Side-channel pump with axial gas bearing

摘要

A pump comprises a regenerative pumping mechanism. A rotor of the pump has a generally disc-shaped pump rotor mounted on an axial driveshaft for rotation relative to a stator, the pump rotor having rotor formations disposed in a surface and defining at least a portion of a flow path for pumping gas from an inlet to an outlet. The rotor formations are formed between the pump rotor and the stator of the pumping mechanism. The pump rotor and the stator comprise an axial gas bearing arrangement for controlling axial clearance between the rotor and the stator during pump operation. The gas bearing is located at a radially outward position on the rotor.

主权项

1. A pump for pumping fluid, comprising a regenerative pumping mechanism comprising:
a stator comprising a planar surface, a plurality of concentric channels formed in the planar surface and a planar circumferential gas bearing surface level with the planar surface; a generally disc-shaped pump rotor mounted on an axial shaft for rotation relative to the stator, the pump rotor having rotor formations comprising a plurality of concentric circles of shaped recesses disposed in a surface wherein each concentric circle of shaped recesses is aligned with a respective concentric channel of the stator and defining at least a portion of a flow path formed between the pump rotor and the stator for pumping gas from an inlet to an outlet of the pumping mechanism; and an axial gas bearing arranged to control axial clearance between the rotor and the stator during pump operation, the axial gas bearing located between the plurality of concentric circles of shaped recesses and an outlet of the pump that is at atmospheric pressure, the axial gas bearing comprising a rotor part and a stator part aligned with the rotor part, the rotor part comprising a plurality of bearing surfaces interspersed between a plurality of recessed portions on the rotor, and the stator part comprising a planar circumferential gas bearing surface of the stator.