Patent Description:
In order to reduce the environmental impact of motor vehicles, the automotive industry is currently making a huge effort in terms of research and adaptation of production processes, with the aim of moving away from the established internal combustion engine drive in favour of electric vehicles (EV - Electric Vehicles, BEV - Battery Electric Vehicles) and hybrid vehicles (HEV - Hybrid Electric Vehicles).

Any electric or hybrid vehicle comprises at least an electric motor and a battery pack. The longevity, operating efficiency and power delivered by the battery pack strongly depend on the ability of the battery pack to work in a very narrow temperature range centred around <NUM>. Considering this need and given the irreversibility linked to the operation of the batteries, the concept of thermal management, known as "Thermal Management (TM)", was born in the electric vehicle sector and in particular in the battery electric vehicles sector.

Given the widespread use of centrifugal pumps in classic water cooling systems in internal combustion vehicles, the use of this type of pumps has also been transferred to cooling systems for electric and hybrid cars.

However, nowadays, the need to have electric cars at an ever lower cost and with greater performance, efficiency and autonomy of operation requires the identification of cooling technologies for electric batteries, and electrical and electronic components in general, that are extremely reliable, efficient and also economically competitive, with particular reference to new technologies related to pumping devices and circulation of coolants that can be alternatives and improvements of centrifugal pumps currently used in Thermal Management (TM) for the automotive sector.

Furthermore, centrifugal pumps have the disadvantage that they operate efficiently within a very narrow range of a specific duty point, which depends on the technical characteristics of the pump itself (e.g. impeller sizing; number, sizes and configuration of the relevant blades; etc.). In fact, when moving away, along the characteristic hydraulic curve of a centrifugal pump, from the so-called "Best Optimal Point - BOP", the efficiency of the centrifugal pumps drops drastically.

<CIT> discloses a vacuum pump including a rotor received in a casing having an inlet of fluid and an outlet of the fluid. An air supplying means is provided at one end in an axial direction of the casing. The casing is formed into a duplex tube structure having an inner tube receiving the rotor rotatably and an outer tube around the inner tube. An air duct for flowing cooling air by the air supplying means is provided between the inner tube and the outer tube along the axial direction.

<CIT> discloses a power generation apparatus that includes an expander, a generator that includes a generator rotor driven by the expander and a stator disposed outside the generator rotor in the radial direction; and a casing that includes an expander chamber accommodating the expander and a generator chamber accommodating the generator. The casing includes a first and a second communication ports that causes an expansion chamber to communicate with a front generator portion of the generator chamber in order to circulate a portion of the working medium for cooling the generator.

The main task of the present invention consists in realizing an improved screw-spindle pump, particularly for cooling systems, which is an alternative and an improvement with respect to the centrifugal pumps currently used.

As part of this task, one object of the present invention is to realize an improved screw-spindle pump that is quiet, compact and light compared to the prior art.

A further object of the invention consists in realizing an improved screw-spindle pump that is capable of providing the broadest guarantees of reliability and safety when used.

Another object of the invention consists in realizing an improved screw-spindle pump that is easy to make and is economically competitive when compared with the prior art.

The task disclosed above, and also the objects mentioned and others which are more apparent below, are achieved by an improved screw-spindle pump as described in claim <NUM>.

Other features are provided in the dependent claims.

Further features and advantages shall be more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of an improved pump, illustrated merely by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the improved screw-spindle pump, indicated globally with the reference number <NUM>, comprises a first driving screw <NUM>, a second screw <NUM>, meshed with said first screw <NUM> and dragged by it, and a pump housing <NUM> inside which the first screw <NUM> and the second screw <NUM> are housed so that they can rotate around their central axis. A plurality of pumping chambers <NUM> adapted to move, as a consequence of the rotation of the first screw <NUM> and the second screw <NUM>, a fluid from a suction area <NUM>, at low pressure, of the pump <NUM> to a delivery area <NUM>, at high pressure, of the pump <NUM> are defined between the first screw <NUM>, the second screw <NUM> and the pump housing <NUM>. In essence, the intermittent pumping chambers <NUM>, during the rotation of the screws <NUM> and <NUM> push in an axial direction, from the suction area <NUM> to the delivery area <NUM>, the fluid to be pumped, such as for example a coolant of a cooling system.

According to the invention, the pump housing <NUM> housing the first screw <NUM> and the second screw <NUM> is made in one piece. Furthermore, according to the invention, the pump <NUM> comprises, in correspondence of respectively the suction area <NUM> and the delivery area <NUM>, a suction port <NUM> and a delivery port <NUM> both obtained directly in the pump housing <NUM>.

In other words, the pump housing <NUM> integrates, in a single component made in one piece, both the suction port <NUM> and the delivery port <NUM>.

The fluid is preferably a liquid, and in particular a coolant of the type used in cooling systems, and even more particularly of the type used in the cooling systems for batteries and other electrical and electronic components of electric and hybrid vehicles.

Advantageously, the suction port <NUM> consists of at least one suction through hole <NUM> obtained in the pump housing <NUM>. Advantageously, moreover, the delivery port <NUM> consists of at least one delivery through hole <NUM> also obtained in the pump housing <NUM>.

Advantageously, the central axes <NUM> and <NUM> respectively of the suction through hole <NUM> and the delivery through hole <NUM> are parallel to each other and arranged according to an axial direction.

Advantageously, the choice of arranging the suction hole <NUM> and the delivery hole <NUM> in an axial direction, and parallel to each other, makes it possible to improve the integration of the pump <NUM> in the cooling system it is used for, to simplify the installation and disassembly phases of the pump <NUM> when integrated into the cooling system, as well as to increase the compactness of the pump <NUM> itself.

Advantageously, the pump housing <NUM> comprises a base <NUM>, being an integral part of the pump housing <NUM>, and comprising a pair of thrust bearings <NUM> protruding from the base <NUM> towards the inside of the pump housing <NUM>, which are adapted to axially support respectively the first screw <NUM> and the second screw <NUM> housed inside the pump housing <NUM>.

Advantageously, also these thrust bearings <NUM> are obtained integrally in the base <NUM> of the pump housing <NUM>.

The term thrust bearing generally refers to an element adapted to generate an axial abutment for a rotating element, such as a screw of a screw-spindle pump, allowing it to rotate around its axis.

The thrust bearings <NUM> are obtained in the base <NUM> in correspondence with the axial ends of the first screw <NUM> and of the second screw <NUM>, respectively, and are advantageously configured in the form of a pin.

In fact, during the operation of the pump <NUM>, the high pressure of the fluid that is generated in the delivery area <NUM> exerts a thrust on the screws <NUM> and <NUM> towards the suction area <NUM>, at low pressure. The thrust bearings <NUM> therefore act as end-of-stroke pins on the suction side, to limit the axial displacement of the screws <NUM> and <NUM>, so as to secure their axial positioning inside the pump housing <NUM>, and to keep passive torques due to frictions and wears under control.

The thrust bearings <NUM> therefore preferably consists of pins, of substantially cylindrical shape, obtained integrally with the pump housing <NUM>, and more precisely with the relative base <NUM>.

Advantageously, the length of the thrust bearings <NUM> is sized taking into account the wear due to the sliding contact with the screws <NUM> and <NUM> and the total operating hours expected for the pump <NUM>.

The configuration and the positioning of the thrust bearings <NUM> are also adapted to create a small volume of fluidic tank <NUM> and to allow conveying part of the incoming fluid from the suction port <NUM>, taking advantage of the specific pressure increase dictated by the thrust of the screws <NUM> and <NUM>, in this volume <NUM> so as to lighten the contact forces and therefore the passive torques due to the slidings of the screws <NUM> and <NUM>.

In other words, the thrust bearings <NUM> are configured to abut against the axial ends of the screws <NUM> and <NUM> so as to create a small volume of fluidic tank <NUM>, whose fluid present therein supports the screws <NUM> and <NUM> themselves.

Advantageously, the pump housing <NUM> comprises a hollow body <NUM> in which the first screw <NUM> and the second screw <NUM> are housed, and a flange <NUM> configured to be fixed to a motor <NUM> for driving the first screw <NUM>, i.e. of the driving screw. The hollow body <NUM> comprises the base <NUM> and one or more side walls <NUM>. The suction port <NUM> is obtained in the base <NUM> of the hollow body <NUM>, while the delivery port <NUM> is obtained in the flange <NUM>. The delivery port <NUM> is in fluid communication with the internal volume of said hollow body <NUM>, by means of the fluid communication volume indicated with <NUM>.

As mentioned, the hollow body <NUM>, with its base <NUM>, and the flange <NUM> are made integrally, in one piece.

Advantageously, the hollow body <NUM> is a tubular body whose cross-section is preferably elliptical, or substantially circular in shape, and such that it accommodates the two screws <NUM> and <NUM>.

Advantageously, the screw-spindle pump <NUM> also comprises the motor <NUM>, which is fixed to the pump housing <NUM>, and in particular to the flange <NUM> thereof, preferably by means of screws, not illustrated in the accompanying figures, passing through holes <NUM> obtained in the flange <NUM>.

As illustrated in particular in <FIG>, the volume of fluid communication <NUM> that puts the delivery port <NUM> in communication with the internal volume of the pump housing <NUM> is defined in part by the pump housing <NUM> itself, and in particular by the flange <NUM>, and in part by the motor <NUM> (or motor-group).

Advantageously, therefore, in correspondence with the delivery area <NUM>, the pumped fluid also reaches the motor <NUM> for driving the first screw <NUM>.

Advantageously, in fact, the high-pressure fluid present in the delivery area <NUM> is free to enter and recirculate within the motor <NUM>, providing hydrodynamic support of the relative rotating and/or floating components, such as bushings and magnet, as well as guaranteeing the cooling thereof with beneficial effects on the performance and reliability of the motor <NUM> itself.

Advantageously, the motor <NUM> is an electric motor.

Preferably the motor <NUM> is a variable speed electric motor, adapted to generate flows at variable flow rate of the screw-spindle pump <NUM>.

Advantageously, the shaft <NUM> of the motor <NUM> sets the driving screw <NUM> in motion by means of a suitable shape coupling aimed at ensuring the dragging thereof and limiting any radial misalignments.

Alternatively, the driving screw <NUM> can be put in rotation by means of a magnetic dragging motor, thus without shape couplings between a rotation shaft of the motor and the driving screw itself, so as to further reduce the risks of failure and reduce encumbrances.

Advantageously, the suction port <NUM> obtained in the base <NUM> of the pump housing <NUM> is crossed by at least one bracket <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to which the thrust bearings <NUM> are associated. Preferably, the suction port <NUM> is crossed by a plurality of brackets <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that are incident (or orthogonal) to each other and configured to define a support structure for the thrust bearings <NUM>, as well as configured to define a plurality of suction through holes <NUM>.

As illustrated in the accompanying figures, the suction port <NUM> advantageously consists of a plurality of voids, that is of a plurality of through holes <NUM>, present in the base <NUM> of the pump housing <NUM>, and reciprocally separated from each other by one or more brackets <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> to which the thrust bearings <NUM> are associated. In other words, in the suction port <NUM> there are one or more brackets <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, made integrally with the pump housing <NUM> itself, and in particular with the relative base <NUM>, which brackets define a plurality of suction holes <NUM> between them.

Advantageously, the pump housing <NUM> comprises a perimeter groove <NUM> adapted for receiving a sealing gasket <NUM>, such as for example a radial o-ring.

This sealing gasket <NUM> is adapted to guarantee the seal of the pump <NUM> towards the external environment, and in particular towards the duct that carries the cooling fluid, in order to guarantee the priming capacity of the pump <NUM> itself.

Advantageously, as illustrated in the accompanying figures, the pump housing <NUM> is a single body, made in one piece. In other words, the hollow body <NUM>, and in particular its side walls <NUM> and its base <NUM>, with the relative brackets <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the thrust bearings <NUM>, as well as the flange <NUM> are made in one piece, as a single body.

Advantageously, the pump housing <NUM> is made of a polymeric material through a molding process, in a single mold, preferably an injection molding process.

Advantageously, the first screw <NUM> and/or the second screw <NUM> are made of a polymeric material through a molding process, preferably an injection molding process, in a single mold.

Preferably, each of the pump housing <NUM> and the two screws <NUM>, <NUM> are made of a polymeric material through a molding process, preferably an injection molding process, in a single mold.

Advantageously, the mechanical and tribological properties of the polymeric material used for the molding of the pump housing <NUM>, first screw <NUM> and/or second screw <NUM> are such as to guarantee high dimensional tolerances in order to be able to ensure the required hydraulic performance and the proper functioning of the pumping elements.

The choice of the polymeric material for the realization of the pump housing <NUM>, as well as for the realization of the screws <NUM>, <NUM> allows the pump <NUM> to have reduced weights, low costs, high precisions, minimum distortions, long operating life, as well as an excellent tribological behaviour in the screw-screw and screws-pump housing coupling.

Alternatively, at least one of the following components of the screw-spindle pump <NUM> may be made of metal or a metal alloy: pump housing <NUM>, first screw <NUM> and second screw <NUM>.

Advantageously, such metal can be steel.

For example, in one embodiment of the screw-spindle pump <NUM>, the pump housing <NUM> is made of a polymeric material, while the two screws <NUM> and <NUM> are made of metal or a metal alloy, and preferably they are made of steel.

Advantageously, the first screw <NUM> and/or the second screw <NUM> are internally hollow. Preferably both screws <NUM> and <NUM> are internally hollow.

Advantageously, the screws <NUM>, <NUM> are made with percentages of reduction of the internal core that reach up to at least <NUM>% of the length of the screw <NUM>, <NUM> itself, in order to minimize the weights, the use of material and the realization times in the molding phase.

As schematically illustrated in <FIG>, the screw <NUM>, or the screw <NUM>, or both, comprise an internal cavity, indicated by <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. Preferably, said internal cavity <NUM>, <NUM> is in fluid communication with the internal volume of the pump housing <NUM>. Advantageously, in fact, the internal cavity <NUM>, <NUM> comprises at least one opening adapted to allow the fluid present inside the pump housing <NUM> to penetrate inside the internal cavity <NUM> or <NUM> itself.

Advantageously, the internal cavity <NUM>, <NUM> contains deformable elements <NUM>, <NUM> adapted for absorbing any residual pulsations generated in the fluid pumped by the pump <NUM>.

Advantageously, the moulding technique of the pump housing <NUM> allows to integrate, in the moulding phase of the pump housing <NUM> itself, also the so-called hose carriers necessary for the connection of the pump <NUM> to the circuit of the cooling system, so as to further reduce the number of components of the cooling system in the case of connection to the cooling tubes.

Advantageously, support elements of the screws <NUM> and <NUM> can also be provided in correspondence with the delivery area <NUM>, not illustrated, adapted to stabilize the axial translations of the screws <NUM> and <NUM> also in correspondence with the relative ends from the delivery side.

The operation of the screw-spindle pump <NUM>, according to the invention, is clear and evident from what is described.

In practice, it has been found that the screw-spindle pump, according to the present invention, fulfils the set tasks as well as the intended purposes as it constitutes a valid alternative to centrifugal pumps.

Another advantage of the screw-spindle pump according to the invention, consists in that it has a minimalist design that minimizes the number of components of the pump itself, which in essence are only four: motor, driving screw, dragged screw and pump housing, as well as the screws for fixing the pump housing to the motor and the sealing gasket. This also has a positive impact on the simplicity of producing and sourcing the few components of the pump and in particular on the simplicity of assembly of the same and integration into the cooling systems, in particular for the electric or hybrid vehicle sector.

A further advantage of the screw-spindle pump, according to the invention, consists in that the pump housing, in addition to performing the purely fluidic function, is provided with measures aimed at determining the precise positioning of the screws and controlling the axial translations thereof when they are not dominated by the plays of the pressures of the fluid. Furthermore, the pump housing incorporates in the part facing the motor an interface that ensures its correct alignment by means of mutually engaging portions having precisely selected centring diameters.

The same delivery and suction ports of the pump housing are designed in such a way as to maximise the integration of the component into the cooling system circuit, minimizing its encumbrances. In addition, the suction side of the pump housing is open and exposed to the fluid, which also simplifies the realization of the mold for obtaining the pump housing itself.

Another advantage of the screw-spindle pump, according to the invention, consists in that it achieves good efficiency levels at multiple operating points, both in terms of flow rate and pressure, which cannot be achieved with centrifugal-type pumping technologies.

In fact, the components of the centrifugal pumps are specifically sized so that the pump operates in the close vicinity of the so-called BOP ("Best Optimal Point"), outside of which cavitation, vibration and surge phenomena occur which drastically limit its efficiency. On the contrary, the screw-spindle pump according to the invention can operate with high efficiency in wider working ranges and, when provided with a variable speed electric motor, can also generate, without significant repercussions on the overall efficiency, variable delivery flows depending on the application and operational requirements.

A further advantage of the screw-spindle pump, according to the invention, consists in that it is developed mainly in the length direction, rather than in the radial direction, thus enabling an easier installation inside the vehicles and also facilitating the downward distribution of the masses. This is particularly useful in the automotive sector, as the chassis of the electric or hybrid vehicles are configured precisely to allow a lowered positioning of the battery pack. Also the cooling system, thanks to the configuration of the screw-spindle pump in the length direction, can therefore be designed so as to develop in length and to allow a lowered positioning of the battery pack.

Claim 1:
Screw-spindle pump (<NUM>), particularly for cooling systems, comprising a first screw (<NUM>), a second screw (<NUM>) and a pump housing (<NUM>) inside which said first screw (<NUM>) and said second screw (<NUM>) are housed, between said first screw (<NUM>), said second screw (<NUM>) and said pump housing (<NUM>) being defined a plurality of pumping chambers (<NUM>) adapted to move, as a consequence of the rotation of said first screw (<NUM>) and of said second screw (<NUM>), a fluid from a suction area (<NUM>) to a delivery area (<NUM>) of said pump (<NUM>), wherein said pump housing (<NUM>) comprises, in correspondence of respectively said suction area (<NUM>) and said delivery area (<NUM>), a suction port (<NUM>) and a delivery port (<NUM>) both obtained in said pump housing (<NUM>), wherein said suction port (<NUM>) consists of at least one suction through hole (<NUM>) obtained in said pump housing (<NUM>) and wherein said delivery port (<NUM>) consists of at least one delivery through hole (<NUM>) obtained in said pump housing (<NUM>),
wherein said pump housing (<NUM>) further comprises:
- a base (<NUM>) comprising a pair of thrust bearings (<NUM>) protruding from said base (<NUM>) towards the inside of said pump housing (<NUM>) adapted to axially support respectively said first screw (<NUM>) and said second screw (<NUM>) housed inside said pump housing (<NUM>),
- a hollow body (<NUM>) in which said first screw (<NUM>) and said second screw (<NUM>) are housed;
wherein said hollow body (<NUM>) comprises said base (<NUM>) and one or more side walls (<NUM>);
wherein said suction port (<NUM>) is obtained in said base (<NUM>); wherein said delivery port (<NUM>) is in fluid communication with the internal volume of said hollow body (<NUM>);
the screw-spindle pump being characterised in that said pump housing (<NUM>) further comprises:
- a flange (<NUM>), made as one piece with said hollow body (<NUM>) and configured to be fixed to a motor (<NUM>) for driving said first screw (<NUM>),
wherein said delivery port (<NUM>) being obtained in said flange (<NUM>);
wherein said hollow body (<NUM>) with its side walls (<NUM>), said base (<NUM>), said thrust bearings (<NUM>) and said flange (<NUM>) are made in one piece, as a single body, and
wherein the central axes (<NUM>, <NUM>) of respectively said suction through hole (<NUM>) and said delivery through hole (<NUM>) are parallel to each other and arranged according to an axial direction.