Kinematic modeling, analysis and test on a quiet spherical pump

In this paper, design and modeling of a novel spherical pump are undertaken. Both sound and vibration properties of the pump are studied experimentally. The working mechanism of the pimp is analyzed firstly, and then structural design and kinematic theory are modeled by using two different coordinate systems. Nonlinear kinematic constraint equations are developed using a generalized computational method for spatial kinematic analysis. These equations are solved to yield the displacement, angular velocity and acceleration properties of motion parts with different structural parameters. Sound and vibration characteristics of the spherical pump and traditional solenoid pumps are studied experimentally at different rotating speeds of 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3000 rev/min. Results indicate that sound pressure levels of the proposed spherical are reduced to 40.7 dB(A), which are 11.1 dB(A) lower than the traditional solenoid pump's 51.8 dB(A) at the rated operating conditions. The sound spectra are analyzed in detail in order to investigate the causes, which are structural pattern and working mechanisms. The proposed spherical pump has many advantages and can be utilized as a substitute for other pumps in some special fields, such as hospital facilities and household appliances. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.