Metering Pump Suction Channel Bubble Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Metering pumps face challenges in efficiently discharging gas bubbles, particularly when handling outgassing substances like hydrogen peroxide, as these bubbles can form and persist in the dosing chamber, leading to inaccurate volume metering.

Innovation Solution

The metering pump design incorporates a suction channel with features such as cross-sectional enlargements and oblique sections to break up and quickly expel gas bubbles, ensuring they rise and exit the chamber efficiently, with additional valves and channel configurations minimizing horizontal surfaces for bubble accumulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the suction channel has a narrow cross section, then the pump structure is compact, but gas bubbles adhere to the walls and cannot be discharged efficiently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas bubble discharge efficiencyVSAvoidsuction channel structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suction channel is divided into multiple sections with different cross-sectional areas. The channel includes a first section with a first cross-sectional area and a second section with a second cross-sectional area that is larger than the first. This segmentation allows gas bubbles to be broken up as they pass from the narrower first section to the wider second section, improving discharge efficiency without requiring the entire channel to be complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The suction channel is configured with oblique sections that extend at angles to the vertical axis, creating three-dimensional flow paths. The first and second sections are arranged at different orientations, and the channel may include both oblique and horizontal portions. This dimensional complexity enables gas bubbles to be redirected and broken up while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If the suction channel has horizontal surfaces, then the channel design is simple, but gas bubbles accumulate and cannot rise efficiently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas bubble rise speedVSAvoidsuction channel configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suction channel employs asymmetric configuration where the first section extends obliquely upward at an angle to the vertical axis, while the second section extends horizontally. This asymmetric arrangement prevents gas bubbles from accumulating on horizontal surfaces by directing them through oblique sections where they can rise more efficiently, while still incorporating horizontal portions for structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The suction channel design creates dynamic flow conditions by combining oblique and horizontal sections. The oblique sections promote upward movement of gas bubbles through buoyancy, while the horizontal sections allow for flow transition. This dynamic configuration ensures gas bubbles continuously move through the channel rather than accumulating, maintaining high discharge efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 effectively reduces the risk of gas bubbles adhering to the channel walls and ensures that over 80% of gas bubbles are discharged from the metering chamber within the stroke time, maintaining accurate liquid volume metering.

Implementation Method 1

gas bubbles, which are located downstream of a valve in the suction channel in the metering chamber, rise so quickly that they preferably after 80% of the total stroke time

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentEP2362101B1Dosing pump
Publication Date: 2013.07.03 GRUNDFOS MANAGEMENT AS
  • EP2362101B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2362101B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a metering pump with a metering chamber (14), a suction channel (32) connected to the metering chamber (14), and a pressure channel (20) connected to the metering chamber (14), wherein means for breaking up gas bubbles are arranged in the suction channel. (Fig. 1)