Vacuum Cleaner Cyclone Layout With Motor Between Separation Stages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum cleaners experience reduced suction power due to pressure drops across dirt-separation stages, leading to increased cost, size, and power consumption when attempting to enhance suction power with more powerful motors.
Innovation Solution
The vacuum cleaner design positions the first dirt-separation stage upstream of the impeller and the second dirt-separation stage downstream, utilizing a centrifugal impeller and multiple cyclonic separators to maintain high air pressure at the impeller inlet, reducing flow losses and power consumption while effectively separating coarse and fine dirt without filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a more powerful vacuum motor is employed to increase suction power at the inlet, then suction power is improved, but cost, size, weight and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dirt separation process is divided into two stages: a first cyclonic separator for coarse dirt removal upstream of the impeller, and multiple finer cyclonic separators downstream of the impeller. This segmentation allows each stage to handle specific particle sizes, optimizing overall separation efficiency while maintaining lower motor power requirements compared to a single-stage system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by placing the first dirt-separation stage upstream of the impeller and the second dirt-separation stage downstream of the impeller. This inversion allows the impeller to operate at higher pressure, improving its pressure rise capability and enabling the use of a less powerful motor while maintaining effective suction performance.
2Power
If both dirt-separation stages are located upstream of the impeller, then coarse dirt can be removed, but the pressure drop reduces the suction power generated at the inlet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by placing the first dirt-separation stage upstream of the impeller and the second dirt-separation stage downstream of the impeller. This inversion allows the impeller to operate at higher pressure, improving its pressure rise capability and enabling the use of a less powerful motor while maintaining effective suction performance.
3Power
If the second dirt-separation stage is located downstream of the impeller, then the air pressure at the impeller inlet is higher, but the arrangement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum motor is integrated as part of the removable dirt separator assembly, combining the motor, first cyclonic separator, and second cyclonic separators into a single unit. This merging reduces the number of separate components and connections needed, simplifying the overall arrangement despite the inverted configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple cyclonic separators are arranged in a parallel configuration around the vacuum motor in the second dirt-separation stage. This spatial arrangement optimizes the use of available space, maintains compact dimensions, and allows efficient airflow distribution to multiple separators simultaneously, reducing system 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
This configuration enhances suction power, separation efficiency, and reduces power consumption by maintaining high air pressure at the impeller inlet, allowing for efficient dirt separation and compact design while minimizing flow losses and the need for additional filtration.
Implementation Method 1
a first dust separator connected to a suction pipe, for separating dust from air by a centrifugal force for the first time
Implementation Method 2
the vacuum motor comprises an impeller driven by an electric motor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A vacuum cleaner (1) comprising a main body (2) and a dirt separator (3) removably attached to the main body (2). The dirt separator (3) comprises a first dirt-separation stage (4), a second dirt-separation stage (7), and a vacuum motor (6) for moving air through the first dirt-separation stage (4) and the second dirt-separation stage (7). The vacuum motor (6) comprises an impeller (21) driven by an electric motor (6). The first dirt-separation stage (4) is then located upstream of the impeller (21), and the second dirt-separation stage (7) is located downstream of the impeller (21).