Reciprocating Pump Collar Reduces Cavitation Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reciprocating pumps experience cavitation during high-speed operation, leading to excessive wear and deterioration of the plunger, pump chamber, and communication pipe due to a relatively large gap between the plunger and the inner peripheral surface of the communication pipe, which reduces pump efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A reciprocating pump design featuring a collar with a smaller gap between its inner peripheral surface and the plunger's outer peripheral surface, which reduces the volume of the gap where the working liquid enters, thereby minimizing cavitation and improving durability and efficiency by preventing air from entering the pump chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a relatively large gap is provided between the plunger and the inner peripheral surface of the communication pipe to prevent contact due to vibration, then the plunger can move freely without contact wear, but cavitation is generated during the water charging step leading to excessive wear and deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a collar as an intermediary component between the plunger and the communication pipe. The collar has a smaller gap between its inner peripheral surface and the plunger, which prevents cavitation while still allowing the plunger to move freely. The collar absorbs the vibration and prevents direct contact between the plunger and the communication pipe, thus eliminating the trade-off between movement freedom and cavitation prevention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a relatively large gap is provided between the plunger and the inner peripheral surface of the communication pipe, then the plunger does not contact the communication pipe during vibration, but the volume of the gap where working liquid enters increases causing severe cavitation effects during high-speed operation
Solution Approach 1:
The collar serves as a mediator that reduces the gap volume where working liquid can enter. By positioning the collar closer to the plunger with a smaller gap, it limits the space available for liquid entry and cavitation formation, while still preventing direct contact between the plunger and communication pipe during vibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a localized smaller gap region at the collar-plunger interface, while maintaining a larger overall gap structure. This localized modification prevents cavitation at the critical area without affecting the overall plunger movement freedom, thus addressing the harmful effects locally while preserving global functionality.
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
The design effectively reduces cavitation, preventing excessive wear and deterioration, enhancing the durability and efficiency of the pump, and improving water charging performance by increasing the compression ratio.
Implementation Method 1
cavitation within the pump chamber may be generated during the water charging step
Data Source
AI summary
A reciprocating pump includes a first manifold which includes a pump chamber, a second manifold which is connected to the first manifold, and a seal which is disposed inside the second manifold and comes into slidable contact with a plunger. A communication pipe which extends across an inside of the first manifold and an inside of the second manifold comes into contact with the seal. Additionally, the reciprocating pump includes a collar which is disposed inside the first manifold and comes into contact with the communication pipe through which the plunger is inserted. The collar, the communication pipe, and the seal are sandwiched between the inside of the first manifold and the inside of the second manifold.