A PUMP WITH AN ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLABLE STROKE VOLUME

Abstract: This invention relates to a pump with an electronically controllable stroke volume. The pump comprises a metal pump housing (1) with an intake line (3) and a delivery line (4), a coil (2) arranged around the bottom part of the pump housing (1), a one-way valve (10,11) in said delivery line (4), and a chamber formed in the interior of the housing. The intake line (3) terminates in an upper part of the chamber and the delivery line (4) terminates in a lower part of the chamber. A plunger (5) mounted in the chamber is biased to a first position by a spring (7). The lower part of the plunger (5) extends within the chamber into the bottom part of the pump housing (1), and at least the lower part of the plunger (5) is made of a magnetisable material.

Description: This invention relates to a pump with an electronically controllable stroke volume which can be used in surroundings where high temperatures and/or high pressures prevail, while the pump must also be resistant to the effect of neutron and gamma radiation. There is a need for such a pump, for example for applications in nuclear reactor technology, e.g. in simulating failures in nuclear reactors in test set-ups of trial reactors. Commercial pumps are unsuitable for use in nuclear reactors because they are not resistant to high pressures, and/or high temperatures, and/or the effect of neutron and gamma radiation. Existing pumps comprise plastic and rubber parts, such as membranes and seals, while existing electronically controllable pumps are provided, for example, with a motor whose winding is not resistant to the above effects. Furthermore, for certain uses in nuclear reactors it is necessary for the pump to be of very small size and yet present a large stroke volume, which requirements are not satisfied by the existing pumps either. Finally, in a reactor the pump is used under water, as a consequence of which the voltage at which the pump can be operated must not exceed 48 V. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a pump which satisfies the above requirements, and in particular a pump which is assembled fully from corrosion-resistant metal and ceramic material, as such materials are resistant to conditions prevailing in a nuclear reactor. It is a further object of the invention to provide a pump that is hermetically sealed from its surroundings and has a large, electronically controllable stroke volume, with the pump being arranged to operate at a supply voltage no higher than 48 V. For this purpose the present invention provides a pump with an electronically controllable stroke volume, comprising a metal pump housing with an intake line and a delivery line, a coil arranged around the bottom part of the pump housing, a one-way valve in said delivery line, a chamber formed in the interior of the housing, said intake line terminating in an upper part of said chamber and said delivery line terminating in a lower part of said chamber, and a plunger mounted in said chamber, said plunger being biased to a first position by a spring, the lower part of the plunger extending within the chamber into the bottom part of the pump housing, and at least the lower part of the plunger being made of a magnetisable material. Preferable, the top of the plunger has an extension in which a passage is formed which forms a connection between the upper part and the lower part of the chamber in the pump housing, and in which passage a one-way valve is provided. The one-way valves preferable include springbiased balls, so that the entire pump only comprises three movable members, that is to say, the plunger and the two balls of the one-way valves. The extension of the plunger, which extends into the upper part of the chamber in the pump housing, has a pre-determined length, which during the operation of the pump provides for a dynamic seal between the intake side and the delivery side of the pump. This dynamic seal renders the use of, e.g., rubber sealing rings unnecessary. The coil is wound from metal wire surrounded by a ceramic insulation, e.g. aluminum oxide or magnesium oxide, and a thin outer sheath of metal. Such a wire is known per se for use in water-proof heating elements, but not for use in coils. It has surprisingly been found that a coil wound from this material is very satisfactory and resistant to high temperatures, high pressures and neutron and gamma radiation. One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a part-sectional elevational view of the pump according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view, taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1. In Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 designates the pump housing, which is made of corrosion-resistant metal. Arranged around the bottom part of the pump housing is a coil 2, shown diagrammatically. The pump housing 1 further comprises an intake line 3 and a delivery line 4. Formed within the pump housing is a chamber for receiving a plunger 5. The lower part of the plunger, as viewed in Fig. 1, extends into the bottom part of housing 1 to such an extent that it is surrounded by coil 2. Plunger 5 has an extended top portion 5', in which a passage 6 is formed, through which liquid can flow from intake line 3 to the lower part of the chamber. Plunger 5 is biased towards a first, uppermost position, in which its collar portion 5" is in contact with the pump housing, by a spring 7, which abuts against a shoulder formed in the chamber of the pump housing. Formed within passage 6 is a one-way valve, comprising a ball 9 loaded by a spring 8 to close passage 6. A similar shut-off valve, comprising a ball 11 biased by a spring 10 is formed in delivery line 4. For a good operation of the pump, it is necessary that at least the part of plunger 5 that is surrounded by coil 2 is made of a magnetisable material, although naturally the entire plunger may be made of this material. The operation of the pump according to the invention is as follows. When an electric voltage pulse is supplied to coil 2, through lines not shown, from a known per se source of voltage, the lower part of the plunger will be pulled against, or down to the vicinity of, the bottom of pump housing 1, against the action of spring 7, by the magnetic field generated by coil 2. As a result, the liquid present within the chamber in the pump housing is forced through line 4 out of the pump housing, thereby opening the one-way valve in the delivery line. The one-way valve in passage 6 prevents liquid from being removed through that conduit. When the supply voltage to coil 2 drops out, the plunger 5 will be returned to his uppermost position under the influence of spring 7, whereby liquid can flow through passage 6 into the lower part of the chamber, thereby opening the one-way valve in passage 6. The extension 5' of the plunger provides for an effective dynamic seal between the intake side and the delivery side of the pump, without any rubber sealing rings or the like being required for this purpose. Owing to the length of plunger portion 5' and the inertia of the liquid, hardly any liquid flows through the interspace between the chamber wall and the plunger portion 5' during pump action. Pressure variations in the system in which the pump is included have no effect on its operation, because these variations are immediately counterbalanced through the one-way valves in the intake and delivery lines, provided of course these lines are connected to the same system. In a trial set-up, use was made of a pump as illustrated in Fig. 1, with a diameter of 40 mm and a length of 112mm. The coil was made of 300 windings of a stainless steel coaxial cable with an outer diameter of 1 mm, wound around a non-magnetisable stainless steel core having an inner diameter of 14.6 mm. The coil had a resistance of ≅ 7 ohm. Supplied to the coil was a block voltage with an amplitude of 30 V and a controllable frequency, whereby a current of 3 Amp flowed through the coil. By controlling the frequency of the supply voltage, the stroke volume of the pump, determined by the plunger surface area times the stroke times the frequency of the plunger, was varied. With a frequency of 5 Hz, the pump was found to have a stroke volume of 150 cm³/min; at 10 Hz 250 cm³/ min; and at 20 Hz 350 cm³/min. It further turned out that the stroke volume could also be varied by varying the amount of the supply voltage, because with such a variation the plunger is pulled farther or less far in the direction of the bottom of the pump housing. The pump was further found to be resistant to internal or external pressures of up to 200 bar and temperatures of about 400°C. In principle the pump is resistant to still higher temperatures, but at such high temperatures the magnetic properties of the plunger are adversely affected. As the pump is fully made of corrosion-resistant metal and ceramic material it is also resistant to the effect of gamma radiation and neutron radiation of a high intensity as occurring in nuclear plants. Although the pump according to the invention has been described for use in a nuclear reactor, it is naturally suitable for other purposes, in particular for use in corrosive liquids and/or at high temperatures and/or at high pressures. Also, the pump can be given dimensions different from the above without adversely affecting its good operation.

Claims: 1. A pump with an electronically controllable stroke volume comprising a metal pump housing with an intake line and a delivery line, a coil arranged around the bottom part of the pump housing, a one-way valve in said delivery line, a chamber formed in the interior of the housing, said intake line terminating in an upper part of said chamber and said delivery line terminating in a lower part of said chamber, and a plunger mounted in said chamber, said plunger being biased to a first position by a spring, the lower part of the plunger extending within the chamber into the bottom part of the pump housing, and at least the lower part of the plunger being made of a magnetisable material. 2. A pump as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plunger has an extension extending into the upper part of the chamber, the arrangement being such that the extension of the plunger forms a dynamic seal with the chamber wall, and that a passage is formed in the extension of the plunger, which passage forms a connection between the upper part and the lower part of the chamber in the pump housing and in which passage a one-way valve is provided. 3. A pump as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the one-way valves include spring-biased balls. 4. A pump as claimed in any of claims 1-3, characterized in that the entire plunger is made of magnetisable material. 5. A pump as claimed in any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the coil is wound from a metal wire having a ceramic insulation cladding and a closed metal outer sheath.

Inventors: KORKO, ANTONI RICHARD, MARKGRAF, JOACHIM FRITZ WILHELM
Applicants: EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY (EURATOM)
Application year: 1986
Main classification: F04B15
IPC codes: F04B17, H02K3, F04B15, H02K33