NEW ADAPTIVE ROTOR IN THE VANE-IN-GROOVE PUMPS: SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF THE MECHANICAL LOSSES

摘要

Conventional Vane-In-Groove pumps comprise the annular working groove in one of the rotor ends, movable "plane-to-plane" sealing elements connected to the housing and means for the axial rotor balancing. These pumps would have a low level of mechanical losses due to good balancing of the rotor bearings and vanes drives. But some losses remain and the major part of these losses is caused by cyclic variations of the friction forces between the flat surfaces of the rotor and the sealing element. Cyclic transfer of the fluid portions from the suction area to the pumping area causes the variations of the axial forces acting on the end surfaces of the rotor and on the sealing elements connected to the housing. Hence the friction forces between the rotor end and the sealing elements vary during the transfer cycle. Range of such friction oscillations is the main factor determining the mechanical losses. The level of these mechanical "oscillation losses" was essential disadvantage of conventional Vane-In-Groove pumps. Analysis of the said axial forces variations between the sealing surfaces being described for the different Vane-In-Groove pump architectures shows the ways to overcome this disadvantage of conventional Vane-In-Groove pumps by the new pump architecture. New Vane-In-Groove pump design with the adaptive sectional rotor architecture is described. Experimental testing verifies significant decrease of mechanical losses and hence essential improvement of the Vane-In-Groove pump total efficiency. Achieved level of total efficiency due to mechanical losses reduction makes Vane-In-Groove pumps usable in all common fluid power applications.