Movable Rotor Seal Layout for Vacuum Pump Jamming Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum pumps face issues with rotor seal jamming and excessive friction due to improper spacing between rotors and pump chambers, leading to inefficiencies and wear, especially in applications like air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum pump design featuring a movable seal with a tangential engagement and fillet edges to prevent rotor jamming, combined with spring-loaded seals to maintain proper sealing while minimizing friction, ensuring efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is positioned close to the rotor to maintain proper sealing, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but friction and risk of jamming increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed to be movable relative to the rotor, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position. This enables the seal to maintain close proximity to the rotor surface for effective sealing while accommodating variations in rotor position and minimizing friction through controlled movement rather than rigid contact
Solution Approach 2:
A lubrication fluid is introduced as an intermediary between the seal and rotor surfaces. This lubricant film reduces direct contact and friction between the seal and rotor, allowing the seal to maintain close proximity for effective sealing while minimizing wear and preventing jamming through reduced friction
2Ease of manufacture
If the seal is kept stationary relative to the rotor, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but sealing performance and wear resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The seal transitions from a stationary to a movable design, where it can slide relative to the rotor along the axial direction. This dynamic positioning allows the seal to automatically adjust to maintain optimal contact with the rotor surface, improving sealing performance while the simple linear movement mechanism keeps manufacturing complexity low
3Reliability
If the rotor radius is made close to the pump chamber radius to improve sealing, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the risk of vane jamming increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal's ability to move relative to the rotor allows it to dynamically adjust its position based on the rotor radius. When the rotor radius is close to the pump chamber radius, the movable seal can maintain appropriate spacing to prevent vane jamming while still providing effective sealing through controlled contact
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 design ensures effective evacuation of materials by maintaining a proper seal and reducing wear, enhancing the vacuum pump's efficiency and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a seal that is in sliding contact with the rotor. The seal is moveable relative to the rotor
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum pump, which is connectable to an external system and configured to evacuate material from the external system, includes a main housing including a motor housing, a pump housing, and a partition wall that separates the motor housing and the pump housing. The pump housing is sealed relative to the motor housing to form a compression chamber that holds a lubrication fluid. The vacuum pump further includes a motor assembly that is positioned within the motor housing and a pump assembly that is positioned within the compression chamber. The pump assembly is driven by the motor assembly and is in fluid communication with the compression chamber. The pump assembly includes a pump chamber, a rotor having vanes that is driven within the pump chamber, and a seal that is in sliding contact with the rotor. The seal is moveable relative to the rotor.