Elastic Guide Vanes for Pump Flow Direction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow guide devices for impeller radial pumps in applications like dishwashers and washing machines face challenges in efficiently directing fluid flow against a heated chamber wall while maintaining optimal temperature control and minimizing manufacturing and assembly costs.
Innovation Solution
A flow guide device with elastic guide vanes arranged radially outside the impeller, featuring a carrier ring with vanes that adjust their angle of attack based on fluid flow strength, allowing for optimal fluid direction towards the chamber wall and pump outlet, and utilizing multi-component injection molding for simplified assembly and reduced parts complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If guide vanes are made fixed with constant angle of attack, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but the flow direction cannot be optimized for varying fluid flow strengths
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vanes are designed to be elastic rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their angle of attack based on the strength of the fluid flow. This enables the system to adapt to varying flow conditions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that can be manufactured as a single piece.
Solution Approach 2:
The angle of attack of the guide vanes changes as a parameter in response to varying fluid flow strength. When flow is weak, the vanes maintain a larger angle (75°-90°) to direct flow against the chamber wall; when flow is strong, the vanes bend elastically to reduce the angle (20°-60°) and reduce resistance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If guide vanes are made elastic to adjust angle of attack, then adaptability to fluid flow is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier ring with multiple guide vanes is designed as a single integrated elastic component rather than separate parts. This merging of functions allows the structure to be manufactured as one piece using multi-component injection molding, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining the elastic adaptability of individual vanes.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide vanes utilize elastic material properties to create a flexible structure that can bend and adjust its angle of attack. This flexible design allows complex adaptive behavior to be achieved through material properties rather than complex mechanical mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If guide vanes are arranged directly in the fluid flow discharged from the impeller, then flow direction control is improved, but flow resistance increases and pump capacity is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vanes are positioned at the edge of the fluid flow discharged from the impeller, opposite the pump base, rather than directly in the main flow path. This local positioning allows the vanes to control flow direction in the specific region where it is needed (between the vanes and pump base) without creating excessive resistance to the overall pump capacity.
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 solution ensures effective fluid flow direction and temperature control, reducing flow resistance and maintaining pump capacity, while minimizing manufacturing and assembly costs through a single, easily mountable component that adapts to varying fluid flow conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The guide vanes are designed to be elastic in such a way that their angle of attack changes depending on the strength of the fluid flow
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~6
AI summary
The device (25) has multiple guide blades (29) arranged on a circumferential carrier ring (27) at a blade angle with respect to a longitudinal center axis of a pump, where the device is arranged radially outside an impeller. The guide blades are resilient or movable such that the blade angle points strongly in a radial direction or is greater, when the fluid flow is less. The angle becomes smaller and the guide blades partially curve or move in a resilient manner toward the longitudinal center axis of the pump, when the fluid flow is high. An independent claim is also included for a pump.