Impeller-Shaft Adapter for Precise Ceramic Rotor Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Connecting impellers made of ceramic or tungsten carbide to shafts is challenging due to the difficulty in forming fastening means without damaging the components, especially when drilling holes and cutting internal threads.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece connecting adapter with axial and radial alignment means is used to securely attach an impeller to a shaft, allowing for a detachable and non-destructive connection, featuring threads and fit designs for alignment and fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the impeller or shaft is made of ceramic or tungsten carbide, then the strength and durability are improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates due to inability to drill holes and cut threads
Solution Approach 1:
A connecting adapter made of ductile material serves as an intermediary component between the ceramic/tungsten carbide impeller and shaft. The adapter provides threaded bore and protrusion features that can be easily manufactured, while connecting to the hard components through press-fit or interference-fit interfaces, thus enabling fastening without directly machining the brittle materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is divided into three separate components: the impeller, the connecting adapter, and the shaft. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the impeller and shaft maintain their material properties while the adapter provides the necessary fastening features through standard machining processes.
2Strength
If fastening means are formed directly on ceramic or tungsten carbide components, then the connection strength is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to high probability of destroying the component
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting adapter acts as a mediator that transfers the fastening load between the impeller and shaft without requiring direct thread formation in the brittle ceramic or tungsten carbide materials. The adapter's ductile material absorbs stress concentrations and prevents crack initiation that would occur with direct machining of the hard components.
3Ease of operation
If the impeller is temporarily detached during assembly, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to loss of alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting adapter features asymmetric alignment structures including a keyed bore with keyway, eccentric positioning elements, or non-circular interface geometries that provide unique orientation references. These asymmetric features ensure that when the impeller is reattached after temporary removal, it automatically returns to its precise original alignment position without requiring complex measurement or adjustment procedures.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a connecting adapter (1) for the detachable connection of an impeller (2) to a shaft (3), in particular comprising ceramic or tungsten carbide, to a rotor unit (4) for a turbocompressor, which rotor unit can be rotated about a rotation axis (A), wherein the connecting adapter (1) has an impeller section (20) for fixing the impeller (2) to the connecting adapter (1) and a shaft section (30) for fixing the connecting adapter (1) to the shaft (3), wherein the impeller section (20) has a first axial alignment means (21) for axial alignment and a first radial alignment means (22) for radial alignment of the impeller (2) to the connecting adapter (1), and the shaft section (30) has a second axial alignment means (31) for axial alignment and a second radial alignment means (32) for radial alignment of the shaft (3) to the connecting adapter (1).by means of which the impeller (2) and the shaft (3) can be fixed to the connecting adapter (1) in a predetermined axial and radial alignment with one another.