The invention relates to a method for operating an electric motor (I), the electric motor (I) comprising at least one first stator (2) with at least three coils (3, 4, 5) and a rotor (6) with at least two magnets (7, 8), the first stator (2) and the rotor (6) being adjacently arranged in an axial direction (9), and the coils (3, 4, 5) being adjacently arranged in a peripheral direction (IO). The electric motor (I) is operated at least in the following two states: a) in a first state, the coils (3, 4, 5) are operated by respectively different phases of a three-phase current, and the rotor (6) is rotated about an axis of rotation (11); and b) in a second state, the coils (3, 4, 5) are operated by an equal-phase alternating current.

A cooling unit comprising a coolant fluid pathway in which there is (a) a centrifugal pump which serves to pump coolant fluid along the pathway when the unit is in use, and (b) a heat exchanger which serves to cool the coolant fluid which is thus pumped along the pathway. The pump has a rotor constituted by a magnetically contactlessly driven impeller which is provided with at last one magnet and which is enclosed within a housing, and stator outside the housing and provided with at least one electromagnet operable to act on the said at least one magnet to rotate the impeller.

An electric motor assembly for pumping a fluid through a fluid cavity includes a stator assembly including a plurality of conduction coils configured to transmit heat energy to the fluid within the fluid cavity and a rotor assembly positioned adjacent the stator assembly to define an axial gap therebetween. The stator assembly is configured to impart a first axial force on the rotor assembly. The electric motor assembly also includes an impeller directly coupled to the rotor assembly opposite the stator assembly such that the rotor assembly and the impeller are configured to rotate about an axis. A fluid channeled by the impeller imparts a second axial force on the impeller. The rotor assembly and the impeller are configured to be submerged in the fluid within the fluid cavity.

A fluid pump assembly is provided. The pump has a pair of units magnetically coupled to each other. The first unit contains a drive motor and a magnetic assembly. The second unit contains a magnetic assembly and a blade of a propeller/impeller for imparting movement to a fluid. As the first unit is activated by the drive motor, a magnetic flux is created which in turn rotates the magnetic assembly in the second unit, driving the blade.

Various contactless bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

An electric motor assembly for pumping a fluid through a fluid cavity includes a stator assembly including a plurality of conduction coils configured to transmit heat energy to the fluid within the fluid cavity. The electric motor assembly also includes a rotor assembly positioned adjacent the stator assembly to define an axial gap therebetween. The electric motor assembly also includes an impeller directly coupled to the rotor assembly opposite the stator assembly such that the rotor assembly and the impeller are configured to rotate about an axis. The rotor assembly and the impeller are configured to be submerged in the fluid within the fluid cavity.

Provided is a water pump including a lower casing, an upper casing coupled to an upper side of the lower casing to form an impeller accommodating space therein by the coupling with the lower casing and having an inlet communicating with the impeller accommodating space and allowing a fluid to be introduced therethrough and an outlet allowing the fluid to be discharged therethrough, an impeller provided in the impeller accommodating space and including an upper plate and a lower plate arranged to be spaced apart from each other vertically and a plurality of blades arranged and coupled between the upper plate and the lower plate, and a rotor coupled to the impeller and rotated together with the impeller, wherein the upper casing has a spacing recess provided on an inner surface corresponding to an outer circumference of the upper plate of the impeller.

An axial flow-type pump apparatus with magnetic bearings for separating immiscible flowable materials having different specific gravities and a discharge manifold connected to the fluid pump for drawing off the flowable separated materials with greatly improved efficiency, and pump and apparatus longevity.

Various contactless bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

An electric motor assembly includes a bearing assembly including a rotating component and at least one stationary component. The electric motor assembly also includes an impeller coupled to the rotating component. The impeller includes an inlet and an outlet and is configured to direct a fluid between the inlet and the outlet. The electric motor assembly also includes a rotor assembly directly coupled to the impeller. A fluid flow channel is defined between the rotating component and the at least one stationary component. The flow channel includes a first end proximate the impeller outlet and a second end proximate the impeller inlet.