Impeller for disc pump

Abstract

An impeller for a disc pump has a drive disc with a connector for joining to a shaft of the disc pump, a driven disc affixed to the drive disc so as to define a space therebetween, and a plurality of wing vanes formed in the face of at least one of the drive disc and the driven disc. The drive disc has a face facing a face of the driven disc. The drive disc extends in generally parallel planar relationship to the driven disc. The plurality of wing vanes radiate across the face toward an outer diameter of one of the drive disc and the driven disc. Each of the plurality of wing vanes has a portion extending outwardly beyond the outer diameter of the drive disc and the driven disc.

Claims

1. An impeller for a disc pump, the impeller comprising: a drive disc having a connector for joining to a shaft of the disc pump; a driven disc affixed to said drive disc so as to define a space therebetween, said drive disc having a face facing a face of said driven disc, said drive disc extending in generally parallel planar relationship to said driven disc; and a plurality of wing vanes formed on the face of at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc, said plurality of wing vanes radiating across the face of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc and toward an outer diameter of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc, said plurality of wing vanes having a portion extending outwardly beyond the outer diameter of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc.

2. The impeller of claim 1, each of said plurality of wing vanes having a thickness that tapers so as to narrow across a width of each of said plurality of wing vanes.

3. The impeller of claim 2, the thickness of each of said plurality of wing vanes being flush with the face of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc at one side of each of said plurality of wing vanes.

4. The impeller of claim 1, a surface of each of said plurality of wing vanes opposite the face of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc having a curved shape such that one end of the curved shape is flush with the face of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc, the end of the curved shape being spaced from the face of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc.

5. The impeller of claim 4, wherein the surface of each of said plurality of wing vanes is at a forward drive direction of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc.

6. The impeller of claim 1, the portion of each of said plurality of wing vanes that extends outwardly beyond the outer diameter of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc extends outwardly for no more than 20% of the outer diameter of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc.

7. The impeller of claim 1, the portion of each of said plurality of wing vanes that extends outwardly beyond the outer diameter of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc having a jagged edge.

8. The impeller of claim 1, said drive disc being affixed to said driven disc by a plurality of posts extending transverse to the respective faces of said drive disc and said driven disc.

9. The impeller of claim 8, said plurality of posts each arranged between adjacent pairs of said plurality of wing vanes.

10. The impeller of claim 9, each of said plurality of posts having a circular cross-section in a plane parallel to the face of the at least one of said drive disc and said driven disc.

11. The impeller of claim 1, said plurality of wing vanes being formed on both of said drive disc and said driven disc.

12. The impeller of claim 11, said plurality of wing vanes on one of said drive disc and said driven disc corresponding in location to said plurality of wing vanes on the other of said drive disc and said driven disc.

13. The impeller of claim 1, each of said plurality of wing vanes having a forward edge, the forward edge having an arcuate shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a disc pump of the prior art.

(2) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken across lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 of the disc pump of the prior art.

(3) FIG. 3 is an upper perspective view of the impeller as used in the disc pump of the prior art.

(4) FIG. 4 is an isolated perspective view of one of the drive discs or driven discs in accordance with the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of one of the drive discs or driven discs of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a side view showing the impeller made up of the drive disc and driven disc in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is an upper perspective view showing the impeller having the drive disc and driven disc in accordance with the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is an isolated upper perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention having winglets extending from the plurality of wing vanes.

(9) FIG. 9 is a side elevational view showing the impeller in accordance with the alternative embodiment of FIG. 8.

(10) FIG. 10 is an upper perspective view showing the impeller in accordance with the teachings of this alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) The present invention is an impeller for use in a disc pump, such as the type shown in FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 4 shows disc 50. Disc 50 can be either a drive or a driven disc of the impeller. If disc 50 is the driven disc, it can be a single driven disc or a plurality of driven discs arranged in spaced parallel planar relationship to each other. Disc 50 has a face 52 with a plurality of wing vanes 54 formed on face 52. The plurality of wing vanes 54 radiate across the face 52 toward an outer diameter 56 of the disc 50. Each of the plurality of wing vanes 54 has a portion 58 that extends outwardly beyond the outer diameter 56 of disc 50.

(12) In FIG. 4, it can be seen that each of the plurality of wing vanes 54 has a thickness 60 that tapers so as to narrow across a width of the wing vanes 54. The thickness 60 is generally flush with the face 52 along side 62. The surface 64 of each of the plurality of wing vanes 54 that is opposite to the face 52 has a curved shape such that one end of the curved shape 66 is flush with the face 52 and an opposite end of the curved shape is spaced from the face 52. The side 62 of each of the wing vanes 54 is at a forward drive direction of the disc 50. The portion 58 of the wing vane 54 that extends outwardly beyond the outer diameter 56 of the disc 50 extends outwardly for no more than 20% of the outer diameter 56 of the disc 50. It can be seen that this portion 58 has a generally jagged edge 68.

(13) As will be described hereinafter, the disc 50 can be affixed to either the drive disc or to the driven disc by a plurality ofposts 70 that extend outwardly generally transverse to the face 52 of disc 50. The plurality of posts 70 are arranged between adjacent pairs of the plurality of wing vanes 54. Each of the plurality of posts 70 has a generally circular cross-section in a plane parallel to the face 52 of the disc 50. Each of the plurality of wing vanes 54 has a forward edge 72 having a generally arcuate shape.

(14) FIG. 4 shows, in particular, the drive disc of the present invention. As such, there is a connector 74 located at the center of the disc 50. Wing vanes 54 radiate outwardly from the connector 74. Each of the wing vanes 54 has a generally curved shape as it radiates outwardly from the connector 74. Connector 74 is adapted to connect the disc 50 to a shaft of a motor or pump.

(15) FIG. 5 is a side view of the disc 50. Disc 50 has the connector 74 extending below the underside 76 of disc 50. The wing vanes 54 are illustrated as extending upwardly from face 52. Face 52 is opposite to the rear surface 76. FIG. 5 shows, in particular, that the wing vane 54 has a curve 58 on one side and that the vane 54 increases in thickness from the side 62. At side 62, the thickness of the vane wing 54 is generally flush with the face 52 of the disc 50. The thickness at the highest point 78 of wing vane 54 is greatest adjacent to the side 80. It can be seen that the wing vane 54 diminishes in thickness at a relatively sharp angle from the highest point 78 to the side 80. Each of the wing vanes 54 has a similar configuration.

(16) FIG. 6 shows the impeller 82 formed of the discs of the present invention. Impeller 54 is used in place of the impeller shown in FIGS. 1-3 of the prior art. In FIG. 6, disc 50 is illustrated as connected by posts 70 to another disc 84. This “another disc” 84 will be the driven disc. As such, it can be seen that the post 70 joins the drive disc 50 to the driven disc 84. If additional driven discs are required by the material to be conveyed by the disc pump of the present invention, then posts 70 can extend outwardly on the opposite side 86 of driven disc 84 so as to join with additional driven discs. Driven disc 84 will have a similar configuration to that the disc 50 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. However, the face 88 of driven disc 84 will face drive disc 50.

(17) FIG. 7 is another view showing the configuration of disc 50 and disc 84. In particular, it can be seen that the portions 58 that extends outwardly of the outer diameter 56 of the discs 50 and 84 include a jagged edge 68. Furthermore, FIG. 7 shows that the thickness of the portion 58 will be minimal at side 62 and greatest at side 80. Driven disc 84 includes a hole 90 at the center thereof so as to allow fluids to pass therethrough.

(18) The disc pump of the present invention includes design improvements associated with the discs 50 and 84 so as to increase the efficiency of the disc pump. In particular, the vanes on the discs 50 and 84 have wing vanes 54 which extend beyond the outer diameter 56 so as to effectively propel the fluid. The wing vane 54 minimizes eddy currents on the back of the vane 54. Eddy currents create swirls and spaces devoid of downstream flowing liquid. These are dead zones for the next propelling vane or rib. On the wing vane of the present invention, the Coanda effect will help the liquid cling to the surface of the wing and minimize the dead zones and swirls. By increasing the diameter of the wing vane 54 beyond the outer diameter 56 of the disc 50 and/or disc 84 will increase the surface area of the propelling device. A typical rounded outer diameter disc does very little to propel the liquid. The serrated design of the present invention induces the centrifugal force and essentially increases the propelling surface area. Because of this greater surface area, more force/energy is transferred to the liquid. The impeller 82 of the present invention allows the present invention to pump liquids with slurries, solids, high-viscosity liquids, and liquids entrained with air or gases. The present invention, because of the efficiency thereof, makes the impeller more competitive and reduces the operating carbon footprint.

(19) In the present invention, the discs 50 and 84 are joined together specifically by four posts that are located approximately halfway between the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the disc. The drive disc has an outer diameter that can range between six inches and twenty inches. The driven disc will have an inner diameter of the hole 90 ranges between 2 inches and 8 inches. The outer diameters will be identical for both the drive disc 50 and the driven disc 84.

(20) FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of disc 100 of the present invention. Disc 100 can be employed in a similar manner to that described hereinabove. In particular, disc 100 includes wing vanes 102 that project outwardly beyond the outer diameter of the face 104 of disc 100. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, disc 100 can either be the drive disc or the driven disc. Specifically, in FIG. 8, the drive disc is illustrated by disc 100. Each of the wing vanes 102 will have a similar configuration to that of the wing vanes of the previous embodiment, except for the addition of a winglet 106 located at the outwardly extending portion 108 of the wing vanes 102. Winglet 106 extends in generally transverse relationship to the wing vane 102. The winglet 106 will have an airfoil shape with a narrow thickness at side 110 and a wide thickness at side 112. The airfoil shape has a curved inner surface 114 and a curved outer surface 116. FIG. 8 shows that the disc 100 has a scalloped shape. In particular, scallops 116 are located between adjacent pairs of the wing vanes 102. FIG. 8 shows that disc 100 is actually a drive disc because of the location of the connector 120 centrally of the face of the disc 100. The wing vanes 102 radiate outwardly from the connector 120.

(21) FIG. 9 shows the assembled configuration of the impeller 122 of this alternative embodiment of the present invention. In particular, it can be seen that the disc 100 is the drive disc because of the connector 120. Connector 120 connects disc 100 to the shaft of a pump or motor. The wing vanes 102 radiate outwardly from the connector 120. The winglets 106 project upwardly from the end of the wing vanes 102.

(22) In FIG. 9, the driven disc 124 has wing vanes 102 formed thereon. The winglets 126 of driven disc 124 extend downwardly from the wing vanes 102 so as to be affixed to the winglets 106 of drive disc 100.

(23) FIG. 10 shows the configuration of the impeller 122 in accordance with this alternative embodiment of the present invention. In particular, it can be seen that the driven disc 124 is joined to the drive disc 100 by the respective winglets 106 and 126. Wing vanes 102 support the winglets 106 and 122 for both the drive disc 100 and the driven disc 124. Hole 130 is formed centrally of the driven disc 124 so as to allow fluids to pass therethrough. In particular, there are four winglets 106 for each of the discs 100 and 124. As such, in this preferred embodiment, four of the wing vanes 102 will support the winglets while other wing vanes 102 are free of the winglets 106. The winglets 106 will alternate between the wing vanes 102 in the manner shown in FIG. 10.

(24) The wing vanes on the discs at the front end can have a thickness of between ¼ inch to ¾ inch. The winglet will have a front end profile which is mostly curved. However, within the concept of the present invention, it can be rectangular and can taper so as to avoid vortices. The same applies to the wing vanes. The jagged outwardly extending edges on the wing vanes on the periphery of the disc will stick out no more than 20% of the total outer diameter of the disc.

(25) The winglet serves to further increase the efficiency of the disc. This can further impart energy to the liquid at the highest centrifugal speed and near the cut water of the volute. The winglets can also serve to attach the disc together in the nature of the posts of the previous embodiment. The angle of attack of the wing vanes can vary according to the medium being pumped. The size and geometric shape of the winglet can also vary according to the medium being pumped.

(26) The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction can be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.