# US 10,871,132 B2 · Coalescence element and filter element having a coalescence element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,132 B2 - Document ID: US10871132B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/951,246 - Filed: 2018-04-12 - Published: 2018-08-16 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-15 - Assignees: Mann+Hummel GmbH - Applicants: MANN+HUMMEL GmbH - Inventors: Stefan Eichinger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871132B2 ## CPC - B01D 29/21: with corrugated, folded or wound sheets - B01D 17/045: {with coalescers} - B01D 27/148: {arranged concentrically or coaxially} - B01D 29/58: arranged concentrically or coaxially - B01D 36/003: {Filters in combination with devices for the removal of liquids (B01D35/185 takes precedence)} - B01D 39/1623: {of synthetic origin} - D01F 6/92: of polyesters - F02M 37/24: characterised by water separating means - F02M 37/34: by the filter structure, e.g. honeycomb, mesh or fibrous - B01D 2239/0681: The layers being joined by gluing - 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) - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF ## Abstract A coalescence element is provided with at least one coalescence medium configured to coalesce water contained in a fluid. The at least one coalescence medium is made of a material with a packing density of at most 10%. The coalescence element is embodied as a single layer formed as a cylindrical jacket and has a fluid path for a fluid between an inlet side and an outlet side of the cylindrical jacket. A filter element with a filter bellows and a support pipe arranged coaxially inside the filter bellows is provided with such coalescence element that is arranged between the filter bellows and the support pipe in the flow direction so as to surround the support pipe at a radial outer side. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A coalescence element embodied as a single layer formed as a cylindrical jacket and comprising a fluid path for a fluid between an inlet side and an outlet side of the cylindrical jacket, the coalescing element comprising: at least one coalescence medium configured to coalesce water contained in the fluid and comprised of a material with a packing density of at most 10%; wherein the at least one coalescing medium is made of staple fibers of polyester, viscose or a combination thereof; wherein the staple fibers of the at least one coalescing medium are reinforced fibers, reinforced by needling; wherein the at least one coalescing medium has an average pore size of at least 100 μm; and wherein the at least one coalescing medium has an air permeability of greater than 1500 l/cm2h and less than or equal to 4,500 l/cm2h. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The coalescence element according to claim 1, wherein\ the packing density is at most 8% and at least 2%. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The coalescence element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one coalescence medium is made of polyester and the at least one coalescence medium comprises a thickness in a range between 2 mm and 5 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The coalescence element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one coalescence medium is made of viscose and the at least one coalescence medium comprises a thickness in a range between 0.5 mm and 4 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The coalescence element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one coalescence medium is made of viscose and the at least one coalescence medium comprises an air permeability of at least 1,000 l/cm2h. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The coalescence element according to claim 1, further comprising a final separator arranged at the outlet side, wherein the final separator is comprised of a hydrophobic material or a material with a hydrophobic surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The coalescence element according to claim 1, further comprising end disks that are fluid-tightly connected to oppositely positioned end faces of the cylindrical jacket. ### Claim 8 A filter element comprising: a raw side and a clean side and a flow path for a fluid to be filtered in a flow direction from the raw side to the clean side; at least one filter bellows comprising oppositely positioned end faces; end disks fluid-tightly connected to the oppositely positioned end faces of the at least one filter bellows; at least one support pipe arranged coaxially inside the at least one filter bellows, the at least one support pipe connected to the end disks, wherein the at least one support pipe comprises passages allowing the fluid to be filtered to pass through the at least one support pipe; at least one coalescence element embodied as a single layer formed as a cylindrical jacket and comprising a fluid path for the fluid to be filtered between an inlet side and an outlet side of the cylindrical jacket, the coalescing element comprising: at least one coalescence medium configured to coalesce water contained in the fluid to be filtered and comprised of a material with a packing density of at most 10%: wherein the at least one coalescing medium is made of staple fibers of polyester, viscose or a combination thereof; wherein the staple fibers of the at least one coalescing medium are reinforced fibers, reinforced by needling; wherein the at least one coalescing medium has an average pore size of at least 100 μm; and wherein the at least one coalescing medium has an air permeability of greater than 1500 l/cm2h and less than or equal to 4,500 l/cm2h; wherein the cylindrical jacket of the at least one coalescence element is arranged between the at least one filter bellows and the at least one support pipe in the flow direction and surrounds the at least one support pipe at a radial outer side of the at least one support pipe. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The filter element according to claim 8, wherein a shape of the coalescence element is supported and stabilized between the at least one filter bellows and the at least one support pipe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The filter element according to claim 8, wherein the at least one filter bellows comprises a hollow cylindrical shape and wherein the fluid path extends radially through the at least one filter bellows and the at least one coalescence element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The filter element according to claim 10, wherein the flow direction of the fluid path extends radially from an exterior region to an interior region of the hollow cylindrical shape of the at least one filter bellows. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The filter element according to claim 8, wherein the coalescence element is arranged at a clean side of the at least one filter bellows. ### Claim 13 A filter system for filtering a fluid, the filter system comprising: a filter housing; a filter element arranged in the filter housing and comprising a raw side and a clean side and a flow path for a fluid to be filtered in a flow direction from the raw side to the clean side; wherein the filter element comprises at least one filter bellows comprising oppositely positioned end faces, wherein the end disks are fluid-tightly connected to the oppositely positioned end faces of the at least one filter bellows; wherein the filter element further comprises at least one support pipe arranged coaxially inside the at least one filter bellows, the at least one support pipe connected to the end disks, wherein the at least one support pipe comprises passages allowing the fluid to be filtered to pass through the at least one support pipe; wherein the filter element further comprises at least one coalescence element embodied as a single layer formed as a cylindrical jacket and comprising a fluid path for the fluid to be filtered between an inlet side and an outlet side of the cylindrical jacket, the coalescing element comprising: at least one coalescence medium configured to coalesce water contained in the fluid to be filtered and comprised of a material with a packing density of at most 10%; wherein the at least one coalescing medium is made of staple fibers of polyester, viscose or a combination thereof; wherein the staple fibers of the at least one coalescing medium are reinforced fibers, reinforced by needling; wherein the at least one coalescing medium has an average pore size of at least 100 μm; and wherein the at least one coalescing medium has an air permeability of greater than 1500 l/cm2h and less than or equal to 4,500 l/cm2h; wherein the cylindrical jacket of the at least one coalescence element is arranged between the at least one filter bellows and the at least one support pipe in the flow direction and surrounds the at least one support pipe at a radial outer side of the at least one support pipe; wherein the at least one coalescence element of the filter element is arranged at a clean side of the filter element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one filter bellows is a hollow cylindrical filter bellows. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the filter element further comprises a final separator arranged inside the filter element at the clean side. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The filter system according to claim 13, configured as a fuel filter system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The filter system according to claim 13, configured as a prefilter or a suction-side filter system of a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine.