Centrifugal Impeller Flow Channel Design for Energy Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available rotor machines with impellers suffer from low efficiency due to turbulence in liquid flow, leading to energy loss and inefficient filling and emptying, particularly caused by dimensional and areal variations in flow channel transitions and rapid pressure changes.
Innovation Solution
The design ensures that the inlet and outlet openings, as well as the total effective opening area of the impeller, have similar cross-sectional areas, maintaining a constant flow channel profile to minimize flow separation and energy loss, with the ratio of these areas kept between 0.9 and 1.1 to ensure uniform filling and emptying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional impeller design with curved paddles is used, then the impeller can transport liquid, but turbulence occurs in the flow channels causing energy loss and low efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the impeller, specifically making the flow channels straight and ensuring constant cross-sectional area along the channel length. This parameter change eliminates turbulence and flow separation, reducing energy loss while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using curved paddles that cause secondary flows and turbulence, the invention inverts the approach by using straight flow channels with constant cross-section, which eliminates the harmful flow patterns while achieving the same pumping function
2Speed
If the impeller operates at low rotation speed, then energy consumption is reduced, but outlet speed and working capacity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the flow channel geometry to straight channels with constant cross-sectional area, the invention achieves efficient liquid transport at low rotation speeds, maintaining high outlet speed without excessive energy consumption
3Productivity
If rapid pressure changes occur in flow channels, then liquid can be moved through the impeller, but flow separation occurs causing energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The invention maintains constant cross-sectional area throughout the flow channel, which prevents rapid pressure changes and eliminates flow separation, thereby avoiding energy loss while maintaining liquid transport efficiency
4Productivity
If dimensional variations exist in flow channel transitions, then the impeller structure is simpler to manufacture, but filling and emptying efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses constant cross-sectional area flow channels, which improves filling and emptying efficiency. While this may increase manufacturing complexity slightly, the uniform geometry simplifies other aspects of design and operation
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 approach enhances the working capacity of rotor machines by maintaining high outlet speed and efficiency even at low rotation speeds, reducing the formation of steam and cavitation, and improving the efficiency of filling and emptying processes.
Implementation Method 1
liquid that is led through flow channels in an impeller or a running wheel in a rotation machine of centrifugal type
Implementation Method 2
the static pressure gradients that arise in the flow channels
Implementation Method 3
they demonstrate a low efficiency due to the appearance of turbulence in the flow of liquid through the impeller
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a rotor machine and an impeller, of which the rotor machine is intended to function as a liquid pump or as an agitator in a fluid such as a liquid or a colloid, whereby the rotor machine has a pump casing (1) with an impeller (2) mounted in bearings in a manner that allows rotation around an axis (X), and in which the rotor machine has three principal flow pathways, comprising: —an axial inlet opening (4) with a defined area of opening (Ain) —a radially oriented outlet opening (5) with a defined area of opening (Aut), and —a series of radially extending blades (3) that, distributed around the circumference of the impeller, form between them a number of flow channels (22:1-22:n). In order to achieve an improved working capacity, the area of opening (Ain) of the inlet opening (4), the area of opening (Aut) of the outlet opening and the total effective area of opening of the flow channels (22:1-22:n) that extends through the impeller are so mutually designed that the three principal passages of the rotor machine are filled and emptied of the said fluid in an essentially equal manner.