Double-Acting Reciprocating Pump Equalizing Fluid Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing double-acting reciprocating pumps face issues with fluid leakage, which affects continuous operation and requires frequent maintenance, and they cannot dispense equal amounts of fluid during both up and down strokes, with the fluid outlet port typically located only at the lower end for single-acting pumps.
Innovation Solution
A new double-acting reciprocating pump assembly design with a piston-cylinder assembly featuring upper and lower pump chambers, inlet and outlet ball check valves, and a piston rod with outlet holes, allowing equal fluid dispensing during both strokes and containing leakage within the material supply chamber to prevent external fouling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single-acting pump design with outlet port at lower end is used, then the structure is simple, but fluid can only be pumped during downstroke and not during upstroke
Solution Approach 1:
The pump chamber is segmented into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by the piston, allowing independent fluid dispensing paths for each stroke direction. The upper chamber handles upstroke dispensing while the lower chamber handles downstroke dispensing, enabling double-acting operation without requiring a completely new structural design.
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet port is positioned at the lower end of the pump assembly, but fluid from the upper chamber is routed through the piston rod interior to reach this lower outlet. This three-dimensional routing arrangement allows both chambers to discharge through a single lower outlet, maintaining structural simplicity while achieving double-acting functionality.
2Reliability
If conventional reciprocating pump seals are used, then the pump can operate continuously, but leakage occurs at external locations requiring frequent maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
Leakage that would normally occur at external seal locations is redirected into the material supply chamber through the piston rod interior. What would be harmful external leakage is converted into a beneficial feature where leaked fluid is recaptured and returned to the supply chamber, eliminating the need for frequent seal maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston rod is designed with an interior passage that is nested within the piston assembly structure. This nested passage provides an internal leakage collection path that is integrated into the pump structure, allowing leakage to be contained and redirected without requiring external seal maintenance.
3Manufacturing precision
If unequal piston surface areas are used for up and down strokes, then the pump can dispense equal fluid amounts during both strokes, but the piston rod must be hollow and routed through the piston
Solution Approach 1:
The piston rod functionality is segmented into two parts: the exterior surface that connects to the piston for force transmission, and the interior passage that serves as a fluid conduit. This segmentation allows the piston rod to simultaneously perform mechanical and fluid transport functions, enabling equal fluid dispensing while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston rod is designed as a multi-functional component that serves both as a mechanical connector between the piston and crosshead and as a fluid conduit for routing leakage from the upper chamber to the lower chamber. This universal design eliminates the need for separate hollow rod and routing structures.
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 ensures equal fluid dispensing during both up and down strokes, minimizes leakage-related maintenance, and allows for the use of both hot and cold materials up to 500° F, maintaining operational efficiency and reducing external contamination.
Implementation Method 1
an upper ball check valve disposed within the piston and having upper and lower ball check valve seats operatively associated therewith, and a lower ball check valve disposed within a bottom portion of the piston-cylinder assembly and likewise having upper and lower ball check valve seats operatively associated therewith
Data Source
AI summary
A double-acting reciprocating pump comprises a piston assembly comprising at least one piston disposed within at least one piston cylinder for undergoing opposite reciprocal movements within said at least one piston cylinder, an upper pump chamber disposed above the piston, and a lower pump chamber disposed below the piston. A fluid inlet is fluidically connected to one of the upper and lower pump chambers so as to supply fluid thereto, and a fluid outlet dispensing port is defined within a lower end portion of the double-acting reciprocating pump assembly for permitting fluid to be dispensed out from the double-acting reciprocating pump assembly during both of the opposite reciprocal movements.