Two-stage pump

Abstract

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 inlets (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 wherein 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) coincide to form a common overflow opening (4).

Description

[0001] Two-stage pump

[0002] The present invention relates to a pump for pumping at least one medium.

[0003] Different types of pumps are known in the state of the art. These can be used to move different media, such as gases or liquids. Some pump types are suitable for both gases and liquids, or only for gases or liquids. Furthermore, there are self-priming and non-self-priming pump types for pumping liquids. Examples include liquid ring pumps (see, for example, DE 199 13 632 02), in which a liquid ring is formed by the eccentric arrangement of a paddle wheel, and side channel pumps (see, for example, EP 0 118 027 B1), which are characterized by a conveying channel with an interrupter. It is also known in the prior art to arrange different types of pumps one after the other (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).

[0004] The object underlying the invention is to propose a pump which represents an alternative to the prior art.

[0005] The invention solves the problem by 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 space and two medium openings, wherein the two medium openings of the liquid ring stage open onto the medium space of the liquid ring stage, wherein the side channel stage has a medium space and two medium openings, wherein the two medium openings of the side channel stage open onto the medium space 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.

[0006] The pump according to the invention has two stages: a liquid ring stage and a side channel stage. The associated pumping principle is thus implemented in each stage. 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 or exit. The pump is preferably operable in two 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 or exits the associated medium chamber. One medium opening in each of the side channel stage and the liquid ring stage merge to form a common overflow opening. The two stages thus share an opening, so that the medium from one stage flows into the other stage via this common overflow opening.The pump according to the invention thus combines two different pump types into a single unit characterized by its compactness. In particular, it is a two-stage pump, rather than two separate pumps arranged one behind the other.

[0007] One embodiment consists in the other of the two medium openings of the side channel stage and the other of the two medium openings of the liquid ring stage being 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.

[0008] One embodiment provides that the liquid ring stage further comprises a cover component, a base component and an impeller, that the cover component of the liquid ring stage and the base component of the liquid ring stage comprise the medium space of the liquid ring stage, that the medium space 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 in the medium space of the liquid ring stage, and that the impeller of the liquid ring stage is arranged relative to the medium space of the liquid ring stage such that the axis of rotation of the impeller is offset from the longitudinal axis of the medium space. In this embodiment, the liquid ring stage is described in more detail. The impeller is arranged eccentrically in the circular cylindrical medium space.

[0009] One embodiment consists in that the side channel stage further comprises a cover component, a base component and an impeller, that the cover component of the side channel stage and the base component of the side channel stage enclose the medium space of the side channel stage, that the base component of the side channel stage comprises a conveying channel with an interrupter, that the conveying channel is open towards the medium space of the side channel stage, that the impeller of the side channel stage comprises blades extending from a rotation axis, that the blades of the impeller of the side channel stage are arranged in the medium space of the side channel stage, that the medium space of the side channel stage has a circular-cylindrical shape around a longitudinal axis, and that the impeller of the side channel stage is arranged rotatably around the longitudinal axis in the medium space of the side channel stage. This embodiment describes the side channel stage whose medium space has a conveying channel with an interrupter.The impeller is arranged concentrically in the medium space.

[0010] One embodiment provides for the impeller of the side channel stage and the impeller of the liquid ring stage to be designed as a single piece. 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 one embodiment, the two blades are the two sides of a common support. In this embodiment, the two stages thus share not only a common overflow opening but also a common impeller unit. Alternatively, the impellers are connected to form a single unit.

[0011] One embodiment consists in the base component of the liquid ring stage and the cover component of the side channel stage sharing a common intermediate component, and the intermediate component including the overflow opening. In this embodiment, the base component of the liquid ring stage and the cover component of the side channel stage partially overlap by using a common intermediate component. This intermediate component contains the overflow opening that connects the two medium spaces.

[0012] 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 one unit.

[0013] One embodiment involves the medium being a gas or a liquid. If the pump pumps two different media, one is preferably a gas, e.g., air, and the other is a liquid, e.g., water.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the pump further comprises a motor, the motor has two directions of rotation, and depending on the direction of rotation of the motor, one of the two medium inlets serves as a medium inlet or medium outlet and the other of the two medium inlets serves as a medium outlet or medium inlet. The pump can thus convey the at least one medium in two directions. For this purpose, a motor is provided, which is preferably coupled to the rotating component in order to move the impellers of the two stages. Depending on the direction of rotation, one medium inlet serves as a medium inlet and the other as a medium outlet. If the direction of rotation changes, the medium inlet becomes a medium outlet and vice versa.

[0015] In detail, there are numerous possibilities for designing and developing the pump. Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. They show:

[0016] Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a pump design,

[0017] Fig. 2 shows a section through the pump of Fig. 1,

[0018] Fig. 3 a view into the medium space of the liquid ring stage of the pump of Fig. 1 and

[0019] Fig. 4 shows a view into the medium space of the side channel stage of the pump in Fig. 1.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a two-stage pump. Fig. 2 shows the pump in section. Both Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are described together below.

[0021] The two stages of the pump are a liquid ring stage 1 and a side channel stage 2, both arranged directly one behind the other. The motor 7 for the pump function is located behind the side channel stage 2, for example. An arrangement of the motor 7 in front of the liquid ring stage 1 (not shown) is also possible. The pump has two medium inlets 3, which serve to supply or discharge medium depending on the direction of rotation of the motor 7. The medium can be a liquid, e.g., water, or a gas, e.g., air.

[0022] The liquid ring stage 1 has a cover component 10 and a base component 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover component 10 is designed as an example in two parts. 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 rotational axis 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 extend in a star shape from the rotational axis 17.

[0023] The side channel stage 2 also has a cover component 20 and a base component 21, between which a circular-cylindrical medium chamber 22 is formed. Two medium openings 23, 24 also open into the medium chamber 22. The medium is guided through the impeller 25 into the conveying channel with a breaker 26. The breaker 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 extend in a star shape from the axis of rotation 27.

[0024] These two stages 1 and 2 partially share individual components. This is described below.

[0025] A medium opening 13 of the liquid ring stage 1 and a medium opening 23 of the side channel stage 2 merge to form a common overflow opening 4. The medium thus flows directly from one stage 1 or 2 to the other stage 2 or 1. The other medium opening 14 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the other medium opening 24 of the side channel stage 2 form the medium inlets 3 of the pump.

[0026] 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. Thus, 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 merge into a common component.

[0027] 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, 25 are located on different sides of a support of the rotating component 6, which is located in the circular recess of the intermediate component 5. A sealing effect is created between the edge around the recess and the support of the rotating component 6, so that the base component 11 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the cover component 20 of the side channel stage 2 essentially only allow the medium to pass through the overflow opening 4.

[0028] The rotating component 6 is designed and the respective blades 18, 29 are arranged such that the rotational axis 17 of the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the rotational axis 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 extension than the blades 29 of the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2.

[0029] Fig. 3 a) and b) show the medium space 12 of the liquid ring stage 1. In Fig. 3 a), a medium opening 14 of the liquid ring stage 1 and a medium opening 24 of the side channel stage 2 can be seen. Furthermore, the medium opening 13 of the liquid ring stage 1 can be seen, through which the transition between the liquid ring stage 1 and the side channel stage 2 takes place. Fig. 3 b) shows the asymmetrical arrangement of the impeller 15 in the medium space 12. The axis of rotation 17 of the impeller 15 is arranged above the longitudinal axis 16 of the circular section of the edge of the medium space 12. Therefore, there is a larger volume below the blades 18 of the impeller 15 in which the liquid ring can form. The figures Fig. 4 a) and b) show the medium chamber 22 of the side channel stage 2. As can be seen in Fig. 4 a), 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 rotational axis 27 of the impeller 25. Fig. 4 b) shows the base component 21, in which the conveying channel with the interrupter 26 is located. In this view of the rotating component 6, it can also be seen that the blades 29 of the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2 have a significantly greater radial extent than the blades 18 of the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1. When used for two different media, the pump has optimal performance for the respective medium being conveyed, depending on the direction of rotation.

[0030] If the rotation is in one direction, e.g., clockwise, the pumping is optimal for gases. The liquid ring stage is active. The side channel stage does not increase pressure; it is passive. Counterclockwise rotation is optimal for pumping liquids. The pressure increase occurs in the side channel stage. The liquid ring stage contributes very little to the pressure increase.

[0031] List of reference symbols

[0032] Liquid ring stage

[0033] Side channel stage

[0034] Media access

[0035] Overflow opening

[0036] Intermediate component

[0037] Rotating component

[0038] Motor

[0039] Cover component of the liquid ring stage

[0040] Bottom component of the liquid ring stage

[0041] Medium space of the liquid ring stage, 14 Medium opening of the liquid ring stage

[0042] Impeller of the liquid ring stage

[0043] Longitudinal axis of the medium space of the liquid ring stage

[0044] Axis of rotation of the impeller of the liquid ring stage

[0045] Blade of the impeller of the liquid ring stage

[0046] Cover component of the side channel stage

[0047] Bottom component of the side channel stage

[0048] Medium space of the side channel stage, 24 Medium opening of the side channel stage

[0049] Impeller of the side channel stage

[0050] Conveyor channel with interrupter

[0051] Axis of rotation of the impeller of the side channel stage

[0052] Longitudinal axis of the medium space of the side channel stage

[0053] Blade of the impeller of the side channel stage

Claims

Claims: Two-stage pump for pumping at least one medium, wherein the pump comprises a liquid ring stage (1), a side channel stage (2) and two medium inlets (3), wherein the liquid ring stage (1) comprises 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) comprises 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 wherein 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) the liquid ring stage (1) coincide to form a common overflow opening (4).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 each connected to a medium access (3) of the two medium accesses (3). Pump according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid ring stage (1) further comprises 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) comprise 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 around a longitudinal axis (16), wherein the impeller (15) of the liquid ring stage (1) has blades (18) extending from a rotational axis (17). wherein the blades (18) of the impeller (15) of the liquid ring stage (1) are arranged in the medium space (12) of the liquid ring stage (1), and wherein the impeller (15) of the liquid ring stage (1) is arranged relative to the medium space (12) of the liquid ring stage (1) such that the axis of rotation (17) of the impeller (15) is offset to the longitudinal axis (16) of the medium space (12).

4. Pump according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the side channel stage (2) further comprises 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) comprise the medium chamber (12) of the side channel stage (2), wherein the bottom component (21) of the side channel stage (2) comprises a conveying channel (26) with 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) comprises blades (29) extending from a pivot axis (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 around a longitudinal axis (28),and wherein the impeller (25) of the side channel stage (2) is arranged to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis (28) in the medium chamber (22) of the side channel stage (2).

5. Pump according to claim 4, dependent insofar as it depends on claim 3, wherein the impeller (25) of the side channel stage (2) and the impeller (15) of the liquid ring stage (1) are designed as a single unit.

6. Pump according to any one of claims 1 to 5, depending insofar as 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) has the overflow opening (4). Pump according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pump pumps two different media. Pump according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pump further comprises 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 inlets (3) serves as a medium inlet or medium outlet and the other of the two medium inlets (3) serves as a medium outlet or medium inlet.

Images