Spiral pump and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a spiral pump, including a support body; at least one or more substantially rigid rotary parts that are rotatable relative to said support body, wherein said one or more rotary parts comprise at least one integrated spiral fluid channel that has an inlet for receiving fluid arranged at or near the outer radial wall of said one or more rotary parts and an outlet for discharging fluid at an increased pressure at or near its rotary axis; wherein a fluid passage, configured for passing fluid at the increased pressure from inside the one or more rigid rotary parts to outside the one or more rigid rotary parts, is arranged at or near the rotary axis; and drive means for rotatably driving the one or more rotary parts. The invention further relates to a manufacturing method for such a spiral pump.

Claims

1. Spiral pump, comprising: a support body; a rigid rotary part having a rotary axis that is rotatable relative to said support body, wherein said rigid rotary part comprises a spiral fluid channel that has an inlet for receiving fluid arranged at or near an outer radial wall of said rigid rotary part and an outlet for discharging fluid at an increased pressure at or near the rotary axis; wherein a fluid passage, configured for passing fluid at the increased pressure from inside the rigid rotary part to outside the rigid rotary part, is arranged at or near the rotary axis; and fluid engaging members positioned on said rigid rotary part; wherein the spiral fluid channel is an integrated spiral fluid channel with a course integrated within the rigid rotary part; wherein the rigid rotary part comprises at least two rigid sub parts opposite relative to the integrated fluid channel, wherein two neighboring mating sub parts in an assembled state are directly connected and recesses in the mating sub parts together form the spiral fluid channel between the mating sub parts.

2. Spiral pump according to claim 1, wherein said spiral fluid channel comprises at least two convolutions that are arranged in a plane that is transverse to the rotary axis.

3. Spiral pump according to claim 2, wherein the outer radial wall of the rigid rotary part has an outer radius r.sub.o, and wherein the convolutions are at least arranged in the area between said outer radial wall of the rigid rotary part and a radius of half the outer radius r.sub.o.

4. Spiral pump according to claim 3, wherein at least one further convolution of the spiral fluid channel is arranged in the radial distance between half the outer radius r.sub.o and the center of the rigid rotary part.

5. Spiral pump according to claim 1, wherein the spiral fluid channel is formed by spiral shaped recesses arranged at mating radial sides of both neighboring sub parts of the rigid rotary part.

6. Spiral pump according to claim 1, wherein the rigid rotary part comprises a pressure chamber at or near the rotary axis, and wherein the fluid passage is configured for passing fluid at the increased pressure from the pressure chamber to outside the rigid rotary part.

7. Spiral pump according to claim 1, wherein the spiral fluid channel has a substantially flattened cross section with a radial height h and a width w transverse thereto, wherein the radial height h is smaller than the width w.

8. Spiral pump according to claim 1, wherein the spiral fluid channel comprises a narrowing part wherein the cross section decreases in the flow direction.

9. Spiral pump according to claim 8, wherein the spiral fluid channel comprises a widening part wherein the cross section increases in the flow direction, and wherein said widening part is arranged downstream of the narrowing part in said spiral fluid channel.

10. Spiral pump according to claim 1, wherein the spiral fluid channel in the direction away from the inlet divides into multiple fluid channels with a smaller cross sectional area.

11. Spiral pump according to claim 1, further comprising a shaft that is rotatably connected to said support body, said shaft being at least partially hollow and comprising the fluid passage between a pressure chamber in the rigid rotary part and the at least partially hollow shaft configured for passing fluid at the increased pressure from the pressure chamber to outside the rigid rotary part.

12. Spiral pump according to claim 1, wherein the support body is a floating support body that is configured to be partially submerged in a fluid.

13. Spiral pump according to claim 1, wherein the fluid engaging members comprise paddles.

14. Spiral pump, comprising: a support body; a rigid rotary part having a rotary axis that is rotatable relative to said support body, wherein said rigid rotary part comprises a spiral fluid channel that has an inlet for receiving fluid arranged at or near an outer radial wall of said rigid rotary part and an outlet for discharging fluid at an increased pressure at or near the rotary axis; wherein a fluid passage, configured for passing fluid at the increased pressure from inside the rigid rotary part to outside the rigid rotary part, is arranged at or near the rotary axis; and fluid engaging members positioned on said rigid rotary part; wherein the spiral fluid channel is an integrated spiral fluid channel with a course integrated within the rigid rotary part, further comprising at least one further spiral fluid channel, wherein the spiral fluid channel and the further spiral fluid channel are connected in series by providing a fluid connection between an inner convolution at a first outlet radius of the spiral fluid channel and an outer convolution at a second inlet radius of the further spiral fluid channel, wherein the second inlet radius is larger than the first outlet radius.

Description

(1) In the following description preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1: is a perspective view of a spiral pump according to the invention in a water stream;

(3) FIG. 2: is a detailed perspective view of the spiral pump of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3: is a cross sectional view of the spiral pump of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4: is a cross sectional view of the rotary part of FIG. 3 according to a first embodiment;

(6) FIG. 5: is a cross sectional view of the rotary part of FIG. 3 according to a second embodiment;

(7) FIG. 6: is a cross sectional view of the rotary part of FIG. 4 arranged in a support;

(8) FIGS. 7A and 7B: show cross sectional views of a rotary part comprising three sub parts;

(9) FIG. 8: is a cross sectional views of a rotary part comprising four sub parts;

(10) FIG. 9: is a cross sectional views of a rotary part comprising five or more sub parts;

(11) FIG. 10: is a cross sectional view of the rotary part of FIG. 8 arranged with a shaft in a support;

(12) FIG. 11: is a detailed cross sectional view of the shaft and hydrostatic bearing of the embodiment of FIG. 10;

(13) FIG. 12: is a perspective view of a spiral pump comprising a rotary part according to FIGS. 8-11;

(14) FIG. 13: is a perspective view of a spiral pump according to an alternative embodiment; and

(15) FIG. 14: is a detailed cross sectional view of the spiral pump of FIG. 13.

(16) FIG. 1 shows a water stream to wherein a spiral pump 1 according to the invention is arranged between poles 4, to which a floating support body 16 of the spiral pump 1 is attached with cables 6. The spiral pump 1 is driven via the water flow of the water stream 2 and the pressurized water is transported via a discharge hose 8 towards an (optional) buffer 10 where it can be stored for later use via a delivery hose 12.

(17) In the shown embodiment, the spiral pump 1 comprises a floating support body 16 that is an assembly of two outer floating parts 18 and an intermediate floating part 20 that connects the both outer floating parts 18. The intermediate floating part 20 comprises a connection eye to which the cable 6 is attachable that can be used for connecting the spiral pump 1 to the poles 4 in the water stream 2.

(18) Arranged on the outer floating parts 18 of floating support body 16 are a first support 102 and a second support 106, only the second support 106 being visible in FIG. 2. The supports 102, 106 support the rigid rotary part 24 that is rotatable around a rotary axis 34.

(19) As shown in FIG. 2, the rigid rotary part 24 comprises an inlet 30 of a spiral fluid channel 28 at its outer radial wall 26. When the streaming water course 2 flows against the paddles 118 that are also arranged on the rigid rotary part 24, the rigid rotary part 24 starts rotating and the inlet 30 of the spiral fluid channel 28 will scoop water out of the water stream 2.

(20) The water and air that are pressurized in the spiral fluid channel 28 of the spiral pump 1 are finally discharged via a discharge hose 8 that is connected to the second support 106 via a rotary coupling 14.

(21) The cross sectional view of FIG. 3 shows how the spiral fluid channel 28 spirals via approximately six convolutions that are arranged in a plane that is substantially transverse to the rotary axis 34. The inlet 30 of the spiral fluid channel 28 is located at the outer radial wall 26 of the rigid rotary part 24, and the outlet 32 of the spiral fluid channel 28 is connected with the pressure chamber 36 near the rotary axis 34 at the center of the rigid rotary part 24.

(22) Approximately five of the shown convolutions of the spiral fluid channel 28 are substantially arranged in the radial area between the outer radial wall 26 of the rigid rotary part 24 and a radius of half the outer radius r.sub.o.

(23) FIG. 4 shows the spiral pump 1 of FIGS. 1-3 in a cross sectional view. The rigid rotary part 24 is formed of two substantially rigid sub parts 38, 50.

(24) The outer rotary sub part of the first type 38 is a disc shaped substantially rigid part comprising an outer side 40 and an inner side 42, as well as an outer radial wall 44. Arranged on the inner side 42 is a recess 46 with a spiral shape that mates with a corresponding recess with a spiral shape 58 arranged on the inner side 54 of the outer rotary sub part of the second type 50. The outer rotary sub part of the second type 50 further comprises an outer side 52 and an outer radial wall 56. Both the outer rotary sub part of the first type 38 and the outer rotary sub part of the second type 50 comprise a central opening 48, 60 respectively. These central openings 48, 60 in an assembled state together form (part of) the pressured chamber 36.

(25) When the outer rotary sub parts 38, 50 are assembled, their respective recesses 46, 58 together form the spiral fluid channel 28 that has an outlet 32 in the central openings 48, 60, and hence also the pressure chamber 36.

(26) In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, two alternative outer rotary sub parts 62, 68 are mated in order form a spiral fluid channel 28 with a flattened cross section with a radial height h and a width w transverse thereto, wherein the radial height h is smaller than the width w. The flattened cross section of the spiral fluid channel 28 shown in FIG. 5 has a rounded shape, more specifically an elliptical shape. Due to the height h of the cross section of the spiral fluid channel 28 being smaller than the width w, it is possible to arrange more convolutions in the same radial distance: FIG. 5 shows seven convolutions in the radial distance where FIG. 4 only comprises five convolutions.

(27) When two or more sub parts are assembled, e.g. the outer rotary sub part of the first type 38 and the outer rotary sub part of the second type 50 that where also shown in FIG. 4, they are arranged between a first flange 98 and a second flange 100 (FIG. 6). The flanges 98, 100 are rotatable around the first support 102 and the second support 106. A hydrostatic bearing 116 is provided because the pressurized fluid in the pressure chamber 36 partly leaks via the contact surface between the flanges 98, 100 and their respective supports 102, 106.

(28) The first support 102 and/or the second support 106 is provided with a fluid passage 104, 108 respectively, for discharging the pressurized fluid from the pressure chamber 36 via the rotary coupling 14 and a discharge hose 8, after which it can be used for different applications.

(29) If the volume output capacity of the spiral pump 1 shown in FIGS. 1-6 is insufficient, the spiral pump 1 according to the invention can be extended using modular parts, as will be shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8 and 9.

(30) In FIGS. 7A and 7B it is shown how a connection rotary sub part of the first type 74 is arranged between an outer rotary sub part of the first type 38 and an outer rotary sub part of the second type 50, i.e. the two sub parts 38, 50 also used for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 6. Compared with this earlier embodiment, the outer rotary sub parts 38, 50 are now rotated relative to each other in order to mate with the connection rotary sub part of the first type 74. This connection rotary sub part of the first type 74 comprises a first side 76, a second side 78, an outer radial wall 80 and a central opening 84. Both the first side 76 and the second side 78 are provided with a spiral shaped recess 82 that mates with the corresponding outer rotary sub part 38, 50. In the assembled state that is shown in FIG. 5, a rigid rotary part 24 is provided that comprises two integrated spiral fluid channels 28 that both have an outlet 32 in their respective central opening 48, 60, 84. Said central openings 48, 60, 84 together form the pressure chamber 36. Please note that the spiral fluid channels 28 are rotated 180 with respect to each other in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

(31) According to a further optional arrangement, the fluid that is pressurized in a first spiral fluid channel (e.g. the left spiral fluid channel in FIG. 7A), is fed back to the input of a further spiral fluid channel (e.g. the right spiral fluid channel in FIG. 7A), which allows the head to be increased significantly. In practical tests, a head increase of 70% was achieved. FIG. 8 discloses a rigid rotary part 24 comprising a total of three integrated spiral fluid channels 28. The connection rotary sub part of the first type 74 shown in FIG. 7B and a connection rotary sub part of the second type 86 together form intermediate parts arranged between the outer rotary sub part of the first type 38 and the outer rotary sub part of the second type 50. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the connection rotary sub part of the second type 86 is a mirrored version of the connection sub part of the first type 74 that is arranged adjacent the connection rotary sub part of the second type 86. Again, all central openings 48, 60, 84, 96 together form a pressure chamber 36 wherein all three (not shown) outlets 32 of the spiral fluid channels 28 end. Because all the outlets 32 of the spiral fluid channels 28 end in the same pressure chamber 36, it functions as a pressure equalization chamber.

(32) As shown in FIG. 9, the modular design can be expanded even further using the same sub parts as described above. Please note that successive spiral fluid channels 28 are 180 rotated relative to each other. If it is desirable to have an even more distributed pump delivery, the person skilled in the art will understand that it is possible to provide further (not shown) connection rotary sub parts that are suitable for distributing a number of spiral fluid channels over the total arc of 360. For example, if three spiral fluid channels 28 are applied, they might be arranged at a relative angle with respect to each other of 120. Likewise, in case of four fluid channels 28, a relative angle between the fluid channels of 90 might be desirable.

(33) Optionally, a phase cancellation of the outputs of the different spiral fluid channels, as to create a more continuous output flow, may be obtained by providing channels, e.g. flexible tubes, with different lengths between the outlets of the respective spiral fluid channels and the pressure chamber 36 that functions as a mutual output chamber.

(34) The embodiments shown so far only require further connection rotary sub parts 74, 86 to be arranged between the outer rotary sub parts 38, 50 in order to expand the spiral pump 1. However, if the spiral pump 1 is expanded to a larger number of sub parts 38, 74, 86, 50, it might be desirable to incorporate a hollow shaft 110 that is arranged between the first support 102 and the second support 106.

(35) The shaft 110 is provided with fluid passages 112 that allow pressurized fluid from the pressure chamber 36 to enter the hollow casing of the shaft 110, after which it can be transported via a further fluid passage 108 towards a rotary coupling 14 and a discharge hose 8.

(36) Preferably, the shaft 110 comprises further fluid passages 114 near the ends of the shaft 110, via which passages 114 a small amount of pressurized fluid leaves the hollow space of the shaft 110 and functions as a lubrication of the hydrostatic bearing 116 (FIGS. 10 and 11).

(37) When the spiral pump 1 according to the invention is expanded by inserting one or more connection rotary sub parts 86, 74 between the outer rotary sub parts 50, 38, it will also be necessary to adapt the floating support body 16 accordingly. For this reason there are provided a number of intermediate floating parts 20. The intermediate floating parts 20 can be provided with a connection eye 22 that allows the spiral pump 1 to be attached via cables 6 to poles 4 in the water stream 2.

(38) The paddles 118 might comprise pins 120 that fit in receiving holes 122 arranged at the outer radial wall 26 of the rigid rotary part 24. Alternatively, the paddles might be integrated with the rotary part 24.

(39) An alternative embodiment of a rotary part 224 of a spiral pump according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The embodiment shows a rigid rotary part 224 comprising two spiral fluid channels 128, 129. As can be seen in the cross section of FIG. 14, the rigid rotary part 224 is formed by winding a W-shaped extrusion profile, forming a first spiral fluid channel 128 and a second spiral fluid channel 129 with a dividing wall 130 therebetween.

(40) The skilled person will understand that profiles with alternative shapes, e.g. U-profiles or profiles with a rectangular cross section may be used, but that these will result in double walls, requiring extra material and unnecessarily adding to the weight. Using a W-shaped profile is advantageous for providing a rotary part 224 with two spiral fluid channels 128, 129, as this results in a thin dividing wall 130. If only one spiral fluid channel 128 is to be formed, a U-profile is recommended.

(41) When the extruded profiles are wound, i.e. rolled up, the base 131 of the W-profile forms the closure of an earlier convolution, resulting in closed spiral fluid channels 128, 129.

(42) As shown in FIG. 14, the legs 132 of the W-shaped profile are provided with locking means 133 in the form of protrusions 134 arranged at the outer end of the legs 132. These protrusions 134 are engageable with corresponding recesses 135 that are provided at or near the base 131 of the same profile, either in the base itself or in the legs 132 near the base 131.

(43) According to a further (not shown) embodiment, one or more further dividing walls may be arranged, dividing the spiral fluid channels. The multiple spiral fluid channels that are formed in this way, may be connected in series as explained above, in order to further increase the head of the spiral pump.

(44) Summarizing, the proposed spiral pump 1, provides a reliable construction. Further advantages relative to prior art spiral pumps is the easy (mass) manufacturing, e.g. using injection moulded parts. Furthermore, the construction can be relatively light weight and of limited size. Also, the modular design provides a scalable pump.

(45) Although they show preferred embodiments of the invention, the above described embodiments are intended only to illustrate the invention and not to limit in any way the scope of the invention. For example, the support body is not necessarily a floating support body, but could also comprise a rigid construction.

(46) Accordingly, it should be understood that where features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, such signs are included solely for the purpose of enhancing the intelligibility of the claims and are in no way limiting on the scope of the claims.

(47) Furthermore, it is particularly noted that the skilled person can combine technical measures of the different embodiments. For example, the cross sectional shape shown in FIG. 5 might be combined with any of the other embodiments.

(48) The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the following claims.