Bellows Conveying Structure for Hermetic High-Purity Fluid Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveying devices suffer from contamination issues due to leaks and wear, particularly when handling high-purity fluids like hydrogen, leading to the need for elaborate filtering measures.
Innovation Solution
A conveying device with a fluid-tight media-separating device, such as a bellows, that separates fluids from the drive side, preventing contamination and ensuring hermetic separation, combined with a modular design allowing for scalable compression and monitoring systems to maintain leak-free operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If seals and lubricants are used in multi-piston accumulator arrangements, then friction forces are reduced and wear is minimized, but contamination of conveyed fluids occurs due to wear particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the piston and seal assembly from the fluid pathway entirely. The bellows enclosure completely isolates the drive mechanism from the conveyed fluid, extracting the source of contamination (seals and lubricants) from the fluid contact zone while maintaining the necessary mechanical function through the bellows membrane separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows membrane acts as an intermediary barrier between the drive mechanism and the conveyed fluid. This intermediate structure transmits mechanical force while preventing direct contact between the drive side components (which would generate wear particles) and the fluid, thus eliminating contamination at the source.
2Reliability
If elaborate filtering measures are implemented to remove contamination, then fluid purity is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of seal wear and contamination into a benefit by designing a system where the bellows enclosure naturally prevents contamination without requiring active filtering. The structural design itself becomes the protective mechanism, eliminating the need for separate filtering systems and reducing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If a bellows media-separating device is used, then hermetic separation is achieved and contamination is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a bellows-shaped flexible membrane as the media-separating device. This thin, flexible structure provides hermetic separation while accommodating the expansion and contraction of the drive mechanism. The bellows form factor efficiently packs the separation function into a compact, relatively simple structure that maintains reliability without excessive complexity.
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
Prevents contamination of conveyed fluids, enables efficient and continuous operation with high-purity gas handling, and allows for easy adaptation to different flow and pressure requirements, reducing the need for complex filtering and maintaining system integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid-tight media-separating device (16) with a variable chamber volume, which becomes connected in a fluid-conducting manner via its receiving chamber (21) to the inlet (12) or the outlet (14)
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a conveying device for fluids with an inlet and an outlet and a conveying part which is connected therebetween and can be actuated by a drive part, wherein the conveying part has a fluid-tight media-separating device with a variable chamber volume, which becomes connected in a fluid-conducting manner via its receiving chamber to the inlet or the outlet, and which, by means of the drive part, receives fluid via the inlet as part of an intake stroke, increasing the chamber volume, and discharges the received fluid via the outlet as part of a discharge stroke, reducing the size of said chamber volume.