Pump Variable Flow Diverter Volute Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water pumps in stationary or vehicular engines often circulate more coolant than necessary, leading to inefficient engine cooling and negatively impacting fuel economy and emissions, as they lack effective means to reduce coolant flow when not required.
Innovation Solution
A pump design featuring a pivotable diverter within the pump housing that adjusts flow restrictions to control coolant flow, allowing for reduced flow rates without compromising efficiency, by forming a volute with a progressively increasing cross-sectional area and switching between two flow restriction positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the water pump is designed to pump sufficient coolant for worst-case cooling needs, then the engine cooling reliability is improved, but the coolant flow efficiency deteriorates because more coolant is pumped than necessary in normal operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pivotable diverter mechanism that can dynamically adjust between two positions: a first position that restricts coolant flow to optimize efficiency during normal operation, and a second position that allows maximum flow for emergency cooling needs. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the flow characteristics to actual operating conditions rather than being fixed for worst-case scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The diverter mechanism changes the flow restriction parameter by pivoting between positions that create different flow paths. In the first position, the diverter creates a volute geometry that restricts flow; in the second position, it opens the flow path completely. This parameter change allows the system to optimize efficiency during normal operation while maintaining reliability for emergency cooling.
2Adaptability or versatility
If valves are used to selectively cut off coolant flow, then the coolant flow control capability is improved, but the pump efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using static valves that restrict flow paths, the patent employs a dynamic diverter that pivots between positions. The diverter in the first position creates a volute geometry that naturally guides and restricts flow without requiring valve mechanisms, thereby maintaining pump efficiency while providing flow control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the flow control function from traditional valve mechanisms and implements it through the geometric configuration of the diverter and volute. This eliminates the need for separate valve components that would introduce additional restrictions and efficiency losses.
3Adaptability or versatility
If speed control mechanisms are used to control coolant flow, then the flow rate adjustability is improved, but the pump operates outside its optimized efficiency range for significant portions of time
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than varying the pump speed continuously, the patent uses a dynamic diverter that maintains the pump operating at its optimized speed while adjusting flow rate through geometric restriction. The diverter pivots between positions to create different flow paths, allowing flow control without compromising the pump's operating efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the flow restriction parameter through the diverter's position rather than changing the pump speed parameter. This allows the pump to operate at its optimal speed point while the diverter adjusts the actual flow rate delivered to the cooling system, maintaining efficiency across different operating conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
In an aspect, a pump is provided and includes a pump housing having a pump inlet and a pump outlet. An impeller is rotatably supported in the pump housing for rotation about an impeller axis, and has an impeller inlet configured for drawing in liquid during rotation of the impeller, and an impeller outlet configured for discharging liquid in a generally radial direction. A diverter is pivotally connected in an impeller outlet receiving chamber in the pump housing. The diverter is movable between a first position in which it provides a first restriction to flow out from the pump housing and a second position in which it provides a second restriction to flow out from the pump housing that is greater than the first restriction. In the first position, the diverter forms at least a portion of a volute around at least a portion of the impeller.