Non-Circular Agitator Shaft Support for Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agitator shaft supports in chemical and food processing tanks face challenges with vibrations, particularly in slender shafts, which increase wear and impact functionality, and current solutions either complicate manufacturing, installation, or hinder cleanability.
Innovation Solution
A shaft support with a non-circular bearing surface, where the first distance is larger than the second distance by a specific ratio, designed to prevent rolling effects and reduce vibrations, and features a tilted support ring for easy installation and maintenance, with a bushing for reduced friction and wear distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an elaborate shaft support with multiple bushings and ring-shaped elements is provided, then vibration resistance is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of cleaning increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft support is divided into a modular assembly comprising a support ring, bearing assembly, and adjustable legs. The bearing assembly itself is segmented into inner and outer rings with bushings positioned at specific locations. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for vibration resistance while maintaining cleanability through easy disassembly and removal of individual parts.
2Reliability
If a shaft support with multiple bushings and ring-shaped elements is provided, then vibration resistance is improved, but ease of cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assembly is designed to be extractable from the shaft support structure. The adjustable legs can be removed, and the bearing assembly can be detached as a unit or its components (inner ring, outer ring, bushings) can be separated. This extraction capability enables thorough cleaning of each component without disturbing the overall shaft support installation, resolving the conflict between vibration resistance and cleanability.
3Reliability
If the shaft support comprises multiple interconnected bushings and ring-shaped elements, then vibration resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner ring and outer ring of the bearing assembly are designed to be combinable components that work together to provide vibration resistance. The bushings are positioned to engage with both rings, merging their functions into a unified bearing system. This merging approach allows standardized manufacturing of individual components that are then assembled, reducing overall manufacturing complexity compared to a fully integrated complex structure.
4Reliability
If a shaft support with high alignment demands is provided, then vibration resistance is improved, but ease of installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft support incorporates adjustable legs that can be positioned and secured at different locations on the support ring. This dynamic adjustability allows the installer to compensate for minor misalignments and achieve proper alignment during installation. The bearing assembly itself is designed with tolerance for alignment variations, reducing the stringency of alignment requirements while maintaining vibration resistance through the modular structure and adjustable configuration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively counteracts vibration buildup, allows for cost-effective and lightweight agitator shafts, simplifies installation, and facilitates easy cleaning and maintenance while maintaining robustness.
Implementation Method 1
the bearing surface has a non-circular shape, as seen in a projection in a plane having a normal parallel to the shaft axis, in the sense that a first distance, which is measured in a first direction in the plane and which forms a longest distance between the bearing surface and a circle representing an outer envelope surface of the shaft is larger than a second distance, which is measured in a second direction in the plane and which forms a shortest distance between the bearing surface and the circle representing the outer envelope surface of the shaft
Implementation Method 2
the support ring has an inwardly facing bearing surface configured to form a slide bearing journaling the lower portion of the rotatable shaft
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a shaft support (1) for supporting a lower portion of a rotatable shaft (2) of an agitator (3) configured to be installed in a tank, the shaft support (1) comprising a support ring (5) with an inwardly facing bearing surface (6) configured to form a slide bearing journaling a lower portion of the rotatable shaft (2), wherein the bearing surface (10) has a non-circular shape in a plane (P) having a normal parallel to the shaft axis (L).