Membrane Pump With Equalizing Channels Reducing Pulsation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Membrane pumps generate pulsations in fluid flow due to reciprocating movement, causing stress, noise, fatigue, and wear in downstream fluid lines, and require large dimensions for substantial flow, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The membrane pump design features adjacent main compartments with central fluid entry and exit, short connecting channels, and an excenter mechanism with a Scotch yoke mechanism for high-frequency membrane movement, assisted by equalizing channels between sub-compartments, and uses flat check valves and cup-shaped membranes to minimize fluid deceleration and acceleration, reducing pulsation and energy loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a long stroke is used to obtain substantial flow, then flow rate is improved, but pump dimensions and housing size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump chambers are divided into main compartments and sub-compartments. The sub-compartments are connected via equalizing channels, allowing the system to achieve substantial flow through coordinated operation of multiple smaller chambers rather than requiring a single large-stroke chamber, thus reducing overall pump dimensions while maintaining flow rate
Solution Approach 2:
The equalizing channels enable continuous fluid transfer between sub-compartments during the reciprocating motion, ensuring that flow is maintained more continuously rather than in discrete pulses, allowing reduced stroke lengths to still achieve substantial flow
2Productivity
If reciprocating membrane movement is used to pump fluid, then pumping function is achieved, but pulsation and stress in fluid lines increase
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the pump chambers into main compartments and sub-compartments with equalizing channels, the fluid delivery is segmented into multiple smaller pulses that overlap and cancel each other's pressure peaks, reducing overall pulsation in the downstream fluid lines while maintaining effective pumping
Solution Approach 2:
The equalizing channels merge the fluid flow from multiple sub-compartments into a coordinated output, combining the reciprocating movements to produce a more continuous flow with reduced pressure variations, thereby reducing stress and pulsation in the fluid lines
3Object-generated harmful factors
If short connecting channels are used to reduce fluid volume, then pulsation is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting channels are segmented into multiple shorter sections within the divided pump chambers, with each section being easier to manufacture with high precision. The cumulative effect of multiple precisely-manufactured short channels achieves the pulsation reduction benefit while remaining feasible for standard manufacturing processes
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 achieves a more continuous fluid flow with reduced pulsation, stress, noise, and wear, allowing for a compact and efficient membrane pump with high flow rates and reduced energy loss.
Implementation Method 1
an excenter mechanism arranged between the driven shaft and the connection rod for converting the rotational movement of the driven shaft into a reciprocating movement
Implementation Method 2
the other membrane will be decompressing the corresponding main compartment, such that an overpressure will be generated in the sub compartment, which overpressure can be equalized with the underpressure in the other sub compartment
Implementation Method 3
The flat check valves allow for the distance between the two pump chambers to be reduced
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
The invention relates to a membrane pump comprising: - a housing having, along a main axis, two coaxial arranged pump chambers in which each a flexible membrane is arranged perpendicular to the main axis, which membranes are parallel to each other and divide each pumping chamber into a main compartment and a sub compartment; - wherein each main compartment has at least one inlet opening and one outlet opening and wherein one way valves are arranged in each inlet opening and each outlet opening; - an inlet port arranged in the housing and in fluid connection with the inlet openings; - an outlet port arranged in the housing and in fluid connection with the outlet openings; - a connection rod extending coaxially through the housing, wherein each end of the rod is attached to a membrane; - driving means coupled to the connection rod for reciprocating driving of the connection rod in axial direction, wherein the two main compartments of the pump chambers are adjacent to each other and the two sub compartments of the pump chambers are distal from each other.