Hybrid manufacture of an impeller

1 . A centrifugal pump comprising:

a guide device; and

at least one impeller downstream of the guide device, wherein

the guide device is a hybrid component comprising at least one conventionally manufactured constituent having a layer structure formed by casting and at least one generatively manufactured constituent having a multilayer structure,

the at least one generatively manufactured constituent is elements having the multilayer structure and being configured to engage into counter-elements, while a remainder of the guide device, other than the elements has the layer structure formed by casting, wherein

the at least one conventionally manufactured constituent is a one-piece double ring, wherein the one-piece double ring comprises a rounded guide ring and a square-edged ring connected by at least two webs to define a flow gap between the rounded guide ring and the square-edged ring, and

the guide device has front shaped portion which, in the form of a receiving vane, receives an impeller discharge that passes through the flow gap between the rounded guide ring and the square edged ring.

2 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one generatively manufactured constituent is a guide element.

3 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the guide device has more than two guide elements, and/or less than twenty guide elements.

4 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one generatively manufactured constituent has a radially outwardly curved shape.

5 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one generatively manufactured constituent has formations configured to guide flow.

6 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the formations comprise at least one receiving shaped portion, a channel-forming shaped portion, and a rear shaped portion with a flow-off vane contour.

7 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one generatively manufactured constituent surrounds a guide ring without any gaps.

8 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one generatively manufactured constituent has sealing elements configured to connect a guide ring in a gap-free manner.

9 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one conventionally manufactured constituent has at least two connecting webs configured to connect a guide ring to the square-edged ring.

10 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 9 , wherein one of the at least one conventionally manufactured constituent has counter-elements configured to engage with elements.

11 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 10 , wherein one of the at least one generatively manufactured constituent and one of the at least one conventionally manufactured constituent are connected by a non-releasable welded connection.

12 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the one of the at least one generatively manufactured constituent and the one of the at least one conventionally manufactured constituent are connected by a releasable plug-in connection.

13 . A method comprising:

providing a centrifugal pump having a guide device and at least one impeller positioned downstream of the guide device;

forming the guide device as a hybrid component by:

casting at least one conventionally manufactured constituent having a layer structure formed by casting;

generatively manufacturing at least one additional constituent having a multilayer structure;

assembling the generatively manufactured constituent with the conventionally manufactured constituent such that the generatively manufactured constituent includes elements having the multilayer structure that engage into counter-elements of the conventionally manufactured constituent, while a remainder of the guide device other than the elements comprises the layer structure formed by casting;

constructing the at least one conventionally manufactured constituent as a one-piece double ring by:

forming a rounded guide ring and a square-edged ring; and

connecting the rounded guide ring and the square-edged ring by at least two webs to define a flow gap between the rounded guide ring and the square-edged ring;

forming a front-shaped portion on the guide device in the form of a receiving vane configured to receive an impeller discharge passing through the flow gap between the rounded guide ring and the square-edged ring; and

operating the centrifugal pump such that the impeller discharges fluid through the flow gap and into the receiving vane of the guide device.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one generatively manufactured constituent has elements configured to engage into counter-elements.

15 . The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one generatively manufactured constituent is a guide element having a radially outwardly curved shape, the guide element having formations configured to guide flow, and sealing elements configured to generate a gap-free connection to the guide ring.