Vacuum Pump Rotor Carrier Design for High Discharge Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum pumps with a side channel pump stage downstream of a molecular pump stage face limitations in discharge pressure, suction power, and power consumption due to the radially inner arrangement of rotor elements, which also increases manufacturing complexity and space requirements.
Innovation Solution
The vacuum pump design features a Holweck stage with a rotor element that serves as a carrier for the side channel pump stage's rotor elements, allowing for a larger radius of rotation and increased pump capacity, while minimizing space usage and simplifying access and cooling, by arranging the rotor elements on the rotor element's free end and using a rotor hub connected to a rotor shaft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If rotor elements are arranged radially inward within the hollow sleeve, then the pump structure is compact, but the achievable pumping capacity and discharge pressure are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a radial arrangement to an axial arrangement of rotor elements. Instead of placing rotor elements radially inward within the hollow sleeve, the invention positions them at the axial end of the rotor element, extending in the axial direction. This dimensional change allows the rotor elements to operate with a larger radius of rotation while maintaining a compact overall structure, thereby increasing pumping capacity without proportionally increasing the installation space.
2Device complexity
If rotor elements are arranged radially inward, then the pump structure is integrated, but manufacturing and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rotor elements from the complex nested arrangement within the hollow sleeve and positions them at the axial end. This extraction simplifies the manufacturing and assembly process by reducing the number of precision-fit components that need to be assembled together. The rotor elements can be more easily manufactured and installed at the axial end without requiring complex nested structures, thereby reducing manufacturing and assembly effort while maintaining structural integration.
3Volume of moving object
If rotor elements are nested within the Holweck sleeve, then space is utilized efficiently, but accessibility for cooling and maintenance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rotor elements from the nested position within the hollow sleeve and relocates them to the axial end. This extraction significantly improves accessibility for cooling and maintenance operations. The rotor elements are now positioned where they can be easily accessed by cooling devices and maintenance personnel without requiring disassembly of the nested structure. This maintains efficient space utilization while dramatically improving ease of operation.
4Volume of moving object
If rotor elements are arranged at small radial distance, then the pump is compact, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensional change by transitioning from radial to axial arrangement of rotor elements. This allows the rotor elements to operate with a larger radius of rotation in the axial direction, which improves the pumping efficiency and reduces power consumption. The larger radius of rotation enables more effective gas transport while maintaining a compact structure, thereby reducing the power required to drive the pump.
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 discharge pressure, suction power, and energy efficiency while reducing manufacturing complexity and space requirements, enabling high-performance operation at high pressures and gas loads with low energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The rotor elements of the side-channel pump stage are supported by the rotor element of the molecular pump stage
Implementation Method 2
The rotor elements are located at a relatively large radial distance from the axis of rotation of the vacuum pump, which can approximately correspond to the radius of the rotor element, thus creating a side-channel pumping stage with a large radius of rotation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a vacuum pump with at least one molecular pump stage (12), in particular a Holweck stage, which comprises a rotor element (34) forming the pump-active area (50) of the molecular pump stage (12), and with at least one side-channel pump stage (18) arranged downstream of the molecular pump stage, which comprises several rotor elements (48), wherein the rotor elements of the side-channel pump stage are supported by the rotor element (34) of the molecular pump stage. The side-channel pump stage (18) can furthermore be arranged between a pump inlet (24) and the molecular pump stage (12, 14, 116, 118).