Non-positive displacement pump for viscous aggregate materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing progressive cavity pumps used in construction 3D printing are energy-inefficient, unable to handle concrete with fine and coarse aggregates, and have short lifespans due to high friction and wear.
Innovation Solution
The development of non-positive displacement pumps, such as double-propeller, hollow-core auger, hybrid auger-piston, and multi-valve piston pumps, which are designed to efficiently pump viscous cementitious materials, including concrete, with reduced energy consumption and extended pump lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If progressive cavity pumps with hard rubber stators are used to pump viscous cementitious materials, then the pump can handle high-viscosity materials, but energy consumption increases significantly due to high friction between the shaft and stator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hard rubber stator component from the pump system entirely. Instead of using a progressive cavity pump with a stator, the invention employs a pump with a smooth bore cylinder and piston that eliminates the friction-prone stator-shaft interface, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining the ability to handle viscous materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the progressive cavity pump's helical shaft and stator mechanical system with a piston-cylinder system. This substitution eliminates the high-friction meshing mechanism and uses a simpler reciprocating piston design that reduces energy consumption while effectively pumping viscous cementitious materials
2Adaptability or versatility
If progressive cavity pumps are used to pump concrete with fine and coarse aggregates, then the pump can process concrete, but the pump size must be very large and requires diesel engines, making it unsuitable for construction 3D printing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the aggregate handling capability into the material mixture itself rather than requiring a specialized large pump. The pump design with smooth bore and controlled discharge can handle concrete with both fine and coarse aggregates in standard proportions, eliminating the need for oversized pumps and diesel engines
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the pump, specifically using a reciprocating piston mechanism with controlled discharge that can accommodate the variable composition of concrete with aggregates. This allows the use of smaller, more compact pump designs suitable for construction 3D printing while maintaining the ability to process concrete with fine and coarse aggregates
3Productivity
If hard rubber stators are used in progressive cavity pumps to pump abrasive cementitious materials, then the pump can move the material, but the stators wear out quickly and must be replaced frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hard rubber stator component entirely from the system. By eliminating this wear-prone component, the invention avoids the frequent replacement issue while maintaining effective material pumping capability through the piston-cylinder mechanism with smooth bore
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the approach by making the pump design itself durable and long-lasting through the use of a smooth bore cylinder and piston without disposable stators. The system is designed to be maintenance-free regarding wear components, eliminating the need for frequent stator replacements
4Ease of operation
If conventional pumps are used for low-viscosity, high-slump cementitious materials, then the pumps can easily handle the material, but they cannot effectively pump high-viscosity, low-slump materials required for construction 3D printing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a reciprocating piston mechanism that dynamically adjusts to material viscosity. The piston's back-and-forth motion creates varying pressure zones that effectively move both low-viscosity and high-viscosity materials, making the pump adaptable to different cementitious material formulations including those required for construction 3D printing
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
These pumps effectively handle viscous cementitious materials, reduce energy consumption, and extend pump lifespan, enabling more efficient and cost-effective construction 3D printing processes.
Implementation Method 1
the blades are configured to slice through the viscous material and the shaft is further reciprocated along a longitudinal axis of the shaft so that the propeller is alternately displaced in opposite directions within the conduit
Data Source
AI summary
A pump that includes a rotatable shaft, a material driving apparatus mounted to the rotatable shaft, as well as a conduit in which the rotatable shaft as well as the material driving apparatus are contained, wherein the pump is capable of reliably pumping viscous material through and out of the conduit.