Centrifugal Pump Impeller Blade Pairing for Tool Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing impeller designs for centrifugal pumps, particularly those made of sheet metal, face high manufacturing costs due to the need for multiple tools for different blade shapes and sizes, and struggle to efficiently adjust delivery rates without increasing costs or compromising operation.
Innovation Solution
The impeller design features blade pairs of the same shape and size, allowing for flexible arrangement and machining to create hydraulically effective blades, reducing the number of required tools and simplifying manufacturing by using identical components, which can be combined or modified to form varying blade lengths and dead spaces for different delivery characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different blade shapes and sizes are used to cover multiple application cases, then impeller versatility is improved, but the number of manufacturing tools increases and manufacturing costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single standardized blade that can serve multiple functions through different arrangements. The same blade profile is used across all impeller configurations, allowing one blade design to replace multiple specialized blade designs. This enables the manufacturing system to handle diverse impeller requirements (different delivery rates, pressures, sizes) without increasing the variety of blade profiles, thereby reducing the number of manufacturing tools needed while maintaining impeller versatility
2Productivity
If blade height is reduced to decrease delivery rate, then delivery rate is adjusted, but minimum passage height requirements are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by transitioning from vertical blade height adjustment to horizontal blade arrangement adjustment. Instead of changing the blade height dimension (which is constrained by minimum passage requirements), the invention changes the radial position and angular arrangement of standardized blades. This allows delivery rate adjustment through configurational changes in the radial-plane arrangement rather than dimensional changes in blade height, thereby maintaining reliable passage height while achieving productivity adjustment
3Productivity
If intermediate spaces between blade pairs are filled to reduce delivery rate in cast impellers, then delivery rate is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the impeller design into modular components: standardized blades and configurable blade arrangements. Instead of creating monolithic cast impellers with filled intermediate spaces (which increases manufacturing complexity), the invention segments the blade system into identical, interchangeable blade units. Delivery rate reduction is achieved by creating gaps or removing blades from specific positions in the modular arrangement, rather than filling spaces in a solid cast structure. This segmentation approach simplifies manufacturing by using standardized blade components that can be easily added or removed without complex casting operations
Data Source
AI summary
The impeller for a centrifugal pump includes a carrier disk and possibly a shroud. The blades of the impeller are identical, but are arranged in pairs such that impellers of different hydraulic characteristics are formed with blades of the same shape.