Slurry Pump Impeller Vane Angle Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional impellers in centrifugal slurry pumps experience high and uneven wear due to solids concentration gradients, particularly at the root of the vane where particles are most concentrated, leading to premature failure.
Innovation Solution
The impeller design features pumping vanes with a leading edge at an acute angle and a trailing edge at an obtuse angle, which disperses particles across the vane, reducing wear by altering the Coriolis force distribution and minimizing particle concentration at the vane-shroud contact point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pumping vanes are used with smooth transition from inlet to discharge, then the impeller can be manufactured with standard designs, but high and uneven wear occurs at the root of the vane due to solids concentration gradients
Solution Approach 1:
The vane geometry is modified locally at different positions along its length. The leading edge portion has a different angle configuration compared to the trailing edge portion, creating local variations in flow characteristics that reduce particle concentration at the vane root while maintaining overall pumping function
Solution Approach 2:
The angle of the vane relative to the shroud is changed progressively from leading edge to trailing edge. This parameter variation alters the Coriolis force distribution and particle trajectory, reducing the harmful concentration of solids at the vane root region
2Reliability
If the vane angle is changed to disperse particles and reduce wear, then wear resistance improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to non-uniform vane geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The vane geometry transitions from a static uniform design to a dynamic progressive angle design where the angle changes continuously or in steps from leading to trailing edge. This allows optimization of particle dispersion while maintaining manufacturability through defined geometric progressions
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 effectively reduces wear and extends the lifespan of the impeller by dispersing particles across the vane, mitigating the impact of concentration gradients and associated wear patterns.
Implementation Method 1
the Coriolis force generated by the vane disperses particles across that vane at its trailing edge thereby reducing wear near the region where the vane abuts against the face of the back shroud
Data Source
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AI summary
A pump impeller which includes: a back shroud having an inner main face with an outer peripheral edge and a central axis, the impeller in use being rotatable about the central axis in a direction of rotation, a plurality of pumping vanes extending from the inner main face of the back shroud, the pumping vanes being disposed in spaced apart relation, and each pumping vane including: opposed first and second side faces, a leading edge in the region of the central axis and a trailing edge in the region of the outer peripheral edge of the back shroud, and with a passageway between adjacent pumping vanes, wherein the first side face at the leading edge is in a plane which is at an acute angle with respect to a plane of the inner main face of the back shroud, and the first side face at the trailing edge is in a plane which is at an obtuse angle with respect to the plane of the inner main face of the back shroud.