Centrifugal Pump Flexible Decoupling Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal motor pumps face challenges in achieving reliable seals and high noise insulation due to vibration-decoupled motor stators, which lead to hydraulic losses and internal leaks between suction and pressure connections.
Innovation Solution
The containment shell or can is extended to surround the pump impeller and form part of the pump chamber wall, with a flexible decoupling element attached to the inlet and outlet openings to allow limited movement and provide a flexible seal, combining sealing and decoupling functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the motor stator is mounted vibration-decoupled within the motor housing, then noise insulation is improved, but reliable sealing between pump chamber wall and outer pump housing becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible membrane made of elastomeric material to seal the connection points between the pump chamber wall and outer pump housing. This flexible membrane can accommodate the vibrations and movements of the vibration-decoupled motor stator while maintaining reliable sealing, thus resolving the contradiction between noise insulation and sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane acts as an intermediary element between the rigid pump housing and the vibration-decoupled motor assembly. It mediates the conflicting requirements by providing a sealing interface that can dynamically adapt to movements, ensuring both noise insulation and reliable sealing are achieved simultaneously.
2Reliability
If rigid connections are used to seal pump inlet and outlet openings, then sealing is improved, but hydraulic losses occur due to necessary gaps between vibrating and rigid assemblies
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane eliminates the need for rigid connections and associated gaps at the pump inlet and outlet openings. By providing a continuous flexible sealing surface, it prevents hydraulic losses while maintaining reliable sealing, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and energy efficiency.
3Device complexity
If the can is extended to surround the pump impeller and form the pump chamber wall, then device complexity is reduced, but the seal must accommodate limited movements of the can relative to the pump housing
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane is specifically designed to accommodate the limited movements of the extended can relative to the pump housing. Its elastomeric properties allow it to deform and adapt to the movement while maintaining sealing, thus resolving the contradiction between construction simplicity and movement accommodation.
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 effectively prevents internal leaks and achieves high noise insulation with a simple and compact construction, minimizing hydraulic losses and maintaining vibration integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the area of the pump chamber wall facing the pump inlet is attached to the edge of the pump inlet opening and/or the pump outlet opening is connected and flexible in order to permit limited movements of the can or can relative to the pump housing as a decoupling element
Implementation Method 2
The pump is vibration-decoupled/damped by means of vibration elements in relation to a rigid outer housing
Implementation Method 3
the component has a possibly concentrically shaped membrane in the center, which seals against the inlet side of the rigid connection housing. If necessary, this membrane can be designed in such a way that it assumes the function of a vibration-reducing decoupling element
Data Source
AI summary
The pump has a split pot or separating can (1) guided towards a pump impeller (9) and surrounding the pump impeller. The split pot or separating can completely or partially forms a wall of a spiral-shaped pump chamber. A region (23) of a pump chamber wall (25) is flexibly connected to an edge of a pump inlet opening (20) and/or pump outlet opening (21) as a decoupling element so as to allow movements of the split pot or separating can against a pump housing (22) in a limited manner. The region of the chamber wall is turned towards a pump inlet and consists of flexible plastic or rubber.