Plastic Pump Housing With Integrated Heater for Lower Thermal Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating pumps for domestic appliances require separate production processes and materials for the pump housing and heater device, making them complex and costly to produce, with high thermal loads on the plastic housing due to direct heat transfer from metal heating elements.
Innovation Solution
A pump housing partially composed of plastic with a heater device embedded or connected in an interlocking manner, where the heater device is injection molded within the plastic, featuring a low-temperature contact zone and axial offset from the pump impeller, reducing thermal stress on the plastic and allowing for simpler, cost-effective production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal pump housing with soldered tubular heating body is used, then reliable thermal contact and heating efficiency are achieved, but production complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump housing and heater device are merged into a single integrated component. The heater device is injection-molded directly into the plastic pump housing, eliminating the need for separate metal housing and soldering processes. This combining of functions reduces production steps while maintaining reliable thermal contact between the heater and housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure where a plastic pump housing is combined with a heater device that has both plastic and metal portions. The plastic portion integrates with the housing while the metal portion provides efficient thermal conduction for heating, creating a functional composite material solution.
2Temperature
If a metal pump housing is used, then thermal conductivity for heating is improved, but production cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire pump housing from metal, only the局部 region requiring high thermal conductivity is addressed. The heater device includes a metal portion that contacts the liquid-bearing interior to provide localized thermal conductivity where needed, while the rest of the housing can be made from cheaper plastic materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive metal housing with a more economical plastic housing that is injection-molded with the heater device. This substitution of materials reduces production cost while the integrated design ensures sufficient thermal performance for the application.
3Use of energy by moving object
If direct heat transfer from heater to plastic housing is used, then heating efficiency is improved, but thermal stress and deformation of plastic increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heater device serves as an intermediary element between the heat source and the liquid. It is positioned to transfer heat directly to the liquid flowing through the pump, rather than heating the plastic housing which then transfers heat to the liquid. This direct heating approach improves efficiency while minimizing thermal stress on the plastic housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater device is arranged in a specific spatial configuration within the pump housing, positioned to contact the liquid-bearing interior directly. This dimensional arrangement allows heat transfer to occur in the most efficient path (from heater to liquid) while the plastic housing remains at lower temperatures, avoiding thermal deformation.
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 simplifies production, reduces material costs, and lowers the risk of plastic defects by allowing direct heat transfer from the heater to the liquid, while maintaining efficiency and reliability through optimized heat transfer and reduced thermal loads on the plastic components.
Implementation Method 1
a heater device in thermal contact with the liquid-bearing interior of the pump housing
Implementation Method 2
heat is not transferred from the heater device to the interior, through which liquid flows, of the pump housing via the plastic material of the pump housing
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a pump, in particular for water-bearing domestic appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines or the like, comprising a pump housing and a heater device which is in thermal contact with the liquid-bearing interior of the pump housing. The pump according to the invention is simple and cost-effective to produce. For this reason, the pump housing (2) is produced at least partially from plastic, with the heater device (11, 12) being at least partially connected to the plastic in an interlocking manner.