Single-Vane Impeller with High-Density Support Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Single-blade wheels for pumps face challenges with uneven mass distribution and unbalance due to their asymmetrical shape and hydraulic forces, leading to increased loading and wear, which complicates achieving both lightness and stability.
Innovation Solution
A single-blade wheel design featuring a support body with increased density, made from solid materials like cast iron, is integrated into the impeller body, which is lighter and made from polymers or epoxy resins with ceramic powder, to enhance stability and minimize unbalance, with drivers extending into the blade wall to compensate for imbalance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a single-blade impeller is designed to be lightweight using polymer or epoxy resin materials, then the weight and imbalance are reduced, but the stability and wear resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The impeller combines a polymer or epoxy resin base material with ceramic powder particles (such as silicon carbide) dispersed throughout. This composite structure provides both the lightweight advantage of polymers and the wear resistance of ceramic particles, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and durability enhancement
Solution Approach 2:
Ceramic powder particles are distributed within the polymer matrix to provide localized wear resistance at critical areas. The ceramic particles concentrate hardness and abrasion resistance where needed while maintaining the overall lightweight structure of the polymer impeller body
2Stability of the object's composition
If the impeller mass is increased to improve stability, then the stability improves, but the imbalance and uneven loading worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The single blade design inherently creates asymmetrical mass distribution, but this is accepted and managed by using lightweight materials to minimize the overall mass. The asymmetry is compensated by precise balancing during manufacturing, reducing vibration and uneven loading on bearings while maintaining the stability benefits of adequate mass
Solution Approach 2:
The impeller mass is optimized to a specific range that provides sufficient stability without excessive weight. By carefully controlling the mass parameter and its distribution, the design achieves adequate stability while minimizing imbalance forces and uneven loading on the pump system
3Reliability
If a solid metallic impeller body is used to ensure wear resistance, then the wear resistance improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using solid metal, the patent employs a polymer or epoxy resin matrix reinforced with ceramic powder particles. This composite material provides wear resistance comparable to metal while being easier to manufacture using conventional molding techniques, avoiding the complexity of metal casting or machining
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional metallic mechanical structures with a polymer-ceramic composite system. The ceramic particles provide the mechanical wear resistance previously achieved by metal, while the polymer matrix enables simpler manufacturing processes such as injection molding or casting, reducing overall manufacturing complexity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3a
Figure 3b~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a single-vane impeller (3) for pumps for pumping liquids interfused with solid additives, comprising an impeller body (11), wherein one vane (13) is arranged in the impeller body (11) between a first cover disc (14) and a second cover disc (15), the thickness of the wall of said vane (13) changing over the extension thereof, and a channel is formed between the vane (13) and the cover discs (14, 15). According to the invention, a support body (12) is at least partly arranged in the impeller body (11), said support body having a higher density than the impeller body (11).