COOLING ELEMENT

Abstract

Cooling element for vacuum pump comprising a base element wherein by the base element an internal void is defined. Further, an inlet is connected to the base element and is in fluent connection with the void. Further, an outlet is connected to the base element and in fluent connection with the void such that a coolant can flow from the inlet through the void to the outlet to dissipated heat. Therein, the base element is connected to a housing of a vacuum pump.

Claims

1. A cooling element for a vacuum pump, comprising a base element, wherein by the base element an internal void is defined, an inlet connected to the base element and in fluid connection with the void and an outlet connected to the base element and in fluid connection with the void such that a coolant can flow from the inlet through the void to the outlet to dissipate heat, wherein the base element is connectable to a housing of the vacuum pump, characterized in that the void has a flat shape such that the width of the void is more than twice as large as the height of the void, and the height of the void is less than 3 mm.

2-3. (canceled)

4. The cooling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the base element has a flat shape.

5. The cooling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the base element comprises a bottom surface to be directly attached to the surface of the housing of the vacuum pump.

6. The cooling element according to claim 5, characterized in that the material thickness between the bottom surface and the void is less than 3 mm, preferably less than 2 mm and more preferably less than 1 mm.

7. The cooling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the internal void comprises at least one corrugated surface to create turbulent flow within the void.

8. The cooling element according to claim 1, characterized by a turbulator element disposed within the void to create turbulent flow within the void.

9. The cooling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the base element is one piece.

10. The cooling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the base element is fabricated by 3D printing.

11. The cooling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the base element is surrounded by a connecting element, preferably made from aluminum, wherein the connecting element is directly connected to the housing of the vacuum pump.

12. The cooling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the base element is made of stainless steel.

13. A vacuum pump comprising a housing and a cooling element according to claim 1 connected to the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments according to the accompanied drawings.

[0027] It is shown:

[0028] FIG. 1 a perspective view of the cooling element in accordance to the present invention,

[0029] FIG. 2 a cross section of the cooling element according to FIG. 1,

[0030] FIG. 3 another embodiment of the cooling element according to the present invention and

[0031] FIG. 4 an exemplary turbulator element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The cooling element 10 according to the present invention comprises a base element 12 which is according to FIG. 1 built as flat base element 12. Further, to the base element an inlet 14 and an outlet 16 is connected. A coolant is flowing through the inlet 14 as depicted by the arrow 18, flowing through an internal void 20 built in the base element (FIG. 2) and leaving the cooling element 10 through the outlet 16 as depicted by the arrow 22. Therein the base element 12 comprises a bottom surface 24 which is in direct contact with the surface 26 of the housing 28 of the vacuum pump as depicted in FIG. 2.

[0033] Due to the flat shape of the void 20 in the base element 12 most of the coolant is close to the bottom surface 24 and able to take up heat energy transferred from the housing 28 of the vacuum pump to the cooling element 10. Therein, the cooling element 10 might be built from stainless steel. Even though stainless steel has a low heat conductivity, enough heat is transferred from the vacuum pump to the coolant since the material thickness D between the bottom surface 24 of the cooling element 10 and the lower surface of the internal void 20 is small and in particular less than 2 mm.

[0034] In accordance to the present invention an upper surface 30 of the internal void 20 is built as corrugated surface by a plurality of grooves 32 which are perpendicular to the direction of flow (as indicated by arrow 34). In addition, the lower surface 31 of the internal void 20 also comprises a corrugated surface as depicted in FIG. 2, wherein the corrugated surface in FIG. 2 is built by ribs 33 arranged perpendicular to the direction of flow and interchangeably arranged to the grooves 32 of the upper surface 30. Thereby, the coolant is forced into turbulent flow enhancing the possibility of the coolant to take up heat from the vacuum pump.

[0035] Preferably, the base element 12 is built as one piece by 3D printing. Thereby, the complex shape of the void 20 can be easily achieved and further a leak tight design is provided.

[0036] The method of fabrication of the cooling element comprises the steps of: [0037] a) Printing a base element by 3D printing from stainless steel, wherein the base element comprises an internal void; and [0038] b) Attaching an inlet and an outlet to the base element in fluid communication to the internal void either also by 3D printing of any other method, such as welding, brazing or the like. [0039] Therein the cooling element may have the features as described above or below.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment wherein the base element 12 comprises a first corrugated surface 32 as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 and also has a second corrugated surface 36 opposite to the first corrugated surface 32 wherein both are built identically by grooves. Thus, the opposite surface, i.e. the lower surface defining the void in between are built as corrugated surfaces. Therein, the base element 12 is placed into a connecting element 38 which is then connected to the surface 26 of a housing 28 of the vacuum pump. Therein the base element 12 might be casted into the connecting element 28 which is preferably made from aluminum. Thereby, both surfaces can be built as corrugated surfaces enhancing the possibility to take up heat by the coolant. In addition, features of FIG. 3 which are the same or similar to features of the former figures are indicated by the same reference numbers.

[0041] Therein, in FIG. 3, the flat base element is parallel arranged in the connecting element 38 to the surface 26 of the housing of the vacuum pump. Therein, parallel means that the bottom surface 24 and/or the top surface 30 of the base element 12 are parallel to the surface of the housing of the vacuum pump. Alternatively, the base element 12 can be arranged perpendicular within the connecting element 38 relative to the surface of the housing of the vacuum pump.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a wire mesh turbulator as turbulator element 40 which can be introduced into the void, in particular, if the void is built as pipe in order to ensure turbulent flow within the void, i.e. pipe.

[0043] Although elements have been shown or described as separate embodiments above, portions of each embodiment may be combined with all or part of other embodiments described above.

[0044] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are described as example forms of implementing the claims.