Stirrer Stand Vibration Damping Composite Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agitator stands for submersible mixers and turbines are prone to vibrations due to irregular currents and turbulence, leading to excessive loads and susceptibility to vibration, and often require expensive and complex multi-material designs with additional assembly processes.

Innovation Solution

An agitator stand made entirely of vibration-damping material, such as concrete or composite materials, with a separate guide element used only for positioning during assembly, which is not part of the stand itself and does not absorb forces or moments during operation, and features elastic plates and vibration-damping fastening means for optimal force transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the agitator stand is made of stainless steel, then the structural strength is sufficient, but the stand becomes very susceptible to vibration due to lack of self-damping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidvibration susceptibility
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining stainless steel structural elements with vibration-damping materials. The stand uses a composite construction where steel profiles provide structural strength while integrated vibration-damping materials (such as rubber or polymer layers) absorb vibrations. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the strength benefits of steel while adding the vibration-damping properties of other materials, creating a composite structure that exhibits both high strength and low vibration susceptibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the guide element is made of elastic material to absorb vibrations, then vibration damping improves, but the guide element requires massive design to handle fluctuating loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration dampingVSAvoidguide element design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the guide element into distinct functional zones: an upper portion made of elastic vibration-damping material for absorbing vibrations during mixer operation, and a lower anchoring portion that is firmly connected to the tank floor for handling installation and fluctuating loads. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function, reducing the overall complexity compared to a uniformly massive design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide element exhibits local quality by having different material properties at different locations. The upper portion uses elastic material with high vibration-damping characteristics, while the lower anchoring portion uses rigid material with high load-bearing capacity. This localized differentiation of material properties allows the guide element to provide vibration damping where needed without requiring massive design throughout its entire structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple materials are used for the agitator stand, then vibration damping improves, but additional assembly and joining processes are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration dampingVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple materials into an integrated agitator stand structure where vibration-damping materials are combined with steel structural elements through methods such as adhesive bonding, mechanical interlocking, or co-extrusion. This merging approach creates a unified component that provides both structural strength and vibration damping without requiring complex multi-step assembly processes, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining vibration-damping benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution significantly reduces vibrations and operational loads on the agitator stand, eliminating the need for complex multi-material designs and assembly processes, while ensuring stable mounting and efficient force transmission to the tank floor.

Implementation Method 1

the guide element, which is also connected to the submersible mixer in the installed position, absorbs some of the forces and moments that arise

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

a vibration-damping material is a material with a low modulus of elasticity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2328676B1Stirrer stand
Publication Date: 2013.03.06 KSB SE & CO KGAA
  • EP2328676B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2328676B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2328676B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a stirrer stand (10) for submersible motor stirrers (12), comprising at least one base part (14) and one receiving part (16) for the submersible motor stirrer, beyond which a guide member (18) projects, which is used for guiding the submersible motor stirrer during assembly. According to the invention, the entire stirrer stand is produced from a single vibration-damping material.