Manufacture of an Impeller in a Hybrid Process

Abstract

An apparatus for a centrifugal pump includes an impeller. The impeller has a rear shroud on which blades are arranged. The impeller has a hybrid component structure. The hybrid structure includes at least one generative component and at least one conventional component. At least one of the generative component and the conventional component is subdivided into at least two segments.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. An apparatus for a centrifugal pump, comprising: an impeller having a rear shroud on which blades are arranged, wherein the impeller has a hybrid component structure including at least one generative component and at least one conventional component, at least one of the generative component and the conventional component being subdivided into at least two segments.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the blades are generatively-constructed.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the impeller includes a front shroud.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the front shroud is the conventional component.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the rear shroud is conventionally and/or generatively formed.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein a number of segments corresponds to a number of blades.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a component has more than two segments and/or fewer than ten segments.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the segments have a shape that is curved radially outward.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the shape of a segment is a constituent part between two blades.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the connecting joint is a connecting element between two segments and one blade.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the connecting joint connects the segments and the blade with a small gap between the segments and the blade.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the small gap amounts to between less than 10 ?m and less than 5 ?m.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the blades include points of support for the segments.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein joining surfaces of the segments and of the blades are rounded and/or beveled to thereby form the connecting joint.

31. A method for producing the apparatus as claimed in claim 30 by means of an integrative manufacturing unit, the method comprising: forming the segments of a front shroud and/or of a rear shroud by primary shaping and/or machining; forming the blades by a generative method; and joining the blades and the segments to form an impeller generated by hybrid means.

32. A method comprising: using a hybrid component with at least one generative component and with at least one conventional component as an impeller in a centrifugal pump.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an impeller;

[0033] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an impeller without front shroud; and

[0034] FIG. 3 is a perspective representation of two segments and one blade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a closed, radial impeller 1.

[0036] The front shroud 2 has been assembled from segments 5 with connecting joints 4. The connecting joint 4 is preferably a weld seam. The blades 3 are arranged between the front shroud 2 and the rear shroud 6.

[0037] The shape of a segment 5 takes the form of a constituent part between two blades 3. The connecting joints 4, the lateral edges of the segments 5 and the blades 3 exhibit an outwardly curved shape.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of an impeller 1 without front shroud. The blades 3 are arranged on the rear shroud 6. The blades 3 exhibit an outwardly curved shape.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a perspective representation of two segments 5 and one blade 3. The segments 5 and the blade 3 have been assembled with a connecting joint 4. In this exemplary embodiment, the connecting joint 4 takes the form of a welding groove which has preferably been implemented by an integrative manufacturing unit. The connecting joint 4 connects the segments 5 and the blade 3 in almost gap-free manner. The gap 7 amounts to less than 10 ?m, preferably less than 7.5 ?m, in particular less than 5 ?m. In this exemplary embodiment, the joining surfaces 8 of the segments 5 and of the blade 3 for forming the connecting joint 4 have been formed with a rounding, so that the support for the joining process has been optimally configured. In another embodiment variant, inclined or angular joining surfaces are also conceivable.

[0040] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.