The Optimum Groove Geometry for Spiral Groove Viscous Pumps

Abstract

The optimum geometries of disk and cylindrical sprial groove viscous pumps to provide the maximum pressure or flow rate are investigated theoretically. The geometrical design parameters, such as the groove angle, groove to ridge clearance ratio, groove width ratio and ridge clearance ratio, are considered as functions of meridional coordinate. Results are obtained from the solution of a differential equation for the smoothed overall pressure distribution of a spiral groove viscous pump. It is found that outflow rate increases with the increase of groove to ridge clearance ratio λ, and that for each value of λ there exist “optimum” values of groove angle and groove width ratio, which give a maximum outflow rate. However, the increase of λ decreases the ridge clearance.