Serviceable fluid pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid pumps used in deep fryers face challenges with wear and tear due to harsh operating conditions, making them difficult and expensive to service, and they fail to maintain the quality of cooking oil effectively.
Innovation Solution
A serviceable pump design that incorporates a cooling loop and lubrication system to maintain lower temperatures and reduce mechanical stress on components, using cooking oil to lubricate gears and cool critical parts, thereby prolonging the pump's operational life and enhancing serviceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pumps are used to circulate high-temperature cooking oil, then the pump can perform the circulation function, but the pump components experience degradation and wear due to harsh operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is divided into serviceable modules including a motor assembly, gear portion, and seal assembly that can be independently replaced. This segmentation allows critical components exposed to thermal degradation to be easily replaced without replacing the entire pump, thereby maintaining reliability while addressing component wear.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling loop acts as an intermediary between the hot cooking oil and the pump components. The cooling loop circulates cooler oil through channels in the gear portion and seal assembly, protecting these components from direct thermal exposure and reducing wear while maintaining the pump's circulation function.
2Ease of operation
If conventional pumps operate in harsh environments, then they can circulate oil, but servicing and maintenance become difficult and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The pump assembly is segmented into modular components (motor assembly, gear portion, seal assembly) connected by serviceable couplings. This allows individual components to be replaced independently during maintenance, significantly easing repair procedures and reducing costs compared to replacing entire pump assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump incorporates serviceable couplings that allow the motor assembly and gear portion to be dynamically connected and disconnected. This dynamic connectivity enables easy assembly and disassembly for maintenance purposes, transforming a previously static, hard-to-service design into one that is easily maintainable.
3Productivity
If high temperature cooking oil is circulated through the pump, then the pump fulfills its circulation function, but mechanical components experience increased wear and reduced service life
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling loop serves as a thermal intermediary, allowing the pump to maintain high productivity by circulating hot oil while protecting mechanical components through internal cooling channels. Cooler oil circulated through these channels reduces thermal stress on gears and seals, extending their service life without compromising circulation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump uses a portion of the cooking oil it circulates as a cooling agent for its own components. The cooling loop draws oil from the circulation system, cools critical components, and returns the oil to the system, creating a self-service cooling mechanism that extends component life without external intervention.
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 serviceable pump effectively circulates and filters high-temperature cooking oil while reducing degradation of components, ensuring reliable operation and extended service life by maintaining lower temperatures and lubrication, thus improving the efficiency and maintenance of deep fryer systems.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling loop is adapted to cool oil passing through the serviceable pump... The cooling loop receives oil to be pushed into the cooling loop... allows the cooled oil to flow through the seal cavity
Implementation Method 2
the gear portion includes at least one conduit or channel disposed under the gears for receiving oil to lubricate the gear shafts when oil is circulated through the gear portion
Data Source
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AI summary
A serviceable pump includes a motor disposed at an end of the serviceable pump and connected to a gear portion with a pump shaft. The gear portion receives fluid from and outputs fluid to a system such as a deep fryer cooking system. The gear portion includes at least one channel for receiving fluid, such as oil, to lubricate the gears and a fluid discharge aperture to push fluid into a cooling loop at a first end of the cooling loop. The cooling loop cools the fluid passing through the serviceable pump and is disposed between the motor and the gear portion. The cooling loop is connected to a seal assembly that surrounds the pump input shaft at a second end of the loop. The seal assembly allows the cooled fluid to pass along the pump input shaft.