Modular Vacuum Pump Frame for Scalable Stability and Lower Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum pumps used in pumping stations require additional mechanical stability to support multiple units, but existing solutions result in oversizing and unnecessary costs when used as single pumps, as they are equipped with solid support frames that provide more stability and load-bearing capacity than needed.
Innovation Solution
A modular frame system comprising a base frame for individual vacuum pumps and an additional frame that can be supported on the base frame, allowing for flexible adaptation to stability requirements, where the additional frame provides mechanical stability only when necessary, enabling the use of vacuum pumps as single units or in pumping stations without the need for oversized frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If vacuum pumps are equipped with robust support frames from the outset, then mechanical stability and load-bearing capacity are improved, but cost and weight increase unnecessarily for single pump operations
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame is divided into two separate components: a base frame that provides essential support for single pump operation, and an additional frame that can be attached when multiple pumps are stacked. This segmentation allows the system to provide only the necessary structural support for each operational configuration, avoiding unnecessary material usage and cost for single pump installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame system transitions from a static, fixed design to a dynamic, adaptable configuration. The additional frame can be attached or detached based on operational requirements, allowing the mechanical stability and load-bearing capacity to be adjusted dynamically. This enables the system to optimize between cost-effectiveness for single pumps and structural strength for multi-pump stations.
2Strength
If vacuum pumps are equipped with robust support frames from the outset, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but weight increases unnecessarily for single pump operations
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame is divided into two separate components: a base frame that provides essential support for single pump operation, and an additional frame that can be attached when multiple pumps are stacked. This segmentation allows the system to provide only the necessary structural support for each operational configuration, avoiding unnecessary material usage and cost for single pump installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The additional frame is designed to nest with or attach to the base frame, creating a combined structural system only when needed. The additional frame can be positioned around or alongside the base frame, forming a integrated support structure that distributes the weight of multiple stacked pumps. This nesting approach allows the heavier, more robust frame elements to be present only when the operational configuration requires them.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a modular frame system for vacuum pumps, comprising a base frame for a first vacuum pump and a separate auxiliary frame for a second vacuum pump, in addition to the base frame. The base frame is designed for operation of the first vacuum pump without the auxiliary frame and without the second vacuum pump, as well as for joint operation of both vacuum pumps, in which the two vacuum pumps form a pumping station and are vacuum-connected. The base frame and the auxiliary frame are designed such that, to form the pumping station, the auxiliary frame can be supported on the base frame and the second vacuum pump on the auxiliary frame. The invention further relates to a vacuum system with at least two vacuum pumps and a modular frame system according to the invention.