Diaphragm Pump Noise Reduction via Interconnected Air-Permeable Housings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing membrane pumps with two separate pump housings and offset membrane drives generate significant noise due to air movement between the membranes, which is not effectively addressed in previous designs.
Innovation Solution
The pump housings are connected in an air-permeable manner via a connecting line, allowing air displaced by one membrane to flow into the other housing, reducing external air escape and noise by maintaining an airtight environment, with additional sealing measures at bearings and intermediate walls to enhance air containment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the pump housings are kept separate and airtight, then the pump structure is simple and maintenance is easy, but air moves from one housing to the other generating significant noise
Solution Approach 1:
A soundproof connection piece is introduced as an intermediary element between the two pump housings. This connection piece contains a soundproof channel that allows air to pass through while being acoustically isolated. The intermediary structure enables air flow between housings while blocking noise transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining simple separate housings and reducing noise from air movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection piece is designed with differentiated local properties: it is air-permeable in the channel region to allow air flow, but soundproof in the wall structure to block noise. This local differentiation of properties (air permeability vs. soundproofing) enables the connection to simultaneously satisfy both requirements of air flow and noise reduction without complicating the overall housing structure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If air is allowed to move freely between pump housings, then noise is reduced, but air contamination and loss of pumping medium occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The soundproof connection piece acts as a controlled intermediary that permits air flow while preventing contamination. The soundproof channels provide a defined path for air movement between housings, preventing uncontrolled air leakage and medium loss while still allowing the noise-reducing air movement to occur.
Solution Approach 2:
Membranes are used to cover openings in the connection piece where air needs to pass through. These flexible membranes allow air flow in one direction or control the flow while preventing liquid pumping medium from escaping, thus reducing substance loss while maintaining noise reduction benefits.
3Productivity
If membranes are driven with 180-degree offset, then pumping efficiency is improved, but air movement between housings increases noise
Solution Approach 1:
The soundproof connection piece serves as a mediator that decouples the beneficial pumping action (180-degree offset drive) from the harmful noise effect. It allows the air movement necessary for efficient pumping while acoustically isolating the noise, enabling the pump to maintain high productivity without the associated noise penalty.
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 configuration significantly reduces noise and prevents air contamination by ensuring air movement is contained within the pump housings, enhancing the operational silence and cleanliness of the membrane pump.
Implementation Method 1
the air displaced by one membrane can be moved into the other pump housing, in which the associated membrane leads to an increase in space
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A diaphragm pump (1) has two diaphragm heads (15), in each case two diaphragms (6) and two separate pump housings (3) in which the connecting rods (5) for the diaphragms (6) are arranged, which connecting rods (5) can be driven by a common shaft (4), wherein the drive for the shaft (4) can be arranged between the two pump housings (3). Here, the two pump housings (3) are connected to one another in an air-permeable fashion in particular by means of a connecting line (7), such that the air displaced in each case by the one diaphragm (6) can be moved into the other pump housing (3) in which the associated diaphragm (6) leads to a space enlargement as a result of being driven in the opposite direction.