Vacuum Pump Lubricant Reservoir Segmentation for Foam Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum pumps experience outgassing in the lubricant reservoir, leading to oil loss, contamination, and excessive lubrication of bearings due to pressure differentials and vibrational excitation, which affects their operation and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A lubricant supply system with a reservoir matrix that includes contact regions for positioning and spacing regions to accommodate gas and lubricant foam, allowing trapped gas to escape and reducing the path length for gas expansion, thereby mitigating foaming and lubricant loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wicking system with a felt reservoir is used to supply oil to the bearing, then the bearing can be lubricated effectively, but outgassing causes oil loss, contamination, and excessive lubrication
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir is segmented into multiple chambers separated by partition walls, with each chamber containing a portion of the lubricant reservoir matrix. This segmentation prevents foam and gas from affecting the entire lubricant supply system, isolating the harmful effects to specific chambers while maintaining lubrication in others.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of outgassing into a beneficial pressure differential. Gas bubbles generated by outgassing create positive pressure that actively drives lubricant from the reservoir matrix through the wicking material to the bearing, transforming a previously harmful phenomenon into a useful pumping mechanism.
2Productivity
If the reservoir matrix is placed close to the bearing for efficient lubricant transfer, then lubrication is improved, but gas and foam have less space to escape causing increased contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir is divided into multiple chambers with partition walls positioned between the lubricant reservoir matrix and the bearing. This segmentation creates dedicated spaces for gas escape while maintaining close proximity for efficient lubricant transfer, resolving the contradiction between transfer efficiency and contamination prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a spatial dimension solution by creating vertical layering within the reservoir structure. The lubricant reservoir matrix is positioned in the lower dimension for efficient transfer, while upper dimensions provide gas escape chambers, allowing both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously through three-dimensional spatial arrangement.
3Device complexity
If a single large lubricant reservoir is used, then the structure is simple, but outgassing causes excessive foam and lubricant loss
Solution Approach 1:
The single large reservoir is divided into multiple smaller chambers using partition walls, reducing foam and lubricant loss by isolating outgassing effects to individual chambers. This segmentation maintains relatively simple structure while significantly reducing lubricant loss.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing one large open space for gas escape, the invention uses multiple smaller chamber spaces. This partial segmentation provides sufficient gas escape capacity while maintaining structural simplicity and reducing the overall volume of lubricant exposed to outgassing effects.
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 effectively reduces lubricant foaming and oil loss, minimizing contamination and stress on the bearing components, enhancing the operational reliability and efficiency of vacuum pumps.
Implementation Method 1
a reservoir matrix for receiving a lubricant
Implementation Method 2
The main purpose of the lubricant is to establish a load-carrying film separating the bearing components in rolling and sliding contact in order to minimise friction and wear
Implementation Method 3
Other purposes include the prevention of oxidation or corrosion of the bearing components, the formation of a barrier to contaminants, and the transfer of heat away from the bearing components
Implementation Method 4
In such oil feeding systems, a pressure differential may be generated across the oil reservoir which causes outgassing in the reservoir
Implementation Method 5
Vibrational excitation during use of the pump may additionally promote the nucleation of bubbles contributing to oil loss
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a vacuum pump including a bearing and a lubricant supply system for lubricating the bearing. The lubricant supply system includes: a lubricant reservoir comprising a reservoir matrix for receiving a lubricant; a lubricant transfer arrangement in contact with the reservoir matrix for transferring lubricant from the reservoir matrix to the bearing, the lubricant reservoir including a reservoir enclosure for locating the reservoir matrix in position relative to the lubricant transfer arrangement; wherein the lubricant reservoir includes a plurality of contact regions at which the reservoir matrix is in contact with the reservoir enclosure for locating the reservoir matrix in position relative to the lubricant transfer arrangement and a plurality of spacing regions between respective contact regions at which the reservoir matrix is spaced apart from the reservoir enclosure for receiving gas and lubricant foam caused by outgassing in the lubricant in the reservoir matrix.