling structure and a cooling medium circulating supply system

Abstract

This invention discloses a water-cooled axial flow pump, comprising a pump casing, a bulb body housed within the pump casing, and a bearing mounted within the bulb body. A water flow channel is formed between the pump casing and the bulb body. The bearing is a bearing with a water-cooled cavity, and the bulb body outer shell forms a heat dissipation cavity. A common heat exchange wall is provided between the heat dissipation cavity and the water flow channel. The heat dissipation cavity and the water-cooled cavity of the bearing are interconnected, and the two can cooperate with a cooling medium circulation supply system to form a series cooling circuit. This invention utilizes the axial flow pump itself to transport the medium for heat exchange, eliminating the need for external cooling equipment. It features a compact structure, high cooling efficiency, and strong adaptability, and can be widely applied to bearing cooling of various types of axial flow pumps.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of cross-flow pump cooling technology, and more specifically, relates to a cross-flow pump with a water-cooled structure and a cooling medium circulation supply system. Background Technology

[0002] Axial flow pumps are core conveying equipment for low-head, high-flow-rate applications, widely used in water conservancy projects such as flood control and drainage, farmland irrigation, urban water supply and drainage, and inter-basin water transfer. The core structure of an axial flow pump consists of a bulb-shaped body inside the pump casing, forming a water flow channel between the pump casing and the bulb-shaped body. The impeller is installed inside the water flow channel, and during operation, the impeller drives the water to continuously flow within the water flow channel, completing the medium conveying.

[0003] During long-term continuous operation of a cross-flow pump, the bearings within the bulb housing continuously generate a large amount of heat. Traditional grease-lubricated bearings have limited heat dissipation capacity, easily leading to problems such as overheating, grease failure, and shortened bearing life, which can even cause unit shutdown in severe cases. Existing water-cooling solutions for cross-flow pumps mostly rely on centralized cooling systems at pump stations, requiring additional chiller units, external heat exchangers, and independent cooling water sources. These solutions suffer from drawbacks such as complex structures, lengthy piping, and high construction and maintenance costs. Furthermore, in centralized systems, a single unit failure can easily affect the operation of the entire pump station, and some solutions have unreasonable cooling channel designs, resulting in low heat exchange efficiency and failing to meet the cooling requirements for the long-term stable operation of large and medium-sized cross-flow pumps. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a cross-flow pump bearing cooling solution that is structurally simple, highly integrated, can utilize the pump body's own structure for heat exchange, and allows for independent operation of a single unit. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art and provide a water-cooled axial flow pump and a cooling medium circulation supply system, which solves the problems of low heat dissipation efficiency, complex structure, reliance on external centralized cooling equipment, and poor operational reliability of existing axial flow pump bearing cooling solutions, and achieves efficient, stable and independent cooling of the bearing.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a cross-flow pump with a water-cooled structure, comprising a pump housing, a bulb body disposed within the pump housing, and a bearing mounted within the bulb body.

[0006] A water flow channel is formed between the pump casing and the bulb body; a water-cooled cavity is provided inside the bearing, and a heat dissipation cavity is formed on the outer shell of the bulb body. A common heat exchange wall is provided between the heat dissipation cavity and the water flow channel; the heat dissipation cavity and the water-cooled cavity of the bearing are interconnected, and the two are connected in series to form a series cooling loop in conjunction with the cooling medium circulation supply system. Specifically, by setting a common heat exchange wall between the heat dissipation cavity and the water flow channel, the working medium transported by the axial flow pump itself is directly used as the cold source for heat exchange, eliminating the need for additional external heat exchangers, chillers, or other cooling equipment, greatly simplifying the technical water supply system and reducing equipment costs and installation difficulty; the direct connection between the heat dissipation cavity and the bearing water-cooled cavity forms a closed-loop cooling flow path, with a short cooling path and direct heat exchange, enabling efficient cooling of the bearing; the pump body has a complete water-cooled basic structure, which can be adapted to any matching circulation system without relying on a centralized cooling system of a pump station, demonstrating strong adaptability.

[0007] Optionally, the bulb housing includes an inner shell and an outer shell, with the heat dissipation cavity formed between the inner shell and the outer shell. Multiple ribs are disposed within the heat dissipation cavity, and these ribs are staggered sequentially along the flow direction of the cooling medium, forming a continuous, zigzag flow channel between adjacent ribs. Specifically, by using the inner shell and outer shell to enclose the heat dissipation cavity, the bulb housing's own outer shell structure is utilized directly, eliminating the need for additional cavity components. This results in strong structural integrity, good sealing, and a more compact overall structure. The staggered ribs form a continuous, zigzag flow channel, significantly extending the residence time of the cooling medium within the heat dissipation cavity, increasing the contact area between the cooling medium and the shared heat exchange wall, significantly improving heat exchange efficiency, and enhancing the cooling effect of the bearing.

[0008] Optionally, the inlet of the heat dissipation cavity is connected to the water supply pipeline of the cooling medium circulation supply system, the outlet of the heat dissipation cavity is connected to the inlet of the water-cooled cavity, and the outlet of the water-cooled cavity is connected to the return water pipeline of the cooling medium circulation supply system. Specifically, the cooling medium first passes through the heat dissipation cavity for cooling and then enters the bearing water-cooled cavity for heat absorption in a series flow path. This ensures that the cooling medium entering the bearing is always at a low temperature, completely avoiding the problem of insufficient cooling effect caused by the cooling medium absorbing heat first and then exchanging heat, thus maximizing cooling efficiency.

[0009] Optionally, the axial flow pump is a direct-cooled permanent magnet motor axial flow pump or a submersible axial flow pump. Specifically, it is compatible with the mainstream direct-cooled permanent magnet motor axial flow pumps and submersible axial flow pumps currently used in water conservancy projects. It has strong versatility and can be used for the production of new pumps as well as for the modification of the cooling structure of existing axial flow pumps, with a wide range of applications.

[0010] Secondly, the present invention provides a cooling medium circulation supply system for a cross-flow pump, comprising: two parallel pipeline pumps configured as one in use and one as a backup; a water supply pipeline, one end of which is connected to the heat dissipation cavity of the cross-flow pump, and the other end of which is connected to the outlet of the pipeline pump; a return water pipeline, one end of which is connected to the water-cooled cavity of the bearing of the cross-flow pump, and the other end of which is connected to the inlet of the pipeline pump; and a flow stabilizer tank, the outlet of which is connected to the inlet of the pipeline pump, the water replenishment interface of which is used to connect to a water source pipeline, and the flow stabilizer tank being arranged at the highest position in the series cooling loop. Specifically, the system employs two pipeline pumps, one for operation and one for backup. In the event of a single pump failure, the system can seamlessly switch to the backup pump, ensuring continuous operation of the cooling circuit and completely preventing downtime of the axial flow pump unit due to cooling system failure, thus significantly improving operational reliability. The system is configured with each axial flow pump unit independently, without relying on the centralized cooling system of the pump station. A single unit failure can be independently shut down for maintenance without affecting the normal operation of other units in the pump station, making maintenance convenient and operating costs low. The flow stabilizing tank is located at the highest point of the cooling circuit, which can effectively accumulate and expel air in the circuit, preventing air from entering the pipeline pump and causing cavitation damage. At the same time, the cooling medium can be replenished in a timely manner through the water supply interface to maintain stable circuit pressure, further improving the stability of system operation.

[0011] Optionally, the outlet end of the pipeline pump is equipped with a first pressure gauge; the inlet end of the pipeline pump is equipped with a second pressure gauge; the supply pipeline is equipped with a pressure sensor and a first temperature sensor; and the return pipeline is equipped with a flow indicator and a second temperature sensor. Specifically, the pressure gauges at the inlet and outlet of the pipeline pump can monitor the pump's operating status in real time, promptly detect problems such as pump blockage, dry running, and malfunctions, facilitating daily maintenance and rapid troubleshooting; the pressure and temperature sensors on the supply and return pipelines can monitor the inlet and outlet parameters of the cooling medium in real time, accurately grasp the cooling effect and circuit operating status, and provide accurate data support for cooling flow regulation and abnormal alarms; the flow indicator can monitor the approximate circulation flow of the cooling medium in real time, and can promptly trigger an alarm or shutdown protection when the flow is too low or there is no flow, completely avoiding bearing overheating damage caused by cooling medium interruption, and ensuring the safe operation of the axial flow pump unit.

[0012] Optionally, a Y-type filter is also provided on the return water pipeline. Specifically, the Y-type filter can effectively filter solid impurities in the cooling medium, preventing impurities from clogging the pipeline and bearing water-cooling cavity, ensuring the flow capacity of the cooling circuit, significantly reducing the risk of pipeline blockage, reducing the system maintenance frequency, and extending the overall service life of the cooling system.

[0013] Optionally, the pipeline pump is a variable frequency pipeline pump, used to adjust the cooling medium flow rate according to the bearing's heat generation. Specifically, the variable frequency pipeline pump can automatically adjust the circulating flow rate of the cooling medium based on the real-time heat generation of the bearing and the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet water. While ensuring the cooling effect of the bearing, it avoids long-term full-load operation of the pump body, significantly reducing operating energy consumption and achieving remarkable energy-saving effects. It can also dynamically adjust the cooling capacity according to the heat generation under different operating conditions of the axial flow pump, exhibiting strong adaptability and more stable bearing cooling effect.

[0014] Optionally, the system also includes a maintenance drain pipe connected to the inlet of the pipeline pump for discharging the cooling medium in the circuit. Specifically, the maintenance drain pipe allows for the rapid and thorough discharge of all cooling medium from the cooling circuit when the axial flow pump unit is shut down for maintenance. This facilitates the inspection, cleaning, and replacement of components such as pipes, pipeline pumps, and filters, significantly reducing the difficulty of maintenance operations and improving maintenance efficiency.

[0015] Optionally, the flow stabilizer is equipped with an exhaust valve at the top. Specifically, the exhaust valve at the top of the flow stabilizer can automatically discharge air accumulated in the cooling circuit, preventing air from entering the pipeline pump and causing cavitation damage. At the same time, it can prevent air blockage from affecting the circulation flow of the cooling medium, ensuring the stable operation of the cooling circuit and extending the service life of the pipeline pump.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By setting up a shared heat exchange wall between the heat dissipation cavity and the water flow channel, the working medium transported by the cross-flow pump itself is directly used as a cold source for heat exchange. There is no need to add external heat exchangers, chillers or other cooling equipment, which greatly simplifies the technical water supply system and reduces the equipment construction cost and installation and maintenance difficulty.

[0017] The heat dissipation cavity is directly connected to the bearing water-cooling cavity, forming a short-path cooling flow path. The cooling medium can directly exchange heat with the bearing. The short cooling path and direct heat exchange enable efficient cooling of the bearing, effectively preventing bearing overheating failure and extending bearing service life.

[0018] The pump body comes with a complete water-cooled base structure, which can be adapted to various supporting circulation systems. It does not rely on the centralized cooling system of the pump station, and has strong adaptability. It can be used to match new axial flow pumps or to cool existing axial flow pump units, and has a wide range of applications.

[0019] This invention makes full use of the structure and working characteristics of the axial flow pump itself, without modifying the core flow structure of the pump body, and has no impact on the original hydraulic performance of the axial flow pump. While achieving efficient cooling, it ensures the stable delivery performance of the axial flow pump.

[0020] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a cross-flow pump with a water-cooled structure according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a heat dissipation cavity according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a cooling medium circulation supply system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Pump casing; 2. Bulb body; 3. Bearing; 4. Water flow channel; 5. Flexible hose; 6. Outer shell; 7. Heat dissipation cavity; 8. Rib plate; 9. Pipeline pump; 10. Water supply pipeline; 11. Water return pipeline; 12. Flow stabilizer; 13. Water source pipeline; 14. First pressure gauge; 15. Second pressure gauge; 16. Pressure sensor; 17. First temperature sensor; 18. Second temperature sensor; 19. Flow indicator; 20. Y-type filter; 21. Maintenance drainage pipeline; 22. Air vent valve; 23. First gate valve; 24. Second gate valve; 25. Third gate valve; 26. Fourth gate valve; 27. Check valve. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail. While preferred embodiments of the invention are described below, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] This embodiment provides a cross-flow pump with a water-cooled structure, including a pump casing 1, a bulb body 2 fixed inside the pump casing 1, and a bearing 3 installed inside the bulb body 2. An annular water passage 4 is formed between the inner wall of the pump casing 1 and the outer wall of the bulb body 2. A cross-flow pump impeller is provided in the water passage 4. When the cross-flow pump is running, the impeller drives the water to be transported to flow continuously along the axial direction in the water passage 4, forming a stable low-temperature heat exchange medium.

[0029] The bearing 3 has an annular water-cooled cavity. The outer shell 6 of the bulb body 2 includes an inner shell and an outer shell 6 body. The inner shell and the outer shell 6 body are sealed together to form a heat dissipation cavity 7. The outer side wall of the heat dissipation cavity 7 is adjacent to the water flow channel 4. A common heat exchange wall is provided between the two. This wall is both the outer side wall of the heat dissipation cavity 7 and the inner side wall of the water flow channel 4. The heat dissipation cavity 7 directly contacts and exchanges heat with the flowing water in the water flow channel 4 through this wall.

[0030] The heat dissipation cavity 7 is provided with multiple rectangular ribs 8, which are arranged in a staggered manner along the flow direction of the cooling medium. One end of each rib 8 is sealed and fixed to one side of the inner wall of the heat dissipation cavity 7, and the other end forms a flow gap between it and the other side of the inner wall of the heat dissipation cavity 7. The flow gaps of two adjacent ribs 8 are staggered from left to right, thereby forming a continuous zigzag flow channel in the heat dissipation cavity 7. The cooling medium flows back and forth multiple times in the flow channel, prolonging the contact time with the common heat exchange wall and improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0031] The inlet end of the heat dissipation cavity 7 is provided with an external interface for connecting to the water supply pipeline 10 of the cooling medium circulation supply system; the outlet end of the heat dissipation cavity 7 is connected to the inlet end of the water-cooled cavity of the bearing 3 through a flexible hose 5. The flexible hose 5 can absorb the vibration of the cross-flow pump during operation and prevent the pipeline connection from loosening and leaking; the outlet end of the water-cooled cavity of the bearing 3 is provided with an external interface for connecting to the return water pipeline 11 of the cooling medium circulation supply system, so that the heat dissipation cavity 7, the water-cooled cavity of the bearing 3 and the external system form a series cooling loop.

[0032] The axial flow pump in this embodiment is a direct-cooled permanent magnet motor axial flow pump, but it can also be replaced with a submersible axial flow pump depending on the application scenario.

[0033] Example 2

[0034] This embodiment provides a cooling medium circulation supply system for the axial flow pump described in Embodiment 1. It is configured independently for a single axial flow pump unit and includes two variable frequency pipeline pumps 9 connected in parallel. The two pipeline pumps 9 are configured with one in use and one as a backup. When one pump fails, it can automatically switch to the other to ensure continuous circulation power.

[0035] Each pipeline pump 9 has a second gate valve 24 and a second pressure gauge 15 connected sequentially at its inlet end, and a check valve 27, a first gate valve 23, and a first pressure gauge 14 connected sequentially at its outlet end. The check valve 27 is used to prevent the cooling medium from flowing back, the gate valve is used to cut off the pipeline during pump maintenance, and the pressure gauge is used to monitor the pressure at the inlet and outlet of the pipeline pump 9 in real time.

[0036] The system also includes a water supply pipe 10 and a return water pipe 11. One end of the water supply pipe 10 is connected to the main outlet pipe of the two pipeline pumps 9, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the cooling chamber 7 of the cross-flow pump. A pressure sensor 16 and a first temperature sensor 17 are connected in series on the water supply pipe 10 to monitor the pressure and temperature of the cooling medium entering the cooling chamber 7 in real time. One end of the return water pipe 11 is connected to the outlet of the water-cooled cavity of the bearing 3 of the cross-flow pump, and the other end is connected to the main inlet pipe of the two pipeline pumps 9. A flow indicator 19, a second temperature sensor 18, and a Y-type filter 20 are connected in series on the return water pipe 11. The flow indicator 19 is used to monitor the circulation flow rate of the cooling medium and triggers an alarm when the flow rate is too low. The second temperature sensor 18 is used to monitor the temperature of the cooling medium flowing out of the bearing 3. The Y-type filter 20 is used to filter impurities in the cooling medium to avoid clogging the pipe and the water-cooled cavity of the bearing 3.

[0037] The system also includes a flow stabilizer tank 12, which is connected to the water inlet of the pipeline pump 9. The flow stabilizer tank 12 is located at the highest position in the entire cooling circuit. An automatic air vent valve 22 is provided on its top to automatically vent air in the circuit and prevent cavitation damage to the pipeline pump 9. The flow stabilizer tank 12 is provided with a water supply interface, which is connected to the water source pipeline 13 through a third gate valve 25. Water can be added in time when the cooling medium in the circuit is insufficient to maintain stable circuit pressure. The system also includes a maintenance drain line 21 for discharging the cooling medium in the circuit. One end of the maintenance drain line 21 is connected to the inlet of the pipeline pump 9, and the other end is connected to the collection well via the fourth gate valve 26, for discharging all the cooling medium in the circuit during unit maintenance.

[0038] Example 3

[0039] This embodiment provides a cooling operation method for a cross-flow pump unit combining Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, including the following steps: Loop connection and water injection / venting: Connect the water supply pipe 10 of the cooling medium circulation supply system to the water inlet of the axial flow pump heat dissipation chamber 7, and connect the return water pipe 11 to the water outlet of the bearing 3 water cooling chamber to form a closed series cooling loop; open the water supply valve of the flow stabilizer 12 to inject cooling medium into the loop, and at the same time, vent the air in the loop through the vent valve 22 on the top of the flow stabilizer 12 until the loop is full of cooling medium, and close the vent valve 22 and the water supply valve.

[0040] Circulating cooling operation: Start one of the pipeline pumps 9 to drive the cooling medium to flow in the series cooling loop; the cooling medium first enters the heat dissipation chamber 7 through the water supply pipeline 10, flows back and forth in the serpentine flow channel, and exchanges heat with the low-temperature transport medium in the water passage 4 through the shared heat exchange wall to cool down; the cooled cooling medium enters the water-cooled cavity of the bearing 3 through the flexible hose 5 to absorb the heat generated by the operation of the bearing 3 and achieve cooling of the bearing 3; the cooled medium after absorbing heat flows out through the return water pipeline 11, is filtered by the Y-type filter 20 and enters the flow stabilizing tank 12, and finally flows back to the pipeline pump 9 to complete one cycle.

[0041] Operation adjustment and protection: The circuit operation status is monitored in real time by temperature sensors, pressure sensors 16, and flow indicator 19 on the water supply pipeline 10 and return pipeline 11. When the parameters are abnormal, an alarm or shutdown protection is triggered. The frequency conversion control module automatically adjusts the operating frequency of the pipeline pump 9 according to the real-time temperature of the bearing 3 and the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet water, thereby changing the circulation flow rate of the cooling medium and reducing energy consumption while ensuring the cooling effect. When the pipeline pump 9 in operation fails, it automatically switches to the standby pipeline pump 9 to ensure the continuous operation of the cooling circuit.

[0042] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.

Claims

1. A water-cooled axial flow pump, comprising a pump housing (1), a bulb body (2) disposed within the pump housing (1), and a bearing (3) installed within the bulb body (2), characterized in that, A water passage (4) is formed between the pump casing (1) and the bulb body (2); The bearing (3) is provided with a water-cooled cavity, and the outer shell (6) of the bulb body (2) forms a heat dissipation cavity (7). The heat dissipation cavity (7) and the water flow channel (4) are provided with a common heat exchange wall. The heat dissipation cavity (7) is connected to the water-cooled cavity of the bearing (3), and the two are connected in series to form a cooling circuit in conjunction with the cooling medium circulation supply system.

2. The axial flow pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer shell (6) of the bulb body (2) includes an inner shell and an outer shell. The heat dissipation cavity (7) is formed between the inner shell and the outer shell. Multiple ribs (8) are provided in the heat dissipation cavity (7). The multiple ribs (8) are staggered in sequence along the flow direction of the cooling medium, and a continuous zigzag flow channel is formed between adjacent ribs (8).

3. The axial flow pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water inlet of the heat dissipation cavity (7) is used to connect to the water supply pipeline (10) of the cooling medium circulation supply system, the water outlet of the heat dissipation cavity (7) is connected to the water inlet of the water-cooled cavity, and the water outlet of the water-cooled cavity is used to connect to the return water pipeline (11) of the cooling medium circulation supply system.

4. The axial flow pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axial flow pump is a direct-cooled permanent magnet motor axial flow pump or a submersible axial flow pump.

5. A cooling medium circulation supply system for a crossflow pump, characterized by, include: Two pipeline pumps (9) are connected in parallel, with one in use and the other on standby; The water supply pipeline (10) is connected at one end to the heat dissipation chamber (7) of the cross-flow pump and at the other end to the outlet of the pipeline pump (9). The return water pipe (11) is connected at one end to the water-cooled cavity of the bearing (3) of the cross-flow pump, and at the other end to the water inlet of the pipeline pump (9). A flow stabilizer (12) is provided, with its outlet end connected to the inlet end of the pipeline pump (9). The water supply interface of the flow stabilizer (12) is used to connect to the water source pipeline (13). The flow stabilizer (12) is located at the highest position of the series cooling circuit.

6. The cooling medium circulation supply system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outlet end of the pipeline pump (9) is equipped with a first pressure gauge (14). The pipeline pump (9) is equipped with a second pressure gauge (15) at its inlet end; The water supply pipeline (10) is equipped with a pressure sensor (16) and a first temperature sensor (17). The return water pipe (11) is equipped with a flow indicator (19) and a second temperature sensor (18).

7. The cooling medium circulation supply system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The return water pipe (11) is also equipped with a Y-type filter (20).

8. The cooling medium circulation supply system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The pipeline pump (9) is a variable frequency pipeline pump (9) used to adjust the flow rate of the cooling medium according to the heat generated by the bearing (3).

9. The cooling medium circulation supply system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The system also includes a maintenance drainage pipe (21), which is connected to the inlet of the pipeline pump (9) for discharging the cooling medium in the circuit.

10. The cooling medium circulation supply system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The top of the flow stabilizer (12) is equipped with an exhaust valve (22).

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