Two-Stage Pump

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pump for pumping at least one medium.

BACKGROUND

The prior art discloses different types of pumps. These allow different media such as gases or liquids to be moved. Some pump types are suited for gases and liquids or only for gases or liquids. Furthermore, with regard to the pumping of liquids, there are self-priming and non-self-priming pump types. Liquid ring pumps (see, for example, DE 199 13 632 C2) are known, for example, in which a liquid ring is formed due to the eccentric arrangement of a blade wheel, or also side channel pumps (see, for example, EP 0 118 027 B1), which are characterized by a conveying channel having an interrupter. The prior art also discloses the arrangement of different pump types one behind the other (see, for example, DE 24 62 187 A1 or DE 101 08 631 B4, DE 33 03 460 A1, DE 10 2007 013 872 A1 or DE 31 28 374 A1).

SUMMARY

The object on which the invention is based is to propose a pump which represents an alternative to the prior art.

The object is achieved by the invention by a two-stage pump for pumping a medium, wherein the pump has a liquid ring stage, a side channel stage, and two medium accesses, wherein the liquid ring stage has a medium chamber and two medium openings, wherein the two medium openings of the liquid ring stage open onto the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage, wherein the side channel stage has a medium chamber and two medium openings, wherein the two medium openings of the side channel stage open onto the medium chamber of the side channel stage, and wherein one medium opening of the two medium openings of the side channel stage and one medium opening of the two medium openings of the liquid ring stage merge to form a common overflow opening.

The pump according to the invention has two stages: a liquid ring stage and a side channel stage. Therefore, the respective associated pumping principle is implemented in the stages. The pump has two medium accesses through which the medium—for example a gas such as air or a liquid such as water can flow in or out. Preferably, the pump can be operated in two directions such that the medium accesses are each inlets and outlets. Each of the two stages has an individual medium chamber and two medium openings through which the medium flows into or out of the respectively assigned medium chamber. One respective medium opening of the side channel stage and of the liquid ring stage merge to form a common overflow opening. The two stages therefore share one opening, such that the medium from one stage flows into the other stage via this common overflow opening. The pump according to the invention thus combines two different pump types to one unit which distinguishes itself by its compactness. A pump which is two-staged is in particular involved, rather than two separate pumps which are arranged one behind the other.

One embodiment consists in that the other medium opening of the two medium openings of the side channel stage and the other medium opening of the two medium openings of the liquid ring stage are connected to one respective medium access of the two medium accesses. In this embodiment, the medium openings which do not merge to the overflow opening are each connected to the medium accesses of the pump itself or form them in a further embodiment.

One embodiment provides that the liquid ring stage furthermore has a cover component, a bottom component and an impeller, that the cover component of the liquid ring stage and the bottom component of the liquid ring stage enclose the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage, that the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage has a circular cylindrical shape about a longitudinal axis, that the impeller of the liquid ring stage has blades extending from an axis of rotation, that the blades of the impeller of the liquid ring stage are arranged in the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage, and that the impeller of the liquid ring stage is arranged in relation to the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage such that the axis of rotation of the impeller is offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the medium chamber. In this embodiment, the liquid ring stage is described in more detail. The impeller is arranged eccentrically in the circular cylindrical medium chamber.

One embodiment consists in that the side channel stage furthermore has a cover component, a bottom component and an impeller, that the cover component of the side channel stage and the bottom component of the side channel stage enclose the medium chamber of the side channel stage, that the bottom component of the side channel stage has a conveying channel having an interrupter, that the conveying channel is open to the medium chamber of the side channel stage, that the impeller of the side channel stage has blades extending from an axis of rotation, that the blades of the impeller of the side channel stage are arranged in the medium chamber of the side channel stage, that the medium chamber of the side channel stage has a circular cylindrical shape about a longitudinal axis, and that the impeller of the side channel stage is arranged in the medium chamber of the side channel stage so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis. This embodiment describes the side channel stage the medium chamber of which has a conveying channel having an interrupter. The impeller is arranged concentrically in the medium chamber.

One embodiment provides that the impeller of the side channel stage and the impeller of the liquid ring stage are configured in one piece. In this embodiment, the impeller of the side channel stage and the impeller of the liquid ring stage are formed by a one-piece component. In one configuration, the two blades are the two faces of a common support. In this embodiment, the two stages not only share a common overflow opening, but also a common impeller unit. Alternatively, the impellers are connected to each other so as to form a common unit.

One embodiment consists in that the bottom component of the liquid ring stage and the cover component of the side channel stage have a common intermediate component and that the intermediate component has the overflow opening. In this embodiment, the bottom component of the liquid ring stage and the cover component of the side channel stage partially coincide in that they use a common intermediate component. The overflow opening which connects the two medium chambers to each other is located in this intermediate component.

One embodiment provides that the pump pumps two different media. The pump is adapted to pump two different media. This is possible in that the two different pumping principles are combined in one unit.

One embodiment consists in that the medium is a gas or a liquid. If the pump pumps in particular two different media, this is preferably on the one hand a gas, for example air, and on the other hand a liquid, for example water.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the pump furthermore has a motor, that the motor has two directions of rotation, and that one of the two medium accesses serves as a medium inlet or a medium outlet and the other of the two medium accesses as a medium outlet or a medium inlet depending on the direction of rotation of the motor. The pump can thus convey the at least one medium in two directions. To this end, a motor is present which is preferably coupled to the rotating component to move the impellers of the two stages. Depending on the direction of rotation, one medium access thus serves as a medium inlet and the other as a medium outlet. If the direction of rotation changes, the medium inlet becomes a medium outlet, and vice versa.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In more detail, there are numerous possibilities of designing and further developing the pump. Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of example embodiments in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a pump in an exploded view,

FIG. 2 shows a section of the pump of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a view into the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage of the pump of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 shows a view into the medium chamber of the side channel stage of the pump of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the two-stage pump in an exploded view. FIG. 2 shows the pump in a section. Both illustrations FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 will be described together below.

The two stages of the pump are a liquid ring stage 1 and a side channel stage 2 which are both arranged directly one behind the other. The motor 7 for the pumping function is here exemplarily located behind the side channel stage 2. An arrangement (not shown) of the motor 7 in front of the liquid stage ring 1 is also possible. The pump has two medium accesses 3 which serve to supply or discharge medium depending on the direction of rotation of the motor 7. The medium can be a liquid, such as water, or a gas, such as air.

The liquid ring stage 1 has a cover component 10 and a bottom component 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover component 10 is configured in two pieces by way of example. A medium chamber 12 to which two medium openings 13, 14 are connected, is formed between the cover component 10 and the bottom component 11. The axis of rotation 17 of the impeller 15 is offset with respect to the longitudinal axis 16 of the circular cylindrical medium chamber 12. The rotation of the impeller 15 thus causes the formation of the liquid ring. The individual blades 18 extend in a star shape from the axis of rotation 17.

The side channel stage 2 also has a cover component 20 and a bottom component 21 between which a medium chamber 22 is formed-which is configured in a circular cylindrical manner. Two medium openings 23, 24 also open onto the medium chamber 22. The medium is guided through the impeller 25 in the conveying channel having an interrupter 26. Here, the interrupter can be seen below the medium opening 24. The axis of rotation 27 of the impeller 25 and the longitudinal axis 28 of the medium chamber 22 coincide. The blades 29 of the impeller 25 extend in a star shape from the axis of rotation 27.

These two stages 1, 2 partially share individual components. This is described below.

A medium opening 13 of the liquid ring stage 1 and a medium opening 23 of the side channel stage 2 merge to form a common overflow opening 4. The medium thus flows out of a stage 1 or 2 directly into the respective other stage 2 or 1. The other medium opening 14 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the other medium opening 24 of the side channel stage 2 form the medium accesses 3 of the pump.

The overflow opening 4 is located in the intermediate component 5 which belongs to the bottom component 11 of the liquid ring stage 1 and to the cover component 20 of the side channel stage 2. It can therefore also be stated that the bottom component 11 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the cover component 20 of the side channel 2 merge to form a common component.

In addition to the overflow opening 4, a circular recess in which the rotating component 6 is rotatably arranged is also located in the intermediate component 5. The rotating component 6 comprises the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2. The two impellers 15, 25 are located on different faces of a support of the rotating component 6, which is arranged in the circular recess of the intermediate component 5. A sealing effect is reached between the edge about the recess and the support of the rotating component 6, so that the bottom component 11 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the cover component 20 of the side channel stage 2 allow the medium to pass substantially only through the overflow opening 4.

The rotating component 6 is configured and the respective blades 18, 29 are arranged such that the axis of rotation 17 of the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1 and the axis of rotation 27 of the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2 coincide. The longitudinal axis 28 of the medium chamber 22 of the side channel stage 2 is also located along this common axis 17, 27. It can be seen that the blades 18 of the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1 have a greater axial extent than the blades 29 of the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2.

Illustrations a) and b) of FIG. 3 show the medium chamber 12 of the liquid ring stage 1. Illustration a) of FIG. 3 shows a medium opening 14 of the liquid ring stage 1 and a medium opening 24 of the side channel stage 2. Furthermore, the medium opening 13 of the liquid ring stage 1 is visible, through which the transition between the liquid ring stage 1 and the side channel stage 2 occurs. Illustration b) of FIG. 3 shows the asymmetric arrangement of the impeller 15 in the medium chamber 12. The axis of rotation 17 of the impeller 15 is here arranged above the longitudinal axis 16 of the circular cutout of the edge of the medium chamber 12. Therefore, a larger volume is present below the blades 18 of the impeller 15, in which the liquid ring can form.

Illustrations a) and b) of FIG. 4 show the medium chamber 22 of the side channel stage 2. As can be seen in illustration a) of FIG. 4, the impeller 25 is located centrally in the medium chamber 22. Furthermore, the medium opening 23 in the cover component 20 can be seen, which is located above the axis of rotation 27 of the impeller 25. Illustration b) of FIG. 4 shows the bottom component 21 in which the conveying channel having the interrupter 26 is located. In this view onto the rotating component 6, it can also be seen that the blades 29 of the impeller 25 of the side channel stage 2 have a significantly greater radial extent than the blades 18 of the impeller 15 of the liquid ring stage 1.

When used for two different media, the pump has an optimum performance for the respectively conveyed medium, depending on the direction of rotation:

If a rotation occurs in one direction, for example in a clockwise direction, the conveyance is optimally adapted for gases. The liquid ring stage is active. The side channel stage does not cause any pressure increase, it is passive.

In the event of a counterclockwise rotation, liquids can be conveyed in an optimal manner. The pressure increase occurs in the side channel stage. The liquid ring stage contributes only little to the pressure increase.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• • 1 Liquid ring stage
  • 2 Side channel stage
  • 3 Medium access
  • 4 Overflow opening
  • 5 Intermediate component
  • 6 Rotating component
  • 7 Motor
  • 10 Cover component of the liquid ring stage
  • 11 Bottom component of the liquid ring stage
  • 12 Medium chamber of the liquid ring stage
  • 13, 14 Medium opening of the liquid ring stage
  • 15 Impeller of the liquid ring stage
  • 16 Longitudinal axis of the medium chamber of the liquid ring stage
  • 17 Axis of rotation of the impeller of the liquid ring stage
  • 18 Blade of the impeller of the liquid ring stage
  • 20 Cover component of the side channel stage
  • 21 Bottom component of the side channel stage
  • 22 Medium chamber of the side channel stage
  • 23, 24 Medium opening of the side channel stage
  • 25 Impeller of the side channel stage
  • 26 Conveying channel with interrupter
  • 27 Axis of rotation of the impeller of the side channel stage
  • 28 Longitudinal axis of the medium chamber of the side channel stage
  • 29 Blade of the impeller of the side channel stage