Rotary Vane Gas Delivery Augmenter for Inflatable Backpressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aspirators for inflatable assemblies in emergency evacuation systems face inefficiencies in inflating structures due to limitations in drawing in ambient air as backpressure increases, leading to incomplete inflation of inflatable structures like evacuation slides and life rafts.
Innovation Solution
A gas delivery augmenter equipped with a rotary vane pump mechanism that utilizes pressure-volume energy from a primary gas to entrain secondary gas, ensuring efficient delivery of both gases to the inflatable structure even as backpressure rises, thereby enhancing inflation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a conventional aspirator uses venturi and/or Coanda effect to draw in ambient air, then the structure can be simple, but the aspiration efficiency decreases when backpressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional venturi/Coanda effect mechanical system with a rotary vane pump mechanism. The rotary vane pump uses rotating vanes within a cylindrical chamber to create positive displacement pumping action, actively drawing ambient air into the inflatable structure regardless of backpressure conditions, thereby maintaining high inflation efficiency without relying on pressure differential effects that fail under backpressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a rotary vane pump that utilizes pneumatic principles to actively pump ambient air into the inflatable structure. The pump mechanism creates controlled volume displacement through rotating vanes, enabling reliable gas delivery under varying pressure conditions including high backpressure, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and inflation efficiency.
2Productivity
If a rotary vane pump is used to actively pump gas, then inflation efficiency improves under backpressure, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary vane pump is designed to be self-driven by the pressurized gas from the gas supply system. The incoming compressed gas provides the rotational force needed to turn the vane rotor, eliminating the need for external motors or power sources. This self-service mechanism reduces overall system complexity while maintaining active pumping capability under backpressure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the gas supply function with the pumping function by designing the rotary vane pump to be driven directly by the pressurized gas it handles. The gas flow that would otherwise simply fill the structure is instead used to power the pump mechanism, combining two functions into a single integrated system that reduces overall device complexity.
3Speed
If more ambient air is drawn in to inflate the structure faster, then inflation speed increases, but the ability to overcome backpressure decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive aspiration mechanisms with an active rotary vane pump system that can maintain reliable gas delivery under backpressure. The positive displacement pumping action ensures consistent volumetric flow regardless of discharge pressure, enabling the system to overcome backpressure while maintaining inflation speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary vane pump changes the operating parameters by providing active volumetric pumping rather than passive pressure-driven flow. This allows the system to maintain high inflation speed while reliably overcoming backpressure conditions, as the pump actively pushes gas into the structure rather than relying on pressure differentials that diminish under backpressure.
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 described solution enables improved inflation of inflatable structures by effectively pumping secondary gas into the inflatable assembly, even under increased backpressure, resulting in more efficient and complete inflation compared to conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
reception of the primary gas is configured to drive the pump mechanism using pressure-volume energy from the primary gas to entrain a secondary gas
Implementation Method 2
drive the pump mechanism using pressure-volume energy from the primary gas to entrain a secondary gas
Implementation Method 3
The plurality of vanes divide an internal volume defined between the housing and the rotor into rotatable vane compartments that have varying volumes that correspond to their instantaneous rotational position about the rotation axis
Data Source
AI summary
A gas delivery augmenter may include a pump mechanism for facilitating inflation of an inflatable. The pump mechanism is generally configured to be driven/powered by pressure-volume energy from a primary gas received by the gas delivery augmenter, and the pump mechanism of the gas delivery augmenter is configured to entrain a secondary gas deliver the entrained secondary gas (and any remaining primary gas) to the inflatable. The pump mechanism, as described in greater detail below, enables secondary gas to be pumped/delivered to the inflatable even as the inflatable backpressure increases, thus providing improved inflation over conventional aspirators.