Gear Pump With Interspersed Vanes for Fluid Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard gear pumps are inefficient for thin fluids due to leakage through clearances and clog issues with thick fluids, while vane pumps efficiently handle thin fluids but struggle with thick fluids.
Innovation Solution
A pump design incorporating gears with intermeshed slotted and solid teeth and radially extending vanes that contact the housing, providing a seal for thin fluids and avoiding clogging with thick fluids through a large cavity volume and clearances between solid teeth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If standard gear pumps are used, then thick fluids can be pumped efficiently due to large cavity volume, but thin fluids leak through clearances resulting in low pumping efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The gear teeth are segmented into alternating solid teeth and slotted teeth. The solid teeth provide sealing for thin fluids by reducing clearance leakage, while the slotted teeth with interspersed vanes allow thick fluids to pass without clogging. This segmentation enables the pump to handle both thin and thick fluids efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the gear periphery have different properties: solid teeth provide sealing quality for preventing leakage, while slotted teeth provide open quality for preventing clogging. This local differentiation of properties allows the single gear structure to address both leakage and clogging issues simultaneously.
2Productivity
If standard vane pumps are used, then thin fluids are pumped efficiently due to constant contact of vanes with housing, but thick fluids cause vane clogging and restricted inflow
Solution Approach 1:
The gear teeth are segmented into alternating solid teeth and slotted teeth. The solid teeth provide sealing for thin fluids by reducing clearance leakage, while the slotted teeth with interspersed vanes allow thick fluids to pass without clogging. This segmentation enables the pump to handle both thin and thick fluids efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful clogging effect is extracted by removing the continuous vane structure and replacing it with discrete vanes interspersed among solid teeth. The solid teeth act as spacers that prevent thick fluid from accumulating and clogging the vanes, while still maintaining sealing capability.
3Loss of energy
If gears with all solid teeth are used, then sealing is improved for thin fluids, but clogging occurs with thick fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The gear teeth are segmented into alternating solid teeth and slotted teeth. The solid teeth provide sealing for thin fluids by reducing clearance leakage, while the slotted teeth with interspersed vanes allow thick fluids to pass without clogging. This segmentation enables the pump to handle both thin and thick fluids efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the gear periphery have different properties: solid teeth provide sealing quality for preventing leakage, while slotted teeth provide open quality for preventing clogging. This local differentiation of properties allows the single gear structure to address both leakage and clogging issues simultaneously.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If gears with all slotted teeth are used, then clogging is prevented for thick fluids, but leakage increases for thin fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The gear teeth are segmented into alternating solid teeth and slotted teeth. The solid teeth provide sealing for thin fluids by reducing clearance leakage, while the slotted teeth with interspersed vanes allow thick fluids to pass without clogging. This segmentation enables the pump to handle both thin and thick fluids efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the gear periphery have different properties: solid teeth provide sealing quality for preventing leakage, while slotted teeth provide open quality for preventing clogging. This local differentiation of properties allows the single gear structure to address both leakage and clogging issues simultaneously.
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 enables efficient pumping of both thin and thick fluids by ensuring a contact seal for thin fluids and preventing clogging, maintaining high pumping efficiency across varying fluid viscosities.
Implementation Method 1
each radially extending vane being movable within the respective vane slot and being configured to contact the respective first or second rounded wall sections
Data Source
AI summary
A pump fluid driving apparatus includes a housing having a chamber, with two gears mounted within the chamber. The housing includes a first rounded wall section and a second rounded wall section, the first and second rounded wall sections defining at least a portion of the chamber. The gears have teeth located about their respective peripheries and operatively positioned with the teeth of the first gear and the teeth of the second gear intermeshed. The teeth include slotted teeth and solid teeth arranged with uniform spacing in a repeating pattern about the periphery of each of the gears, with each of the slotted teeth having a vane slot and a radially extending vane extending from the vane slot, and each radially extending vane being movable within the respective vane slot and being configured to contact the respective first or second rounded wall sections.