METHOD FOR OPERATION OF A MULTIPLE-MEMBRANE PUMP

METHODE D'OPERATION D'UNE POMPE MULTI-MEMBRANE

English Abstract

Dual-membrane pumps have already been known in the state of the art for a long time. There, in general, a plunger is used so as to operate the two membranes in push-pull mode. However, it is also known to achieve a corresponding function, also in push-pull mode, wherein the work is performed using independent but synchronized drives. Proceeding from this, the present invention would like to utilize the possibilities, in general, of multiple-membrane pumps more effectively, in that a deviation from synchronized operation of such a pump takes place. By means of completely uncoupled operation of the pump parts, it is possible to implement a metering pump by means of a single pump, in which all the two parts pass through unequal conveying amounts, so that a predeterminable mixture can be produced.

French Abstract

Des pompes à deux membranes sont déjà connues depuis longtemps dans létat de la technique. En général, un poussoir est utilisé pour exploiter les deux membranes en mode symétrique. Cependant, létat de la technique est aussi connu pour réaliser une fonction correspondante, aussi en mode symétrique, les travaux sont effectués au moyen de moteurs indépendants, mais synchronisés. Partant de ce point, la présente invention souhaite utiliser les possibilités, en général, de pompes à membranes multiples plus efficacement, à savoir quune déviation de lexploitation synchronisée de ces pompes a lieu. Au moyen dune exploitation complètement découplée des parties de la pompe, il est possible de mettre en uvre une pompe de dosage, dans laquelle toutes les deux parties passent à travers des quantités de convoyage inégales, de sorte quun mélange prédéterminé puisse être produit.

Claims

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CLAIMS
1. Method for operation of a multiple-membrane pump, which
has a pump housing having multiple membrane chambers
accommodated in parallel line sections, which chambers are
enclosed, in each instance, between two ball valves that
close in the same flow direction, and are divided, in
fluid-tight manner, into a liquid chamber and an air
chamber, in each instance, by a membrane, and wherein at
least one drive is furthermore assigned to the pump
housing in a drive chamber disposed between the air
chambers, wherein the drive has drive means that are
mechanically connected with the membranes, for moving the
membrane between two movement end points, in each
instance, independently of one another, and the drive
means of the two membranes are asynchronously moved by the
at least one drive,
characterized in that the drive means of the multiple
membranes are moved, using the drive, by way of adjustable
gear mechanisms, so as to achieve an adjustable conveying
ratio.
2. Method for operation of a multiple-membrane pump according
to claim 1, characterized in that the multiple-membrane
pump is a dual-membrane pump having two membranes.
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3. Method for operation of a multiple-membrane pump according
to claim 1, characterized in that the multiple-membrane
pump is a membrane pump having three or more membranes.
4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that the drive means of the two membranes
are moved at a different stroke frequency.
5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that the drive means of the two membranes
are moved by different drives.
6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that the drives are electric motors.
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Description

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METHOD FOR OPERATION OF A
MULTIPLE-MEMBRANE PUMP
The present invention relates to a method for operation of a
multiple-membrane pump, which has a pump housing having
multiple membrane chambers accommodated in parallel line
sections, which chambers are enclosed, in each instance,
between two ball valves that close in the same flow direction,
and divided, in fluid-tight manner, into a liquid chamber and
an air chamber, in each instance, by a membrane, and wherein
at least one drive is furthermore assigned to the pump housing
in a drive chamber disposed between the air chambers, wherein
the drive has drive means that are mechanically connected with
the membranes, for moving the membrane between two movement
end points, in each instance, independently of one another,
and the drive means of the two membranes are asynchronously
moved by the at least one drive.
Such a solution with regard to precisely two membranes is
already known from DE 10 2016 121 333 Al, wherein further
prior art is evident from US 4,718,832 A and US 2012/0063924
Al.
Dual-membrane pumps have already been known for a long time in
the state of the art. They are known for transporting even
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difficult material to be conveyed, and are based on the fact
that two membranes in membrane chambers that lie opposite one
another alternately fill a liquid chamber in a suction
movement and empty it in a pressure movement. In this regard,
ball valves ensure a predetermined conveying direction, in
that they block the inflow side during the pressure movement
and the outflow side during the suction movement. In this
regard, the membranes are coupled using a rigid connection
shaft, and therefore move in push-pull mode.
The state of the art preferably provides for activation of the
membranes using compressed air. A compressed-air connector is
provided in a central chamber, by way of which connector
compressed air is introduced into a first membrane chamber.
The membrane chambers are divided into an air chamber and a
liquid chamber by the membrane, wherein the compressed air
flows into the air chamber and compresses the liquid chamber,
and thereby the liquid is pressed out of the liquid chamber.
In this regard, the membrane moves away from the opposite
chamber, but because of the connection using the connection
shaft, takes the opposite membrane along with it and will
compress the air chamber but expand the liquid chamber, and
thereby exert a suction effect on the inflow. At the outermost
point, an air distributor changes the air direction, and the
air is introduced into the opposite air chamber, which has
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just been emptied, and the membranes move in the opposite
direction, in coupled manner.
It is true that a known method from FR 54 797 E 1
supplementally provides that the two membranes are not
connected with one another directly, but rather separately, by
themselves, but are nevertheless operated synchronously to one
another.
However, such a method, whether with separate or through-
connected membranes, brings about the result that the
membranes always move in push-pull mode, and consequently also
move the same conveying amounts.
Against this background, the present invention is based on the
task of proposing a method for operation of a multiple-
membrane pump, in which adapted use of a multiple-membrane
pump, in particular also as a metering pump, is made possible.
This is accomplished by means of a method for operation of a
multiple-membrane pump in accordance with the characteristics
of claim 1. Practical further developments of such a method
for operation of a multiple-membrane pump can be found in the
dependent claims.
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According to the invention, it is provided that a multiple-
membrane pump has a structure extensively as previously known
with regard to the dual-membrane pump from the state of the
art. It comprises a pump housing having multiple parallel line
sections, which each form a membrane chamber. In the membrane
chambers, there is a membrane, in each instance, which divides
the membrane chamber, in liquid-tight manner, into a liquid
chamber and an air chamber. Only the liquid chamber can be
reached by way of the line sections, and it is delimited, in
the inflow and outflow side, by means of ball valves.
The invention now provides that instead of the mechanism
operated with compressed air, a drive chamber be provided
between the membrane chambers, in which drive chamber one or
more drives and drive elements connected with it are
accommodated for mechanical action against the membranes. The
drive means are moved back and forth between two movement end
points by means of the mechanical force of the at least one
drive, and in this regard take the membranes along with them,
so that at first, fundamentally the same movement sequence
occurs as in the known dual-membrane pump in the state of the
art.
However, the difference consists in that the at least one
drive is now operated in such a manner that the two or more
membranes are now operated not in push-pull mode, but rather
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independently of one another. In this way, it is now possible
to bring the output lines of the multiple-membrane pump
together and to use this pump as a metering pump, in which an
adjustable stream of a second, third or further media is added
to a stream of a first medium.
The drive means are connected with the same drive, by way of
different gear mechanisms. Nevertheless, an adjustable
conveying ratio is achieved with only one drive, by means of
adjustable gear mechanisms.
With regard to the drives used, different solutions can be
utilized; in particular, electric motors can be used as
drives.
What has been described above is therefore a method for
operation of a multiple-membrane pump, which provides for
asynchronous control of the two membranes and therefore makes
it possible to use a multiple-membrane pump as a metering
pump.
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