Patent ID: 9217436
Filing Date: 2015-12-22
Classification: F04D

Abstract:
1. An impeller fan assembly comprising: a housing having an inner peripheral wall defining a flow through opening; a stator located within the flow through opening and comprising an annular array of stationary blades provided along the inner peripheral wall; a rotor comprising a hub and an annular array of non-stationary blades extending from the hub; at least two spaced apart bearings mounted to the stator; a shaft having a hollow portion rotatably supported by the bearings for rotation about a rotational axis; a sump provided in the stator; and a screw pump provided within the hollow portion of the shaft and having a screw pump inlet fluidly coupled to the sump and a screw pump outlet in fluid communication with the bearings, whereby rotation of the screw pump pumps fluid from the sump to the bearings, wherein the sump spans the bearings such that when the shaft is oriented such that the rotational axis is horizontal, the bearings are at least partially immersed within the fluid in the sump, and when the shaft is oriented such that the rotational axis is vertical, at least one of the bearings is not immersed in the fluid within the sump.