Grooved Polyurethane Impeller with Grinding Pegs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing impellers used for grinding and dispersing solid materials in vehicles or carriers face issues with severe abrasion, contamination, and increased processing time due to limited grinding capabilities, especially when dealing with high viscosity slurries or hard, dense particles, leading to higher costs and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
A grooved impeller with a plurality of grinding pegs, preferably made of polyurethane or other durable materials, is designed to be coupled to a rotatable shaft, enhancing the impeller's ability to finely grind and evenly disperse solid particles by altering turbulent flow and improving particle dispersion through the use of offset grooves and pegs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional metallic impeller is used for grinding solid particles, then the impeller can effectively grind and disperse particles, but the impeller suffers from severe abrasion and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the durable metallic impeller with a polymeric impeller that is less durable but cheaper to replace. The polymeric material (e.g., polyurethane) is softer and more resistant to abrasion, reducing particle contamination, but the impeller wears faster. This resolves the contradiction by accepting reduced impeller lifespan in exchange for improved reliability in terms of contamination control and reduced maintenance costs.
2Reliability
If a polymeric impeller with grooves is used to reduce abrasion, then the impeller durability improves, but the grinding capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the impeller surface into multiple grooves that create turbulent flow patterns. These grooves segment the fluid flow, creating multiple mixing zones that enhance grinding efficiency. The segmented groove structure allows the soft polymeric impeller to achieve effective particle size reduction through turbulent flow generated by the multiple flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The grooves in the polymeric impeller create mechanical vibrations and turbulent flow in the slurry during rotation. This turbulence enhances the grinding action by creating chaotic particle motion and increasing collision frequency between particles, compensating for the reduced mechanical cutting action of the softer polymeric material.
3Productivity
If the impeller rotates at high speed to improve mixing, then the dispersion efficiency increases, but the abrasion between impeller and slurry increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the impeller from hard metal to soft polymer (e.g., polyurethane with specific durometer). This material parameter change reduces the frictional abrasion between impeller and slurry at high rotation speeds, while the impeller geometry (grooves and vanes) is optimized to maintain dispersion efficiency through turbulent flow generation.
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 impeller effectively reduces processing time, increases efficiency, and extends the lifespan of the mixing equipment by efficiently grinding and dispersing solid particles, even in challenging applications, thereby improving cost-effectiveness and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
Upon rotation of the impeller, these grooves create turbulent flow within the liquid vehicle, thereby, dispersing the solid particles throughout the slurry
Implementation Method 2
The impeller is adapted to rotate with a rotatable shaft such that the blades and grooves break apart solid particles within a slurry or liquid suspension
Implementation Method 3
Dispersion is further facilitated by a bend slightly upward or downward of each blade, relative to the plane of the disk, such that particles flowing along the surface of the disk will be guided below or above the disk
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of manufacturing the apparatus for grinding and evenly disseminating solid materials within a vehicle or carrier. More specifically, the apparatus of the present invention may be comprised of an impeller with a plurality of grinding pegs extending therefrom. The plurality of grinding pegs extend from two faces of the impeller wherein the grinding pegs work in concert with a plurality of grooves on the impeller to finely grind the solid material and improve the turbulent flow within the vehicle. The end result is that the impeller of the present invention improves the efficiency of finely grinding and evenly dispersing the solid particles within the vehicle.