Pump with variable flow diverter that forms volute

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11105339-B2
Application number	US-201716071302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2017
Priority date	Jan 22, 2016
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

In an aspect, a pump is provided and includes a pump housing having a pump inlet and a pump outlet. An impeller is rotatably supported in the pump housing for rotation about an impeller axis, and has an impeller inlet configured for drawing in liquid during rotation of the impeller, and an impeller outlet configured for discharging liquid in a generally radial direction. A diverter is pivotally connected in an impeller outlet receiving chamber in the pump housing. The diverter is movable between a first position in which it provides a first restriction to flow out from the pump housing and a second position in which it provides a second restriction to flow out from the pump housing that is greater than the first restriction. In the first position, the diverter forms at least a portion of a volute around at least a portion of the impeller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pump for pumping liquid through a vehicular cooling system, comprising:
a pump housing having a pump inlet, a first pump outlet fluidically connected to a first cooling load and a second pump outlet fluidically connected to a second cooling load;
an impeller rotatably supported in the pump housing, and having an axially oriented impeller inlet configured for drawing in liquid generally axially from the pump inlet during rotation of the impeller, and a radially oriented impeller outlet configured for discharging liquid generally radially from the impeller towards the first and second pump outlets;
a first cooling load diverter having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the first cooling load diverter being pivotally connected to the pump housing;
a second cooling load diverter having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the second cooling load diverter being pivotally connected to the pump housing;
wherein the first cooling load diverter is movable between a first position for the first cooling load diverter in which the first cooling load diverter provides a first flow restriction to flow out from the first pump outlet and a second position for the first cooling load diverter in which the first cooling load diverter provides a second flow restriction to flow out from the first pump outlet that is greater than the first flow restriction to flow out from the first pump outlet, wherein, in the first position for the first cooling load diverter, the first cooling load diverter forms at least a portion of a first volute around a first portion of the impeller so that the first flow restriction for the first cooling load diverter is zero,
wherein the second cooling load diverter is movable between a first position for the second cooling load diverter in which the second cooling load diverter provides a first flow restriction to flow out from the second pump outlet, and a second position for the second cooling load diverter in which the second cooling load diverter provides a second flow restriction to flow out from the second pump outlet that is greater than the first flow restriction to flow out from the second pump outlet, wherein, in the first position for the second cooling load diverter, the second cooling load diverter forms at least a portion of a second volute around a second portion of the impeller so that the first flow restriction for the second cooling load diverter is zero,
wherein the first volute increases progressively in cross-sectional area in a direction from the first end of the first diverter to the second end of the first diverter,
wherein the second volute increases progressively in cross-sectional area in a direction from the first end of the second diverter to the second end of the second diverter;
a first actuator operatively connected to the first cooling load diverter for selectively moving the first cooling load diverter between the first and second positions for the first cooling load diverter; and
a second actuator operatively connected to the second cooling load diverter for selectively moving the second cooling load diverter between the first and second positions for the second cooling load diverter,
wherein the first and second actuators are independently controlled to move the first and second cooling load diverters independent of each other.

2. The pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, over a selected range of engine rpm, movement of the first cooling load diverter between the first and second positions for the first cooling load diverter while maintaining the second cooling load diverter in the first position for the second cooling load diverter causes less than a 10 percent change in liquid flow through the second pump outlet.

3. The pump as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the selected range of engine rpm includes an engine rpm of about 1000 rpm.

4. The pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, over a selected range of engine rpm, movement of the first cooling load diverter between the first and second positions for the first cooling load diverter while maintaining the second cooling load diverter in the first position for the second cooling load diverter causes less than a 5 percent change in liquid flow through the second pump outlet.

5. The pump as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the selected range of engine rpm includes an engine rpm of about 2000 rpm.

6. A method of operating a pump that has a pump housing having a pump inlet, a first pump outlet connected to a first cooling load and a second pump outlet connected to a second cooling load and that has an impeller rotatably supported in the pump housing for rotation about an impeller axis, wherein the impeller has an impeller inlet configured for drawing in liquid from the pump inlet during rotation of the impeller, and an impeller outlet configured for discharging liquid in a generally radial direction, wherein the pump housing has a first impeller outlet receiving chamber for transport of liquid from the impeller to the first pump outlet and a second impeller outlet receiving chamber for transport of liquid from the impeller to the second pump outlet, wherein the method comprises:
a) providing a first cooling load diverter in the pump housing in the first impeller outlet receiving chamber, the first cooling load diverter being moveable between a first position in which flow is substantially unrestricted and a second position which substantially prohibits liquid flow through the first pump outlet;
b) providing a second cooling load diverter in the pump housing in the second impeller outlet receiving chamber, the second cooling load diverter being moveable between a first position in which flow is substantially unrestricted and a second position which substantially prohibits liquid flow through the second pump outlet;
c) shaping the first and second cooling load diverters and the first and second first impeller outlet receiving chambers so that, while the impeller is rotating at a selected speed, positioning the first cooling load diverter in the second position for the first cooling load diverter while maintaining the impeller at the selected speed and while maintaining the second cooling load diverter in the first position for the second cooling load diverter does not change a first flow rate through the second pump outlet by more than 10%.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the impeller speed is 1000 rpm and positioning the first cooling load diverter in its second position while maintaining the second cooling load diverter in its first position causes less than a 10 percent change in liquid flow through the second pump outlet.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the impeller speed is 2000 rpm and positioning the first cooling load diverter in its second position while maintaining the second cooling load diverter in its first position causes less than a 5 percent change in liquid flow through the second pump outlet.

9. A pump for pumping liquid through a vehicular cooling system, comprising:
a pump housing having a pump inlet, a first pump outlet fluidically connected to a first cooling load and a second pump outlet fluidically connected to a second cooling load;
an impeller rotatably supported in the pump housing, and having an axially oriented impeller inlet configured for drawing in liquid generally axially from the pump inlet during rotation of the impeller, and a radially oriented impeller outlet configured for discharging liquid generally radially from the impeller towards the first and second pump outlets; and
a first cooling load diverter connected to the pump housing and a second cooling load diverter connected to the pump housing,
wherein the first cooling

Assignees

• Litens Automotive Inc

Inventors

• Jia Zhengjie
• Antchak John R

Classifications

• F04D29/468 Primary

  adjusting flow cross-section, otherwise than by using adjustable stator blades · CPC title

• F01P5/10

  Pumping liquid coolant; Arrangements of coolant pumps · CPC title

• F01P7/14

  the coolant being liquid · CPC title

• F04D15/0022

  throttling valves or valves varying the pump inlet opening or the outlet opening · CPC title

• F01P2007/146

  using valves · CPC title