Vane Pump Air Passage Design for Oil Influx Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vane pumps face issues with lubricating oil flowing into the pump room during rotor stoppage due to negative pressure, leading to potential vane damage, and excessive lubricating oil consumption during operation due to constant air passage communication with atmospheric air.
Innovation Solution
A vane pump design featuring an air passage with a check valve that allows gas to flow into the pump room when the oil supply passage is open, and an orifice passage to control lubricating oil flow, ensuring minimal oil entry during rotor stoppage and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an air passage constantly communicates with atmospheric air is formed in the oil supply passage, then a large amount of lubricating oil is prevented from flowing into the pump room, but the lubricating oil constantly flows outwardly from the air passage during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The air passage is designed to dynamically switch between two states: constantly communicating with atmospheric air when the rotor stops (to prevent oil influx), and intermittently communicating only when the rotor rotates (to minimize oil loss). This dynamic configuration resolves the contradiction by adapting the air passage's communication state to the operational status of the rotor.
Solution Approach 2:
The air passage utilizes the periodic rotation of the rotor to control its communication with the pump room. During rotation, the air passage intermittently communicates with the pump room in a periodic manner, allowing atmospheric air to enter only during specific phases of rotation, thereby preventing continuous oil loss while maintaining the ability to equalize pressure when needed.
2Productivity
If an oil supply passage intermittently communicates with the pump room is formed in the rotor, then lubricating oil is fed intermittently to the pump room, but when the rotor stops with the oil supply passage in communication, negative pressure sucks lubricating oil into the pump room
Solution Approach 1:
The air passage acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the oil supply passage and the pump room. When the rotor stops and negative pressure develops in the pump room, the air passage allows atmospheric air to enter, equalizing the pressure and preventing the suction of lubricating oil into the pump room, thus resolving the harmful effect while maintaining the intermittent feeding function.
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
Prevents large quantities of lubricating oil from entering the pump room during rotor stoppage and minimizes lubricating oil consumption during operation, reducing vane damage and maintaining performance even at low lubricating oil supply pressures.
Implementation Method 1
in the air passage, a check valve is provided, and when the rotor stops with the oil supply passage being in communication with the pump room, and a pressure in the oil supply passage becomes negative owing to a negative pressure in the pump room, then the check valve is released to allow a gas to flow into the pump room through the air passage
Implementation Method 2
when the rotor stops with the oil supply passage being in communication with the pump room, and a pressure in the oil supply passage becomes negative owing to a negative pressure in the pump room
Implementation Method 3
the air passage has an orifice passage provided therein, thereby an amount of the lubricating oil flowing outwardly from the air passage can be controlled to the minimum
Data Source
AI summary
An oil supply groove 12 in communication with a pump room 2A is formed above a bearing 2B of a housing 2, and an open air groove 14 in communication with an atmospheric air is formed at a position rotated around the bearing 2B by 90° from the oil supply groove. In a shank 3B of a rotor 3, a branch passage 11a branching from an oil passage 11 formed in its axial direction to the diametrical direction of the shank, and an open air passage 13 formed in the direction perpendicular to the branch passage are formed.Then, the branch passage and the oil supply groove communicate with each other, at the same time, the open air passage and the open air groove are arranged to also communicate with each other, and when the oil passage and the oil supply groove communicate with each other as the rotor stops, then an atmospheric air flowing in from the open air passage eliminates a negative pressure in the pump room, thereby the lubricating oil is prevented from flowing into the pump room in large quantities.An amount of the lubricating oil flowing into pump room at stop of the rotor can be reduced to prevent the vane from being damaged and an amount of the lubricating oil consumed due to rotation of the rotor can be controlled.