The design and working principle of the vane air motor
Vane air motors are produced with power ratings up to approximately 5 kW. It has a basic design and consists of only a few components.
Design
– A slotted rotor rotates eccentrically in the chamber formed by the cylinder and cylinder end plates. – Since the rotor is off-center and its diameter smaller than that of the cylinder, a crescent-shaped chamber is created. – The rotor slots are provided with vanes that move freely to divide the chamber into separate working chambers of different sizes. – As a result of the centrifugal force, which is often reinforced by the compressed air, the vanes are forced against the cylinder wall to seal the individual chambers. – The actual efficiency of these seals is a function of what is called ”internal leakage”.
1. Front end plate
2. Rotor
3. Vane
4. Cylinder
5. Rear end plate
Working principle
Thanks to this simple principle the energy of the compressed air is converted into rotational motion from chamber to chamber, and the motor turns.