TWO-STAGE PUMP

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a pump for pumping at least one medium.

[0002] Various types of pumps are known in the prior art. These pumps can move different media, such as gases or liquids. Some pump types are suitable for both gases and liquids, while others are suitable only for gases or liquids. Furthermore, with regard to pumping liquids, there are self-priming and non-self-priming pump types. Examples include liquid ring pumps (see, e.g., DE 199 13 632 C2), in which a liquid ring is formed by the eccentric arrangement of an impeller, and side channel pumps (see, e.g., EP 0 118 027 B1), which are characterized by a delivery channel with an interrupter. It is also known in the prior art to arrange different types of pumps in series (see, for example, DE 24 62 187 A1 or DE 101 08 631 B4, DE 33 03 460 A1, DE 10 2007 013 872 A1 or DE 31 28 374 A1). Document US 5,456,574 A discloses the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] The object underlying the invention is to propose a pump that represents an alternative to the prior art.

[0004] The invention solves the problem by means of a two-stage pump for pumping a medium, wherein the pump has a liquid ring stage, a side channel stage and two medium inlets, wherein the liquid ring stage has a medium chamber and two medium openings, wherein the two medium openings of the liquid ring stage open onto the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage, wherein the side channel stage has a medium chamber and two medium openings, wherein the two medium openings of the side channel stage open onto the medium chamber of the side channel stage, and wherein one medium opening of the two medium openings of the side channel stage and one medium opening of the two medium openings of the liquid ring stage coincide to form a common overflow opening.

[0005] The pump according to the invention has two stages: a liquid ring stage and a side channel stage. Each stage implements its respective pumping principle. The pump has two medium inlets through which the medium – e.g., a gas such as air or a liquid such as water – can enter and exit. Preferably, the pump can be operated in both directions, so that the medium inlets serve as inlets and outlets. Each of the two stages has its own medium chamber and two medium openings through which the medium enters and exits its respective medium chamber. One medium opening each of the side channel stage and the liquid ring stage merges to form a common overflow opening. The two stages thus share this opening, allowing the medium to flow from one stage to the other via this common overflow opening.The pump according to the invention thus combines two different pump types into a single unit, which is characterized by its compactness. In particular, it is a two-stage pump, and not two separate pumps arranged one behind the other.

[0006] One embodiment consists in the other medium opening of the two medium openings of the side channel stage and the other medium opening of the two medium openings of the liquid ring stage are each connected to one of the two medium inlets. In this embodiment, the medium openings that do not coincide in the overflow opening are each connected to the medium inlets of the pump itself, or, in a further embodiment, form them.

[0007] One embodiment provides that the liquid ring stage further comprises a cover component, a base component, and an impeller; that the cover component and the base component of the liquid ring stage encompass the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage; that the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage has a circular cylindrical shape around a longitudinal axis; that the impeller of the liquid ring stage has blades extending from an axis of rotation; that the blades of the impeller of the liquid ring stage are arranged within the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage; and that the impeller of the liquid ring stage is arranged relative to the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage such that the axis of rotation of the impeller is offset from the longitudinal axis of the medium chamber. In this embodiment, the liquid ring stage is described in more detail. The impeller is arranged eccentrically within the circular cylindrical medium chamber.

[0008] One embodiment consists in the side channel stage further comprising a cover component, a base component, and an impeller; the cover component and the base component of the side channel stage encompass the medium chamber of the side channel stage; the base component of the side channel stage has a conveying channel with an interrupter; the conveying channel is open to the medium chamber of the side channel stage; the impeller of the side channel stage has blades extending from a pivot axis; the blades of the impeller of the side channel stage are arranged in the medium chamber of the side channel stage; the medium chamber of the side channel stage has a circular cylindrical shape around a longitudinal axis; and the impeller of the side channel stage is rotatably arranged about the longitudinal axis in the medium chamber of the side channel stage. This embodiment describes the side channel stage whose medium chamber has a conveying channel with an interrupter.The impeller is arranged concentrically in the medium space.

[0009] One embodiment provides that the impeller of the side channel stage and the impeller of the liquid ring stage are formed as a single unit. In this embodiment, the impeller of the side channel stage and the impeller of the liquid ring stage are formed by a single component. In this embodiment, the two blades are the two sides of a common support. Thus, in this embodiment, the two stages share not only a common overflow opening but also a common impeller unit. Alternatively, the impellers are connected to form a single unit.

[0010] One embodiment consists in which the bottom component of the liquid ring stage and the cover component of the side channel stage share a common intermediate component, and this intermediate component includes the overflow opening. In this embodiment, the bottom component of the liquid ring stage and the cover component of the side channel stage partially coincide by utilizing this common intermediate component. The overflow opening, which connects the two medium chambers, is located within this intermediate component.

[0011] One design allows the pump to pump two different media. The pump is capable of pumping two different media. This is made possible by combining the two different pumping principles in a single unit.

[0012] One embodiment involves the medium being a gas or a liquid. If the pump is pumping two different media, preferably one is a gas, e.g., air, and the other is a liquid, e.g., water.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the pump further comprises a motor with two directions of rotation. Depending on the motor's direction of rotation, one of the two medium inlets serves as either the medium inlet or outlet, and the other as either the medium outlet or inlet. The pump can thus convey the at least one medium in two directions. For this purpose, a motor is provided, preferably coupled to the rotating component, to drive the impellers of the two stages. Depending on the direction of rotation, one medium inlet serves as the medium inlet and the other as the medium outlet. If the direction of rotation changes, the medium inlet becomes a medium outlet, and vice versa.

[0014] In detail, there are numerous possibilities for designing and further developing the pump. Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a pump design, Fig. 2 shows a section through the pump. Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 a view into the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage of the pump of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 a view into the medium chamber of the side channel stage of the pump of the Fig. 1 .

[0015] The Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a two-stage pump design. Fig. 2 The pump is shown in cross-section. Both images are shown below. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 jointly described.

[0016] The pump consists of two stages: a liquid ring stage 1 and a side channel stage 2, both arranged directly one after the other. The motor 7 for the pumping function is shown here, by way of example, located downstream of the side channel stage 2. An arrangement of the motor 7 upstream of the liquid ring stage 1 is also possible (not shown). The pump has two medium inlets 3, which, depending on the direction of rotation of the motor 7, serve to supply or discharge the medium. The medium can be a liquid, e.g., water, or a gas, e.g., air.

[0017] The liquid ring stage 1 has a cover component 10 and a base component 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover component 10 is exemplarily designed as a two-part structure. A medium chamber 12 is formed between the cover component 10 and the base component 11, to which two medium openings 13, 14 are connected. The axis of rotation 17 of the impeller 15 is offset from the longitudinal axis 16 of the circular cylindrical medium chamber 12. The rotation of the impeller 15 therefore causes the formation of the liquid ring. The individual blades 18 radiate outwards from the axis of rotation 17 in a star-shaped pattern.

[0018] The side channel stage 2 also has a cover component 20 and a bottom component 21, between which a circular-cylindrical medium chamber 22 is formed. Two medium openings 23 and 24 also open into the medium chamber 22. The medium is guided by the impeller 25 in the conveying channel with an interrupter 26. The interrupter can be seen here below the medium opening 24. The axis of rotation 27 of the impeller 25 and the longitudinal axis 28 of the medium chamber 22 coincide. The blades 29 of the impeller 25 radiate outwards from the axis of rotation 27 in a star shape.

[0019] These two stages, 1 and 2, partially share individual components. This is described below.

[0020] A medium opening 13 of liquid ring stage 1 and a medium opening 23 of side channel stage 2 coincide to form a common overflow opening 4. The medium thus flows directly from stage 1 or 2 into the other stage 2 or 1, respectively. The other medium opening 14 of liquid ring stage 1 and the other medium opening 24 of side channel stage 2 form the medium inlets 3 of the pump.

[0021] The overflow opening 4 is located in the intermediate component 5, which belongs to the bottom component 11 of the liquid ring stage 1 and to the cover component 20 of the side channel stage 2. Therefore, it can also be stated that the bottom component 11 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the cover component 20 of the side channel stage 2 coincide to form a single component.

[0022] In addition to the overflow opening 4, the intermediate component 5 contains a circular recess in which the rotating component 6 is rotatably arranged. The rotating component 6 comprises the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2. The two impellers 15 and 25 are located on opposite sides of a support for the rotating component 6, which is situated in the circular recess of the intermediate component 5. A sealing effect is created between the rim around the recess and the support of the rotating component 6, so that the bottom component 11 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the cover component 20 of the side channel stage 2 allow the medium to pass through essentially only the overflow opening 4.

[0023] The rotating component 6 is designed and the respective blades 18, 29 are arranged such that the axis of rotation 17 of the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the axis of rotation 27 of the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2 coincide. The longitudinal axis 28 of the medium chamber 22 of the side channel stage 2 also lies along this common axis 17, 27. It can be seen that the blades 18 of the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1 have a greater axial extent than the blades 29 of the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2.

[0024] The Fig. 3 a) and b) show the medium chamber 12 of liquid ring stage 1. In the Fig. 3 a) A medium opening 14 of liquid ring stage 1 and a medium opening 24 of side channel stage 2 can be seen. Furthermore, the medium opening 13 of liquid ring stage 1, through which the transition between liquid ring stage 1 and side channel stage 2 takes place, can be seen. In the Fig. 3 b)The asymmetrical arrangement of the impeller 15 in the medium chamber 12 is evident. The axis of rotation 17 of the impeller 15 is located above the longitudinal axis 16 of the circular cutout at the edge of the medium chamber 12. Therefore, a larger volume is located below the blades 18 of the impeller 15, in which the liquid ring can form.

[0025] The illustrations Fig. 4 a) and b) show the medium chamber 22 of the side channel stage 2. As in the Fig. 4 a) As can be seen, the impeller 25 is centered in the medium chamber 22. Also visible in the cover component 20 is the medium opening 23, which is located above the axis of rotation 27 of the impeller 25. Fig. 4 b)The bottom component 21, in which the conveying channel with the interrupter 26 is located, is shown. This view of the rotating component 6 also reveals that the blades 29 of the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2 have a significantly larger radial extent than the blades 18 of the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1.

[0026] When used with two different media, the pump offers optimal performance for each medium depending on the direction of rotation: Rotation in one direction, e.g., clockwise, is ideal for pumping gases. The liquid ring stage is active. The side channel stage does not increase the pressure; it is passive.

[0027] A counterclockwise rotation allows for optimal fluid transfer. The pressure increase occurs in the side channel stage. The fluid ring stage contributes very little to the pressure increase. Reference symbol list

[0028] 1 Liquid ring stage 2 Side channel stage 3 Media access 4 Overflow opening 5 Intermediate component 6 Rotary component 7 Motor 10 Lid component of the liquid ring stage 11 Bottom component of the liquid ring stage 12 Medium chamber of the liquid ring stage 13, 14 Medium opening of the liquid ring stage 15 Impeller of the liquid ring stage 16 Longitudinal axis of the medium space of the liquid ring stage 17 Axis of rotation of the impeller of the liquid ring stage 18 paddle of the impeller of the liquid ring stage 20 Cover component of the side channel stage 21 floor component of the side channel step 22 Medium space of the side channel stage 23, 24 Medium opening of the side channel stage 25 Side channel stage impeller 26 Conveyor channel with interrupter 27axis of rotation of the impeller of the side channel stage 28 Longitudinal axis of the medium space of the side channel stage 29 Blade of the impeller of the side channel stage

Claims

1. A two-stage pump for pumping at least one medium, wherein the pump has a liquid ring stage (1), a side channel stage (2), and two medium accesses (3), wherein the liquid ring stage (1) has a medium chamber (12) and two medium openings (13, 14), wherein the two medium openings (13, 14) of the liquid ring stage (1) open onto the medium chamber (12) of the liquid ring stage (1), wherein the side channel stage (2) has a medium chamber (22) and two medium openings (23, 24), wherein the two medium openings (23, 24) of the side channel stage (2) open onto the medium chamber (22) of the side channel stage (2), and characterized in that one medium opening (23) of the two medium openings (23, 24) of the side channel stage (2) and one medium opening (13) of the two medium openings (13, 14) of the liquid ring stage (1) merge to form a common overflow opening (4).

2. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the other medium opening (24) of the two medium openings (23, 24) of the side channel stage (2) and the other medium opening (14) of the two medium openings (13, 14) of the liquid ring stage (1) are connected to one respective medium access (3) of the two medium accesses (3).

3. The pump according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid ring stage (1) furthermore has a cover component (10), a bottom component (11) and an impeller (15), wherein the cover component (10) of the liquid ring stage (1) and the bottom component (11) of the liquid ring stage (1) enclose the medium chamber (12) of the liquid ring stage (1), wherein the medium chamber (12) of the liquid ring stage (1) has a circular cylindrical shape about a longitudinal axis (16), wherein the impeller (15) of the liquid ring stage (1) has blades (18) extending from an axis of rotation (17), wherein the blades (18) of the impeller (15) of the liquid ring stage (1) are arranged in the medium chamber (12) of the liquid ring stage (1), and wherein the impeller (15) of the liquid ring stage (1) is arranged relative to the medium chamber (12) of the liquid ring stage (1) such that the axis of rotation (17) of the impeller (15) is offset with respect to the longitudinal axis (16) of the medium chamber (12).

4. The pump according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the side channel stage (2) furthermore has a cover component (20), a bottom component (21) and an impeller (25), wherein the cover component (20) of the side channel stage (2) and the bottom component (21) of the side channel stage (2) enclose the medium chamber (12) of the side channel stage (2), wherein the bottom component (21) of the side channel stage (2) has a conveying channel (26) having an interrupter, wherein the conveying channel (26) is open to the medium chamber (22) of the side channel stage (2), wherein the impeller (25) of the side channel stage (2) has blades (29) extending from an axis of rotation (27), wherein the blades (29) of the impeller (25) of the side channel stage (2) are arranged in the medium chamber (22) of the side channel stage (2), wherein the medium chamber (22) of the side channel stage (2) has a circular cylindrical shape about a longitudinal axis (28), and wherein the impeller (25) of the side channel stage (2) is arranged in the medium chamber (22) of the side channel stage (2) so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis (28).

5. The pump according to claim 4, if dependent on claim 3, wherein the impeller (25) of the side channel stage (2) and the impeller (15) of the liquid ring stage (1) are configured in one piece.

6. The pump according to any of claims 1 to 5, if dependent on claims 3 and 4, wherein the bottom component (11) of the liquid ring stage (1) and the cover component (20) of the side channel stage (2) have a common intermediate component (5), and wherein the intermediate component (5) includes the overflow opening (4).

7. The pump according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pump pumps two different media.

8. The pump according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pump furthermore has a motor (7), wherein the motor (7) has two directions of rotation, and wherein, depending on the direction of rotation of the motor (7), one of the two medium accesses (3) is used as a medium inlet or a medium outlet and the other of the two medium accesses (3) is used as a medium outlet or a medium inlet.