# US 10,369,497 B2 · Foreign substance removal apparatus, circulation system and vehicle cooling system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,497 B2 - Document ID: US10369497B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/551,609 - Filed: 2016-01-21 - Published: 2018-02-01 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-20 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Inventors: Takafumi Nakai; Hironori Kuriki; Kazuhiro Miya; Nozomu Yasunaga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369497B2 ## CPC - B01D 21/2444: {Discharge mechanisms for the classified liquid} - B01D 21/0024: {Inlets or outlets provided with regulating devices, e.g. valves, flaps (B01D21/24 takes precedence)} - B01D 21/24: Feed or discharge mechanisms for settling tanks - B01D 21/2483: {Means or provisions for manually removing the sediments} - B01D 21/26: Separation of sediment aided by centrifugal force {or centripetal force}(centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C) - B01D 21/267: {by using a cyclone} - B04C 5/14: Construction of the underflow ducting; Apex constructions; Discharge arrangements {; discharge through sidewall provided with a few slits or perforations (provided with a great number of slits or perforations B04C5/10)} - B04C 5/15: with swinging flaps or revolving sluices; Sluices; Check-valves - F01P 11/06: Cleaning (in general B08B); Combating corrosion (in general C23F) - F28F 19/01: by using means for separating solid materials from heat-exchange fluids, e.g. filters - H05K 7/20263: {Heat dissipaters releasing heat from coolant} - H05K 7/20272: {Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds} - H05K 7/20927: {Liquid coolant without phase change} - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B04C: APPARATUS USING FREE VORTEX FLOW, e.g. CYCLONES ({centrifugal separation of water from steam B01D45/12;} jet mills B02C19/06; {wind sifters B07B7/00;} cyclonic type combustion apparatus F23; {vortex burners for cyclone-type combustion apparatus F23D1/02; cyclonic type combustion apparatus for gas turbines F23R3/00}) - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract This invention is a foreign substance removal apparatus that removes foreign substances in such a medium as a refrigerant that flows through a circulation path, the foreign substance removal apparatus including: a foreign substance sedimentation unit which is connected to the circulation path and is configured to settle the foreign substances; a foreign substance separation unit configured to separate, from the foreign substance sedimentation unit, the foreign substances settled in the foreign substance sedimentation unit; first pressure open/close means which is disposed on a bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit, and is configured to open or close in accordance with pressure inside the circulation path; and a foreign substance discharge pipe which connects the bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit and the foreign substance separation unit via the first pressure open/close means. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A foreign substance removal apparatus that removes foreign substances in a medium that flows through a circulation path, the foreign substance removal apparatus comprising: a foreign substance sedimentation unit which is connected to the circulation path and is configured to settle the foreign substances; a foreign substance separation unit configured to separate, from the foreign substance sedimentation unit, the foreign substances settled in the foreign substance sedimentation unit; first pressure open/close means which is disposed on a bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit, and is configured to open or close in accordance with pressure inside the circulation path; and a foreign substance discharge pipe which connects the bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit and the foreign substance separation unit via the first pressure open/close means, wherein when the pressure inside the circulation path increases, the first pressure open/close means enters an open state, the medium in the foreign substance sedimentation unit is discharged to the foreign substance separation unit via the foreign substance discharge pipe, and then the first pressure open/close means enters a close state, when the pressure inside the circulation path decreases, the first pressure open/close means enters the open state, and a part of the medium stored in the foreign substance separation unit is supplied to the foreign substance sedimentation unit via the foreign substance discharge pipe, and the foreign substances, which are settled in the foreign substance sedimentation unit, are separated in the foreign substance separation unit by the opening/closing of the first pressure open/close means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of the medium is stored in the foreign substance separation unit, and an outlet of the foreign substance discharge pipe is located in a part of the stored medium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first pressure open/close means includes a first open/close valve which enters an open state when the pressure inside the circulation path increases, and a second open/close valve which enters an open state when the pressure inside the circulation path decreases. ### Claim 4 A foreign substance removal apparatus that removes foreign substances in a medium that flows through a circulation path, the foreign substance removal apparatus comprising: a foreign substance sedimentation unit which is connected to the circulation path and is configured to settle the foreign substances; a foreign substance separation unit configured to separate, from the foreign substance sedimentation unit, the foreign substances settled in the foreign substance sedimentation unit; first pressure open/close means which is disposed on a bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit, and is configured to open or close in accordance with pressure inside the circulation path; a foreign substance discharge pipe which connects the bottom of the foreign substance sedimentation unit and the foreign substance separation unit via the first pressure open/close means; second pressure open/close means which is disposed in an upper part of the foreign substance sedimentation unit and is configured to open/close in accordance with the pressure inside the circulation path; and a medium supply pipe which connects the foreign substance separation unit and the foreign substance sedimentation unit via the second pressure open/close means, wherein the foreign substances, which are settled in the foreign substance sedimentation unit, are separated in the foreign substance separation unit by the opening/closing of the first pressure open/close means, a part of the medium is stored in the foreign substance separation unit, and an outlet of the foreign substance discharge pipe is located in the stored medium, when the pressure inside the circulation path increases, the first pressure open/close means enters an open state, the medium in the foreign substance sedimentation unit is discharged to the foreign substance separation unit via the foreign substance discharge pipe, and then the first pressure open/close means enters a close state, and when the pressure inside the circulation path decreases, the second pressure open/close means enters an open state, and a part of the medium stored in the foreign substance separation unit is supplied to the foreign substance sedimentation unit via the medium supply pipe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circulation path includes a tubular inlet configured to guide the medium into the foreign substance sedimentation unit, and a tubular outlet configured to guide the medium in the foreign substance sedimentation unit to outside of the foreign substance sedimentation unit, and a vertical sectional area inside the foreign substance sedimentation unit is larger than vertical sectional areas of the tubular inlet and the tubular outlet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal sectional area of the foreign substance sedimentation unit decreases toward the bottom. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the foreign substance sedimentation unit is disposed in the middle of a circulation pipe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a tubular inlet of the circulation pipe configured to guide the medium into the foreign substance sedimentation unit opens downward in the vertical direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a division plate configured to suppress the stirring up of the foreign substances settled on a bottom of the foreign substance separation unit is disposed inside the foreign substance separation unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the foreign substance sedimentation unit is a liquid cyclone configured to cyclone-separate the foreign substances in the medium by generating a vortex flow in the medium introduced inside the foreign substance sedimentation unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the liquid cyclone includes: a cyclone main unit constituted by a cylindrical portion and a conical portion, the diameter of which gradually decreases downward from a bottom of the cylindrical portion; a storage unit which is disposed in an upper part of the cyclone main unit, and is defined from inside of the cyclone main unit by a partition wall; and a connection pipe which is disposed on an axial center line of a vortex flow generated inside the cyclone main unit, and connects the inside of the cyclone main unit and the storage unit, and a tubular inlet of the circulation path is disposed in the cylindrical portion of the cyclone main unit, and a tubular outlet of the circulation path is disposed in the storage unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the foreign substance separation unit is open to air. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outlet of the foreign substance discharge pipe opens upward in the vertical direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medium is a refrigerant. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A circulation system in which a cooling device configured to cool a cooling target object using a refrigerant, and a heat radiator configured to cool the refrigerant are connected via a circulation pipe, wherein the foreign substance removal apparatus according to claim 14 is disposed in the middle of the circulation pipe. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A vehicle cooling system that cools an in-vehicle electronic device, the vehicle cooling system comprising the circulation system according to claim 15, wherein the cooling target object of the circulation system includes the in-vehicle electronic device.