Impeller Blade Slotting for Vortex Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Impellers in compressors and pumps experience energy loss and cavitation due to vortex flow between blades, leading to performance degradation and structural damage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a slot in each blade adjacent to the inlet, positioned closer to the leading edge, reduces the pressure difference between positive and negative pressure surfaces, minimizing vortex flow and cavitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the impeller rotates to compress fluid through centrifugal force, then the fluid is discharged radially, but vortex flow is generated between adjacent blades causing energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path between adjacent blades is segmented by introducing a partition wall that divides the flow path into separate regions. This segmentation prevents the formation of continuous vortex flow between blades by creating physical barriers that interrupt the rotational flow pattern, thereby reducing energy loss while maintaining compressing power.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition wall is introduced as an intermediary structure between adjacent blades. This partition wall acts as a mediator that blocks the direct flow path between positive and negative pressure surfaces of adjacent blades, preventing vortex flow generation while allowing the impeller to maintain its compressing function.
2Stress or pressure
If vortex flow occurs between blades, then fluid pressure increases in the vicinity of positive pressure surface, but this causes cavitation and structural damage over time
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented by partition walls that divide the regions between adjacent blades. This segmentation prevents high-pressure vortex flow from forming continuous patterns that cause cavitation, thereby protecting the structural integrity of the impeller while maintaining necessary fluid pressure for compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall serves as an intermediary structure that prevents direct high-pressure flow interaction between adjacent blades. By blocking the flow path, it prevents the formation of cavitation-prone vortex flows, thereby protecting the impeller structure from damage while maintaining functional pressure levels.
3Productivity
If the flow path is formed between positive pressure surface and negative pressure surface of adjacent blades, then fluid flows from high pressure to low pressure, but this generates vortex flow that reduces flow rate and lift
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path between adjacent blades is segmented into separate regions by partition walls. This segmentation prevents the formation of continuous vortex flow patterns that would otherwise reduce flow rate and lift, thereby maintaining productivity while reducing energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall acts as an intermediary that blocks the direct flow path between adjacent blades' positive and negative pressure surfaces. This prevents vortex flow generation, allowing the fluid to maintain its flow rate and lift without the energy losses associated with vortex formation.
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 design reduces the load on the impeller, enhances performance, and prevents structural damage by minimizing energy loss and cavitation without significant structural changes to the blades.
Implementation Method 1
reduces the pressure difference between positive and negative pressure surfaces
Implementation Method 2
minimizing vortex flow and cavitation
Implementation Method 3
The impeller 20 may compress the introduced fluid using centrifugal force. The impeller 20 may compress the fluid through a process of accelerating the fluid introduced into the rotational center portion and discharging it radially
Implementation Method 4
the positive pressure surface 231 may compress the fluid so that the pressure of the fluid increases in the vicinity of the positive pressure surface 231 and decreases in the vicinity of the negative pressure surface 232
Implementation Method 5
If the energy loss of the fluid flowing inside the impeller 20 is increased, the pressure inside the impeller 20 is decreased, so that cavitation may easily occur. If the cavitation occurs for a long time, the performance degradation and structural damage to the impeller 20 and the centrifugal pump 10 may occur
Data Source
AI summary
An impeller includes a shroud including an inlet, a hub facing the shroud, and a plurality of blades disposed between the hub and the shroud and arranged circumferential direction along a circumference of the inlet. Each of the plurality of blades has a slot which is positioned adjacent to the inlet.