Rotary Pump Longitudinal Flow Channels for Continuous Fluid Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary pumps exhibit pulsating fluid flow, which can be uncomfortable in applications like administering medicine, and have limited design flexibility for inlet and outlet ports, with sterilization being a crucial but challenging aspect.
Innovation Solution
A rotary pump design featuring a rotor with surface recesses forming fluid-conveying chambers, a resiliently deformable diaphragm, and longitudinal flow channels that ensure continuous fluid flow, allowing for improved design flexibility and ease of sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If discrete chambers formed by rotor surface recesses are used to convey fluid, then the pump structure is simple and reliable, but the fluid flow becomes pulsated with periods of no flow and high flow
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is divided into multiple discrete working chambers formed by rotor surface recesses, with each chamber independently conveying fluid. Multiple chambers are arranged circumferentially around the rotor, allowing simultaneous operation of multiple chambers to smooth out the pulsating flow while maintaining the simplicity of the discrete chamber structure
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor rotates to periodically bring different chambers into the pumping zone, creating a rhythmic but continuous flow pattern. By optimizing the number and arrangement of chambers, the periodic action of individual chambers combines to produce a smoother overall flow output
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional pump design is used, then manufacturing is straightforward, but design options for inlet and outlet port location and diameter are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor and housing are designed as universal components that can accommodate various inlet and outlet port configurations. The housing includes multiple possible port locations and the rotor can be configured with different numbers and positions of surface recesses, allowing the same basic pump structure to serve multiple application requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The pump design allows dynamic adjustment of operational parameters such as rotor speed, number of active chambers, and port configurations to optimize performance for different fluid types, flow rates, and pressure requirements, enhancing adaptability while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
3Reliability
If the pump requires disassembly for sterilization, then sterilization can be thorough, but the sterilization process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor, housing, and diaphragm are designed as integrated components that form a seamless, leak-proof enclosure with no gaps or crevices. This merged design allows sterilization agents to penetrate uniformly throughout the pump interior without requiring disassembly, achieving thorough sterilization while simplifying the process
Solution Approach 2:
The pump is designed as a disposable or single-use device that can be sterilized once and then discarded, eliminating the need for complex repeated sterilization processes. The simple integrated structure ensures complete sterilization in a single cycle, making the disposable approach economically viable
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 pump provides continuous fluid flow with reduced fluctuations, enhanced design options for port locations, and facilitates efficient sterilization, improving user comfort and application versatility.
Implementation Method 1
a resiliently deformable diaphragm providing part of the interior surface of the housing, the diaphragm comprising a rotor engaging surface and a rear surface opposite the rotor engaging surface, the rotor engaging surface of the diaphragm being urged into contact with the rotor by the action of a pressurising means acting on the rear surface of the diaphragm
Implementation Method 2
the rotor engaging surface of the diaphragm being urged into contact with the rotor by the action of a pressurising means acting on the rear surface of the diaphragm
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary pump (10) comprises a housing (20) having a first (21) and second fluid port (22) and an interior surface defining a cavity (24) in which a rotor (30; 230) is located, wherein the rotor comprises at least a surface recess (231a-231d) forming at least a fluid-conveying chamber (232a-232d) with the interior surface of the housing. The pump further comprises at least a resiliently deformable diaphragm (50; 226) providing part of the interior surface of the housing and being urged into contact with the surface of the rotor by the action of pressurising means acting on the rear surface of the resiliently deformable diaphragm. The pump further comprises one or a pair of flow channels (41a, 41b; 241a, 241b) associated with the resiliently deformable diaphragm extending longitudinally from opposite ends of the rotor. In embodiments where the pump comprises one flow channel (575), the flow channel is in fluid communication with the first fluid port and an aperture (595) opens from the interior surface of the housing to place the second fluid port in direct fluid flow communication with the fluid-conveying chamber. In embodiments where the pump comprises a pair of flow channels (241a, 241b), the pair of flow channels comprise a first flow channel in fluid communication with the first fluid port and closed to the second fluid port and a second flow channel closed to the first fluid port and in fluid communication with the second fluid port, with each flow channel being located at opposite sides of the diaphragm. Embodiments of the invention exhibit continuous fluid flow when in use.