Rotor Pump Vane Form-Fit Tip for Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotor pump vanes face issues with wear and potential detachment due to temperature fluctuations and material fatigue, leading to costly replacements of both the blade tips and the entire rotor pump.
Innovation Solution
A vane design featuring a form-fitting connection with a crimped, plastically deformable pocket that securely attaches the wing tip to the wing body, allowing for easy assembly and replacement of only the worn tip while reusing the wing body, and optionally using an elastically deformable material to compensate for thermal and material mismatches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wing tip is inserted into a groove in the wing base body, then the wing tip can be attached to the wing body, but due to temperature fluctuations and vibrations, the wing tip may become loose or detach
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by deforming the groove walls in advance during manufacturing to create a clamping connection. The groove walls are pre-formed with a narrowing geometry that automatically grips the wing tip, preventing loosening from vibrations and thermal fluctuations without requiring additional fastening operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the groove, specifically narrowing the groove gap to create an interference fit. This parameter change transforms a simple insertion connection into a secure clamping connection that resists detachment forces from thermal expansion and vibration.
2Reliability
If the entire rotor pump is replaced when the blade tips wear out, then functional integrity is maintained, but repair costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vane into two replaceable parts: a wear-resistant wing tip and a structural wing base body. This segmentation allows the expensive wing base body to be reused while only replacing the worn wing tip inserts, significantly reducing material waste and repair costs compared to replacing the entire rotor pump.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements discarding and recovering by allowing the wing tip inserts to be replaced while retaining and reusing the wing base body. This approach recovers the value of the base body structure, avoiding the need to discard functional components that have not worn out.
3Ease of manufacture
If the wing body is made as a single piece, then manufacturing is simplified, but the wing tips cannot be easily replaced when worn
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vane into a wing base body and separate wing tip inserts that can be independently replaced. While this increases manufacturing steps slightly, it enables easy repair by allowing worn tips to be removed and new tips inserted without replacing the entire vane, significantly improving ease of repair.
4Reliability
If the groove gap is narrowed to clamp the wing tip, then the wing tip is held securely, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the groove during manufacturing to create the clamping effect. By forming the groove walls with a narrowing profile, the structure achieves secure fixation through its geometry alone, without requiring additional complex fastening mechanisms or assembly steps.
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 ensures a secure, play-free attachment of the wing tip to the wing body, enabling cost-effective maintenance by allowing for the replacement of only the worn tip, maintaining optimal material pairing and performance over a wide temperature range.
Implementation Method 1
the pocket wall has a plastically deformable area. As a rule, this area has a small wall thickness, so that the deformation can be carried out without impairing the material lying around this deformable area. The deformation takes place, for example, by means of a crimping tool or press die
Implementation Method 2
The depression is preferably filled with an elastically deformable material, so that when the material of the plastically deformable area of the other component is molded in, this elastically deformable material is displaced, thereby compensating for any play between the wing tip and the wing body
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a vane (18) for a rotor pump (2) which comprises a pump housing and a rotor rotatably received therein. Said vane (18) is displaceably received in the rotor and rests on the interior peripheral surface of the pump housing with its vane tip (22) which projects from the rotor and which is provided on a vane base (26), said vane tip being a separate component. The vane tip and the vane base, especially when seen from the longitudinal direction of the vane base, are interlinked in a form-fit. The invention also relates to a rotor pump comprising a vane of the aforementioned type.