Submersible Pump Adjustable Sensor Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing submersible pumps with sensor units are not cost-effective and have complex structural designs, making them difficult to produce and handle.
Innovation Solution
A height-adjustable sensor unit with two electrically insulated electrodes, housed in a compact structural unit on the pump housing, allows for defined switching hysteresis and adjustable run-on time, enabling cost-effective production and simplified handling by allowing the user to specify the switch-on point without additional tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a sensor unit with multiple exposed electrodes and L-shaped electrode carrier is used, then the pump can be switched on and off based on liquid level, but the structural complexity increases and production cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit is divided into a modular assembly comprising an electrode carrier with multiple electrodes at different heights, each electrode independently connected to the control unit. This segmentation allows simplified manufacturing of individual components while maintaining the complex control functionality through their organized assembly.
2Ease of operation
If a sensor unit with multiple electrodes and cable connections is implemented, then liquid level control is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode carrier integrates multiple electrodes and their electrical connections into a single pre-assembled unit that attaches to the pump housing as one component. This merging of functions and connections simplifies the manufacturing process by reducing the number of separate assembly steps required compared to individually installing each electrode and cable.
3Device complexity
If the sensor unit is designed with fixed electrode positions, then the control logic is simplified, but the adaptability to different liquid level requirements decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit incorporates adjustable electrode positioning mechanisms that allow the operational characteristics of the pump to be dynamically modified by changing which electrodes are active or their relative positions. This enables the same pump to adapt to different liquid level requirements without changing the control logic complexity.
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 results in a cost-effective, structurally simpler submersible pump with improved handling and operational flexibility, allowing for precise control of the pump's operation based on liquid levels, enhancing its operational efficiency and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
two electrodes which are arranged at a distance from one another and which can be wetted with liquid... When the level of the liquid reaches the exposed electrode... the exposed electrodes are electrically connected to one another by an electrically conductive liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a submersible pump (10) comprising a pump housing (12) which can be immersed into a liquid that is to be evacuated and is provided with a suction inlet (39) and a pressure outlet (41). The liquid can be sucked into the housing via the suction inlet and can be discharged under pressure via the pressure outlet. The inventive submersible pump further comprises an electronic control unit which is coupled to a sensor unit (58) located on the outside of the housing and is configured so as to turn the submersible pump on and off in accordance with the level of the liquid that surrounds the pump. In order to further develop said submersible pump such that the same can be produced at a lower cost and is fitted with a structurally simpler sensor unit, the sensor unit is embodied as a structural unit that is retained on the pump housing in a vertically adjustable manner and encompasses a sensor housing (61) inside which two electrodes (62, 63) are arranged at a distance from one another. Said two electrodes (62, 63) can be moistened with liquid.