Multi-Stage Pump Elastic Jacket for Sealing Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-stage pumps experience tightness issues due to dilation of the external jacket under pressure and temperature changes, leading to reduced contact with gaskets and progressive loss of tightness over time.
Innovation Solution
The pump design incorporates axially elastic external jacket portions and tie rods to maintain constant compression force on gaskets, enhancing their adherence and stability by using annular gaskets in trapezoidal seats and adjusting the axial tightening force, while improving mechanical rigidity through annular grooves and laminate elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the external jacket is made rigid to maintain structural stability, then mechanical strength is improved, but tightness deteriorates due to dilation under pressure and temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The external jacket is divided into rigid portions and elastic portions. The rigid portions maintain structural strength, while the elastic portions accommodate thermal and pressure-induced dilation, preventing gasket loss of tightness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the external jacket are assigned different mechanical properties: rigid portions for structural integrity and elastic portions for compliance with thermal/pressure expansion, optimizing both strength and tightness locally.
2Reliability
If the gasket compression force is increased to improve tightness, then sealing reliability is improved, but the mechanical coupling rigidity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket compression force is made dynamic through the elastic portions that automatically adjust to thermal and pressure changes, maintaining optimal sealing force without requiring excessive mechanical coupling rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression force parameters of the gaskets are dynamically adjusted by the elastic portions responding to temperature and pressure variations, maintaining effective sealing without compromising mechanical coupling.
3Reliability
If the external jacket is made elastic to accommodate thermal and pressure dilation, then tightness is improved, but mechanical rigidity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The external jacket is segmented into rigid and elastic portions, each serving its specific function: rigid portions provide structural strength, while elastic portions accommodate thermal and pressure dilation to maintain tightness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different local regions of the external jacket have different mechanical properties tailored to their specific functional requirements, optimizing both rigidity where needed and elasticity where compliance is necessary.
4Reliability
If the gasket contact pressure is increased to maintain tightness under dilation, then sealing performance is improved, but the compression force stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic portions provide a feedback mechanism that automatically adjusts to thermal and pressure changes, maintaining stable and optimal gasket compression force throughout operation without external intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression force parameters are dynamically stabilized through the elastic portions' response to changing operating conditions, maintaining consistent sealing performance across varying temperatures and pressures.
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 solution maintains constant gasket compression and improves tightness and mechanical stability over time, ensuring reliable sealing without costly design modifications, using existing gaskets and materials.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of shaped annular portions (28) suited to make the external jacket (2) elastically yielding along the direction defined by the longitudinal axis (Y)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
The invention is a multi-stage pump (1) comprising an external jacket (2) with a suction port (3) and a delivery port (4), provided at one end with a casing cover (5) and at the opposite end with a lantern bracket (6) supporting an electric motor (7) associated with rotary pumping members (8). The casing cover (5) and the lantern bracket (6) are coupled to the ends of the external jacket (2) through fixing means with the interposition of annular gaskets (17). Each gasket is housed in an annular seat (18) defined by a shaped annular area (19) present in the casing cover (5) and the lantern bracket (6) and by a counter-shaped annular area (20) present in the corresponding end of the external jacket (2), opposing each other. The counter-shaped annular area (20) comprises an annular counteracting surface (20a), inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis (Y) defined by the external jacket (2), suited to compress the annular gasket (17) when the casing cover (5) and the lantern bracket (6) are coupled to the external jacket (2) through the tie rods. The external jacket (2) is provided with a plurality of shaped annular portions (28) suited to make the external jacket (2) elastically yielding along the direction defined by its longitudinal axis (Y) and the fixing means comprise a plurality of tie rods (12) each one of which is provided with a first end (12a) constrained to the casing cover (5) and a second end (12b) constrained to the lantern bracket (6).