Centrifugal Pump Comprising a Spiral Housing
A centrifugal pump includes a spiral housing with a first housing part and a second housing part. The central region of the second housing part is cup-shaped in order to receive the rotor situated in a wet chamber and forms a bearing at the base of the cup-shaped region rotatably mounting the rotor. A stator surrounds the second housing part and is situated in a dry chamber in the vicinity of the exterior of the rotor.
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This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/EP2008/051570, filed on Feb. 8, 2008, which claims Priority to the German Application No. 10 2007 010 050.9, filed: Mar. 1, 2007 the contents of both being incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a centrifugal pump having a spiral housing. The invention further relates to the use of the centrifugal pump.
2. Prior Art
Centrifugal pumps having spiral housings are known. DE 103 47 302 A1 describes a two-part spiral housing for a centrifugal pump, which is of optimized design from the point of view of fluid mechanics. Such centrifugal pumps are generally driven by an electric motor, the stator of the electric motor being arranged in a dry chamber and the rotor in a wet chamber. The rotor therefore turns in the wet chamber, which is the medium to be pumped. The dry chamber and the wet chamber are divided by a separately arranged can. A disadvantage being that it is necessary to arrange sealing elements between the one part of the spiral housing and the can avoid liquid or vapor from the wet chamber getting into the dry chamber. Over prolonged operating times, as the seal gradually becomes porous, or when subjected to vibrations acting on the centrifugal pump, it is often not possible to avoid liquid or vapor passing from the wet chamber into the dry chamber. This results, in damage to electronic components, which in addition to the stator are also arranged in the dry chamber.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the invention, is to create a centrifugal pump having a spiral housing, in which liquid or vapor from the wet chamber enclosing the rotor is prevented from entering the dry chamber.
The object of the invention is achieved by a centrifugal pump having a spiral housing, which comprises a first housing part and a second housing part, in which the central area of the second housing part is of a continuous cup-shaped design to accommodate the rotor situated in the wet chamber N, and a bearing for the rotatable mounting of the rotor is formed in the cup-shaped base part, a stator being arranged in the dry chamber T externally surrounding the second housing part in the area of the rotor. The central area of the second housing part is of a continuous cup-shaped design, which means that it forms a virtually cylindrical part with terminating base. The cup-shaped design defines the wet chamber N, which accommodates the rotor. In the cup-shaped base part the second housing part forms a bearing for the rotatable mounting of the rotor, the cup-shaped base part either itself serving as bearing or accommodating a bearing for the rotor.
Due to the continuous cup-shaped configuration of the second housing part, it is possible to completely prevent liquid from the wet chamber N getting into the dry chamber T. There is advantageously no need to divide the wet chamber N from the dry chamber T through sealing elements by way of a separate can. A continuous separation of the dry chamber T from the wet chamber N is ensured even over prolonged operating times. The arrangement of a separate can is advantageously dispensed with altogether.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the outer area of the second housing part has an outline of curved longitudinal section perpendicular to the direction of flow of the medium flowing in from the inlet E. The precise curved profile is engineered to optimize the fluid mechanics of the spiral housing. This is an advantageous way of adjusting the flow conditions in the spiral housing to an optimum setting, so that the overall space required for the centrifugal pump is reduced. The invention further relates to the use of the centrifugal pump as a coolant centrifugal pump in a motor vehicle. Coolant centrifugal pumps in motor vehicles have to function over a prolonged time, there being a need to avoid damaging the electronic components in the dry chamber T. The use of the centrifugal pump as a coolant centrifugal pump in a motor vehicle is therefore particularly advantageous.
The invention will be explained in more detail below by way of example and with reference to the drawings.
Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1-3. (canceled)
4. A centrifugal pump having a spiral housing, the spiral pump comprising:
- a first housing part; and
- a second housing part configured to mate with the first housing part, the second housing part comprising: a central continuous cup-shaped area accommodating a rotor; and a cup-shaped base part of the cup-shaped area accommodating a bearing for rotatable mounting of the rotor, and
- a chamber externally surrounding the second housing part accommodating a stator in an area corresponding to the rotor.
5. The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an inlet, the inlet being substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the central continuous cup-shaped area,
- wherein an outer area of the second housing part has an outline of curved longitudinal section perpendicular to the direction of flow of a medium flowing in from the inlet.
6. The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein the centrifugal pump is configured as a coolant centrifugal pump in a motor vehicle.
7. The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 5, wherein the centrifugal pump is configured as a coolant centrifugal pump in a motor vehicle.
8. The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein the chamber externally surrounding the second housing part is configured as a dry chamber.
9. The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein the central continuous cup-shaped area configured to accommodate a rotor is configured as a wet chamber.
10. The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 4, further comprising at least one seal arranged at an open end of the central continuous cup-shaped area of the second housing part and at least one of the first housing part and a stator housing part configured to surround at least the stator.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 8, 2008
Publication Date: May 6, 2010
Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH (Hannover)
Inventor: Rajko Colic (Bad Homburg)
Application Number: 12/529,455
International Classification: F04D 29/44 (20060101);