Electric Pump Air Venting Device for Autonomous Starting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Submersed electric pumps often accumulate air during immersion, leading to failure to start autonomously and risk of damage when not properly primed, as impellers require liquid operation.
Innovation Solution
A detachable air venting device with a cavity, inlet, and outlet connected to the pump body, featuring valve means and a contoured head for pressure-adjusted fluid flow, allowing external expulsion of air, which can be replaced with a standard plug for out-of-water installations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a submersed electric pump is installed by immersion in the liquid to be pumped, then the pump can be easily installed and operated, but air accumulates inside the pump body creating a diving bell effect that prevents autonomous starting and may damage the impeller
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful air from the pump body through a dedicated venting device. The device includes a venting channel with a valve that opens to allow air to escape from the pump body to the external environment, preventing the diving bell effect while maintaining ease of installation. The valve closes after air removal to maintain pumping efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The venting device performs preliminary air removal action before the pump starts operating. The valve is designed to automatically open during installation/priming to expel air, and then closes before the pump begins normal operation, ensuring the pump starts with liquid already present in the impeller chamber.
2Productivity
If the pump body is sealed tightly to maintain pumping efficiency, then liquid transfer is optimized, but air cannot be expelled from the pump body during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The venting channel incorporates a dynamic valve that changes its state based on operational requirements. The valve opens during installation/priming to allow air escape, then closes during normal operation to maintain the sealed pump body for efficient liquid transfer. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between sealing and venting.
Solution Approach 2:
The venting device ensures continuous operational readiness by automatically removing air during installation and then maintaining a sealed state for continuous efficient pumping. The valve's automatic operation ensures the pump is always in the correct state without manual intervention, maintaining continuous useful action.
3Reliability
If a venting device is integrated into the pump body, then air can be expelled effectively, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The venting device is merged with the pump body as an integrated assembly. The venting channel is formed within the pump body structure, and the valve is incorporated into the existing pump components. This merging approach provides effective air removal while minimizing additional complexity and manufacturing cost compared to a separate external venting system.
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
Effectively removes accumulated air from submersed electric pumps, ensuring proper operation and preventing damage by allowing external air expulsion, and can be easily integrated or replaced for priming purposes.
Implementation Method 1
valve means arranged inside said cavity being adapted to adjust a flow of fluid between said inlet and said outlet as a function of the difference in pressure between the inside of said pump body and the outside of said pump body
Data Source
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AI summary
A device (10) for venting air of an electric pump, comprising a body (11) which can be associated detachably with a pump body (51) of an electric pump (50). The body (11) comprises at least one cavity (12) having a substantially longitudinal axis of extension (X), the cavity (12) having at least one inlet (13) which can be connected fluidically to the inside of the pump body (51) and at least one outlet (14) which can be connected fluidically to the outside of the pump body (51), valve means (20) arranged inside the cavity (12) being adapted to adjust a flow of fluid between the inlet (13) and the outlet (14) as a function of the difference in pressure between the inside of the pump body (51) and the outside of the pump body (51). The invention also relates to an electric pump (50) comprising the device (10).