US 11,719,244 B2
Pump having liquid blades and an associated method of pumping
Ian David Stones, Felbridge (GB); Nigel Paul Schofield, Horsham (GB); and Ian Andrew Norton, Bristol (GB)
Assigned to Edwards Limited, Burgess Hill (GB)
Appl. No. 16/639,528
Filed by Edwards Limited, Burgess Hill (GB)
PCT Filed Aug. 16, 2018, PCT No. PCT/GB2018/052322
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 14, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/034877, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 21, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1713187 (GB), filed on Aug. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0172440 A1, Jun. 10, 2021
Int. Cl. F04D 17/18 (2006.01); F04C 25/02 (2006.01); F04C 29/00 (2006.01); F04C 29/12 (2006.01)
CPC F04D 17/18 (2013.01) [F04C 25/02 (2013.01); F04C 29/0057 (2013.01); F04C 29/0092 (2013.01); F04C 29/124 (2013.01); F04C 2210/22 (2013.01); F04C 2220/10 (2013.01); F04C 2240/10 (2013.01); F04C 2240/20 (2013.01); F04C 2240/40 (2013.01); F04C 2240/50 (2013.01); F04C 2240/603 (2013.01); F05B 2210/12 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A positive displacement vacuum pump for pumping a gas, the positive displacement vacuum pump comprising:
a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
a rotor and a stator, the stator defining a stator bore, wherein the rotor is located within the stator bore;
a shaft connected with the rotor and configured to rotate the rotor within the stator bore, wherein the stator bore surrounds the rotor and the shaft;
at least the rotor comprising at least one liquid opening configured for fluid communication with a liquid source a bottom portion of the rotor and the shaft each being at least partially immersed in the liquid source located in a liquid reservoir at the bottom of the stator bore; and
the at least one liquid opening being configured such that, in response to a driving force exerted on liquid from the liquid source, a stream of liquid is output from the at least one liquid opening, the stream of liquid forming a liquid blade between the rotor and the stator, within the stator bore,
wherein the gas is confined by the stator, the rotor, and the liquid blade and the liquid blade drives the gas through the positive displacement vacuum pump from the gas inlet towards the gas outlet,
wherein the shaft extends away from and above the liquid reservoir within the stator bore in a vertical direction, and
wherein a longitudinal axis of the shaft of the rotor and a longitudinal axis of the stator are orientated in the vertical direction.