Heated Pump Housing With Convolutions to Reduce Calcium Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In household appliances like dishwashers, existing pump systems face inefficiencies in heating and transferring liquid, particularly due to calcium precipitation and reduced heat transfer rates, which affect the performance and longevity of the heating elements.
Innovation Solution
A pump assembly with a motor, impeller, and housing that incorporates a heating element with a heat transfer area defined by convolutions on the housing, allowing for enhanced heat transfer through increased surface area without increasing the heating element's size, and using optional brazing material to further enhance conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heating element size is increased to improve heat transfer rate, then the heat transfer rate increases, but the device complexity and calcium precipitation problems worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The housing surface is transformed from a flat two-dimensional surface to a three-dimensional convoluted surface with peaks and valleys. This dimensional change increases the surface area available for heat transfer without proportionally increasing the overall device size, thereby improving heat transfer rate while avoiding the complexities associated with simply scaling up the heating element.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical parameters of the housing surface are changed by introducing convolutions with specific peak and valley structures. This modifies the surface area parameter and thermal conductivity distribution, enabling enhanced heat transfer performance without requiring a larger heating element, thus resolving the contradiction between heat transfer rate and device complexity.
2Temperature
If the heating element size is increased to improve heat transfer rate, then the heat transfer rate increases, but calcium precipitation increases
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming the housing surface into a convoluted three-dimensional structure with peaks and valleys, the surface area is increased without proportionally increasing heating element size. This distributes the heat flux over a larger area, reducing localized overheating and calcium precipitation while maintaining effective heat transfer rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The convoluted surface structure creates local variations in surface area and thermal properties. Peaks and valleys provide different local heat transfer characteristics, distributing heat more evenly and preventing concentrated calcium precipitation zones that would occur with a uniform flat surface or simply larger heating element.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the housing surface area is increased to distribute heat, then calcium precipitation reduces, but the device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing surface is transformed from a flat two-dimensional surface to a three-dimensional convoluted surface. This dimensional transformation increases the effective surface area for heat distribution without requiring a proportional increase in the overall housing volume, as the convolutions utilize the existing volume more efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The convoluted surface structure effectively nests additional surface area within the existing housing volume. The peaks and valleys create a complex surface topology that fits within the same overall dimensional envelope, increasing heat distribution area without expanding the device volume.
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 increases the heat transfer rate to the liquid, reduces calcium precipitation by distributing heat over a larger area, and helps prevent scaling by allowing existing calcium deposits to break off during thermal expansion and contraction.
Implementation Method 1
heat generated by the heating element is conducted into the volute chamber through the plurality of convolutions
Implementation Method 2
a heat transfer area defined by a plurality of convolutions on the housing
Implementation Method 3
an impeller mounted to the output shaft... which then expels the liquid radially outwardly
Data Source
AI summary
A pump assembly includes a motor and a pump, with the motor having an output shaft that extends into a volute chamber defined by a housing of the pump. An impeller may be mounted to the end of the output shaft. A heating element maybe located within a projection formed in an end of the housing and defines a heat transfer area confronting the volute chamber, wherein heat generated by the heating element may be conducted into the volute chamber.