Cross-flow fan

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cross-flow fans face challenges in achieving a compact design while maintaining high performance, especially in chemically aggressive environments, and require improvements to prevent impurities in fluid circulation, particularly in applications like excimer lasers and the semiconductor industry.

Innovation Solution

A cross-flow fan design utilizing a bearingless motor principle with annularly designed magnetically effective cores and stators, where the first stator is both the drive and levitation stator, and the second stator is a classical magnetic bearing, allowing for contactless magnetic levitation and drive of the impeller, eliminating the need for mechanical bearings and enabling high rotational speeds without friction or wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mechanical bearings are used for the impeller, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the fluid becomes contaminated with impurities from bearing abrasion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid purityVSAvoidbearing structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical bearings with a magnetic bearing system that uses magnetic fields to levitate and support the impeller shaft. This substitution eliminates direct mechanical contact between moving parts, preventing bearing material from contaminating the conveyed fluid while maintaining structural support and enabling rotation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces magnetic fields as an intermediary between the stationary stator components and the rotating impeller shaft. This intermediary enables contactless support and positioning of the shaft, allowing the impeller to rotate without mechanical bearing contact that would generate impurities in the fluid stream.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the impeller is driven at extremely high rotational speeds to achieve high flow rates, then the productivity increases, but wear and impurity generation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflow rateVSAvoidfluid purity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By replacing mechanical bearings with magnetic bearings, the patent enables the impeller to rotate at extremely high speeds without the wear and tear that would contaminate the fluid. The contactless magnetic support eliminates friction and material degradation even under high-speed operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operating parameters by eliminating mechanical friction through magnetic levitation, allowing the system to operate at much higher rotational speeds. This parameter change (from mechanical contact to magnetic field interaction) enables high productivity without the associated wear and impurity generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of stationary object

If mechanical bearings are used, then the device is easier to manufacture, but the service life is reduced due to wear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice lifeVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces wear-prone mechanical bearings with magnetic bearings that have no moving contact parts. This substitution dramatically extends service life by eliminating wear mechanisms, although it increases manufacturing complexity through the requirement for precise magnetic field control and positioning systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This design results in a highly compact, reliable, and efficient cross-flow fan that maintains high performance in aggressive environments, ensuring fluid purity and extending service life by eliminating impurities and reducing wear, suitable for demanding applications like excimer lasers and semiconductor industry use.

Implementation Method 1

the impeller can be magnetically driven without contact by the first and the second stator and can be magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the first stator and the second stator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic levitation: Maglev

Implementation Method 2

the impeller can be magnetically driven without contact by the first and the second stator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Lorentz Force

Data Source

PatentUS12104602B2Cross-flow fan

Publication Date: 2024.10.01 LEVITRONIX GMBH(CH)

AI summary

A cross-flow fan includes a cylindrical impeller having an annularly designed first magnetically effective core disposed at a first end, an annularly designed second magnetically effective core disposed at a second end, a plurality of vanes arranged between the first magnetically effective core and the second magnetically effective core, a first stator, which is a bearing and drive stator, and which interacts with the first magnetically effective core as a first electromagnetic rotary drive, and a second stator, which is at least a bearing stator, and with which the second magnetically effective core is capable of being magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the second stator. The impeller is magnetically driven without contact by the first and the second stators and magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the first stator and the second stator.