Liquid Ring Pump Gas Venting Reduces Shaft Power
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid ring pumps face inefficiencies due to the need for continuous balancing of sealing liquid flow to manage varying compression ratios, leading to increased power requirements and potential overloads when suction pressure drops, and reduced sealing effectiveness if liquid flow is reduced.
Innovation Solution
Converting a liquid ring pump to use gas venting instead of sealing liquid venting by repurposing sealing liquid pathways to form gas vent paths, allowing for reduced sealing liquid flow and increased gas volume without increasing power requirements, achieved through minimal modifications to existing pump parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sealing liquid venting is used to accommodate varying compression ratios, then the pump can manage varying compression ratios, but continuous balancing of sealing liquid flow is required leading to increased power requirements and potential overloads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the venting function from the sealing liquid system and creates a separate gas venting system. The gas vent path is established by modifying the pump head and cone to include a gas vent port and gas vent passage, allowing gas to be vented independently from the sealing liquid flow. This separation eliminates the need to continuously balance sealing liquid flow while accommodating varying compression ratios, thereby reducing shaft power requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary gas venting system that mediates between the compression process and the discharge. The gas vent path acts as an intermediary mechanism to release excess gas pressure without interfering with the sealing liquid flow balance, allowing the pump to handle varying compression ratios without increasing power consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If sealing liquid flow is reduced to decrease power requirements, then power consumption is reduced, but sealing effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the venting function from the sealing function. The gas venting system is separated from the sealing liquid introduction and venting paths. This segmentation allows the sealing liquid to maintain its flow rate for effective sealing while the gas venting handles the pressure regulation independently, thus maintaining sealing effectiveness without requiring increased power.
Solution Approach 2:
The venting function is extracted from the sealing liquid system and placed in a separate gas venting system. This extraction allows the sealing liquid flow to be optimized for sealing effectiveness without being constrained by power requirements, as the gas venting system independently manages pressure regulation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sealing liquid vent paths are used, then compression ratios can be managed, but the system requires continuous balancing of liquid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the compression ratio management function from the sealing liquid flow control. By establishing a separate gas vent path with a gas vent port and gas vent passage, the system can manage compression ratios through gas venting rather than continuously balancing sealing liquid flow, thereby reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas venting system serves as an intermediary mechanism that simplifies compression ratio management. Instead of requiring continuous balancing of sealing liquid flow, the gas vent path provides a straightforward mechanism to release excess gas pressure, reducing the complexity of flow control.
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
The gas venting system reduces shaft power requirements and maintains or exceeds previous gas volume flow rates without increasing power, making the pump more robust to varying compression ratios and sudden vacuum changes.
Implementation Method 1
Gas venting avoids the pitfalls associated with sealing liquid venting because, in part, it eliminates the need to continually introduce and release sealing liquid. Instead, when the pump is operating at a compression ratio less than the design compression ratio, gas can be vented from the working chamber of the pump to reduce the over compression.
Implementation Method 2
The rotor 25 has rotor blades 25a. The rotor blades 25a extend from a hub 25b. The body or housing 23 provides a chamber (working chamber) in which the rotor 25 rotates to draw air or gas 26 through gas inlets 20a, 22a into the working chamber. The gas 26 is then exhausted from the working chamber through gas discharge outlets 20b, 22b.
Implementation Method 3
Sealing liquid 29, see FIG. 2, is in the working chamber. As the rotor 25 rotates, the sealing liquid 29 is formed into a liquid ring within the working chamber. The liquid ring takes an eccentric shape that diverges and converges in the radial direction relative to shaft 30 of the liquid ring pump.
Implementation Method 4
Where the sealing liquid 29 is diverging from the shaft 30, the resulting reduced pressure in the spaces between adjacent rotor blades of the rotor assembly (buckets) constitutes a gas intake zone. Where the sealing liquid 29 is converging towards the shaft 30, the resulting increased pressure in the spaces between the adjacent rotor blades (buckets) constitutes a gas compression zone.
Data Source
AI summary
A conical member for a pump head of a liquid ring pump, the conical member including a body, the body defining a first body opening on a first end positioned to abut a first pump opening, a second body opening on the first end positioned to abut a second pump opening, and a port. The conical member further includes a radially outer lip arranged about the first end and positioned to abut a pump aperture. A sealing liquid introduction path is arranged to introduce sealing liquid to a working chamber, the sealing liquid introduction path arranged at least partially between the second body opening and an outlet, and a gas vent passage is arranged to vent gas from the working chamber, the gas vent passage arranged at least partially between the port and the first body opening.