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US 12,661,664 B2Granted
In-line debris separator for liquid
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsWilliam Charles Quaile, John Joseph Zielinski, Xin Pu, Scott T. Armstrong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flow separator includes a flow swirling arrangement and a particle collection space disposed in-line with an inlet and an outlet of a flow separator. The flow swirling arrangement includes a bladed arrangement disposed around a flow diverter. The particle collection space is an annular space disposed at an opposite end of a swirl region from the flow swirling arrangement. The annular space is disposed at the radially outward-most portion of the flow passage to collect particles via centrifugal force. A gas conduit may extend from the flow diverter through the particle collection space to separate out gas from the liquid of the input flow.
Claims31
A flow separator comprising:
- a separator housing defining a central axis, the separator housing including a length that extends along the central axis between first and second ends of the separator housing, the first end of the separator housing defining an inlet of the separator housing and the second end of the separator housing defining an outlet of the separator housing, the inlet and the outlet being co-axially aligned along the central axis, the separator housing defining a flow passage that extends through the separator housing along the central axis from the inlet to the outlet, an enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage being defined by a main inner surface of a sidewall of the separator housing that surrounds the central axis, the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage having a larger diameter than the inlet;
- a flow diverter positioned within the flow passage, the flow diverter being co-axially aligned with the central axis and including an outer surface that faces at least partially toward the inlet, the outer surface defining an outer diameter of the flow diverter that enlarges as the outer surface extends toward the outlet of the separator housing;
- helical flow-turning blades positioned between the outer surface of the flow diverter and the main inner surface of the sidewall of the separator housing for causing flow moving through the flow passage toward the outlet to swirl about the central axis;
- a particle collection space defined by the separator housing around the central axis adjacent the main inner surface of the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage of the separator housing, the particle collection space having an annular shape and being located downstream of the flow diverter, wherein the particle collection space is defined between the main inner surface of the flow passage and an annular particle collection wall spaced radially inwardly from the main inner surface;
- and
- a swirl region within the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage axially between the flow diverter and the outlet of the separator housing, wherein the particle collection space is located at a downstream end of the swirl region, wherein the helical flow-turning blades are adapted to cause flow to swirl about the central axis within the swirl region such that particles within the swirling flow are centrifugally forced radially outwardly against the main inner surface of the sidewall and are captured in the particle collection space;
- wherein the flow diverter is positioned within the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage at a location axially spaced form the inlet, wherein the main inner surface is cylindrical, wherein an outer diameter of a downstream portion of the flow diverter is spaced radially inwardly from the main inner surface by a distance that is less than 25% of a transverse cross-dimension of the inlet, wherein the flow diverter includes a hollow interior defined by an inner surface that faces at least partially toward the outlet, and wherein the flow diverter has an open downstream end providing fluid communication between the swirl region and the hollow interior;
- a gas outlet mount coupled to an exterior of the separator housing, the gas outlet mount defining a gas outlet port leading to an interior of the gas outlet mount;
- and
- a conduit extending from the gas outlet mount into an interior of the separator housing, through the flow passage, and upstream towards the flow diverter, wherein the conduit extends from the gas outlet port into the open downstream end and into the hollow interior of the flow diverter.
7 more elements
A flow separator comprising:
- a separator housing extending along a central axis between an inlet and an outlet, the separator housing defining a flow passage that extends through the separator housing along the central axis from the inlet to the outlet, the flow passage having an intermediate portion having a larger transverse cross-dimension than the inlet, an enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage being defined by a main inner surface of a sidewall of the intermediate portion of the separator housing;
- a flow diverter disposed within the flow passage, the flow diverter having a first surface facing at least partially toward the inlet and a second surface facing at least partially towards the outlet,
- a bladed arrangement disposed around the flow diverter so that at least a portion of the bladed arrangement is disposed radially between the flow diverter and the separator housing, the bladed arrangement being configured to direct flow in a swirl around the flow diverter;
- a swirl region disposed along the flow passage and extending downstream of the flow diverter;
- and
- a barrier wall disposed within the flow passage at an opposite end of the swirl region from the flow diverter, the barrier wall cooperating with the flow passage to define an annularly shaped particle collection space having a pathway leading outwardly away from the particle collection space;
- wherein an axial distance between the particle collection space and a downstream end of the flow diverter is greater than an axial height of the flow diverter;
- wherein a distance is defined between a maximum outer diameter of the flow diverter and the main inner surface of the sidewall of the intermediate portion of the separator housing, and wherein the distance is between 1% and 15% of a transverse cross-dimension of the inlet of the separator housing
- wherein the flow diverter is positioned within the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage at a location axially spaced form the inlet, wherein the main inner surface is cylindrical, wherein the distance is less than 25% of a transverse cross-dimension of the inlet of the separator housing, wherein the flow diverter includes a hollow interior defined by an inner surface that faces at least partially toward the outlet, and wherein the flow diverter has an open downstream end providing fluid communication between the swirl region and the hollow interior;
- a gas outlet mount coupled to an exterior of the separator housing, the gas outlet mount defining a gas outlet port leading to an interior of the gas outlet mount;
- and
- a conduit extending from the gas outlet mount into an interior of the separator housing, through the flow passage, and upstream towards the flow diverter, wherein the conduit extends from the gas outlet port into the open downstream end and into the hollow interior of the flow diverter.
9 more elements
A flow separator comprising:
- a separator housing defining a central axis, the separator housing including a length that extends along the central axis between first and second ends of the separator housing, the first end of the separator housing defining an inlet of the separator housing and the second end of the separator housing defining an outlet of the separator housing, the inlet and the outlet being co-axially aligned along the central axis, the separator housing defining a flow passage that extends through the separator housing along the central axis from the inlet to the outlet, an enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage being defined by a main inner surface of a sidewall of the separator housing that surrounds the central axis;
- a flow diverter positioned within the flow passage, the flow diverter being co-axially aligned with the central axis and including an outer surface that faces at least partially toward the inlet, the outer surface defining an outer diameter of the flow diverter that enlarges as the outer surface extends toward the outlet of the separator housing;
- helical flow-turning blades positioned between the outer surface of the flow diverter and the main inner surface of the sidewall of the separator housing for causing flow moving through the flow passage toward the outlet to swirl about the central axis;
- a particle collection space defined by the separator housing around the central axis adjacent the main inner surface of the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage of the separator housing, the particle collection space having an annular shape and being located downstream of the flow diverter;
- a swirl region within the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage axially between the flow diverter and the outlet of the separator housing, wherein the particle collection space is located at a downstream end of the swirl region, wherein the helical flow-turning blades are adapted to cause flow to swirl about the central axis within the swirl region such that particles within the swirling flow are centrifugally forced radially outwardly against the main inner surface of the sidewall and are captured in the particle collection space;
- a gas outlet mount coupled to an exterior of the separator housing, the gas outlet mount defining a gas outlet port leading to an interior of the gas outlet mount;
- and
- wherein the flow diverter includes a hollow interior defined by an inner surface that faces at least partially toward the outlet, wherein the flow diverter has an open downstream end providing fluid communication between the swirl region and the hollow interior;
- and
- a conduit extending from the gas outlet mount into an interior of the separator housing, through the flow passage, and upstream towards the flow diverter, wherein the conduit extends from the gas outlet port into the open downstream end and into the hollow interior of the flow diverter.
7 more elements
A flow separator comprising:
- a separator housing defining a central axis, the separator housing including a length that extends along the central axis between first and second ends of the separator housing, the first end of the separator housing defining an inlet of the separator housing and the second end of the separator housing defining an outlet of the separator housing, the inlet and the outlet being co-axially aligned along the central axis, the separator housing defining a flow passage that extends through the separator housing along the central axis from the inlet to the outlet, an enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage being defined by a main inner surface of a sidewall of the separator housing that surrounds the central axis, the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage having a larger diameter than the inlet, the main inner surface of the sidewall being cylindrical;
- a flow diverter positioned within the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage and separated from the inlet by an axial spacing, the flow diverter being co-axially aligned with the central axis and including an outer surface that faces at least partially toward the inlet, the outer surface defining an outer diameter of the flow diverter that enlarges as the outer surface extends toward the outlet of the separator housing;
- helical flow-turning blades positioned between the outer surface of the flow diverter and the main inner surface of the sidewall of the separator housing for causing flow moving through the flow passage toward the outlet to swirl about the central axis;
- a particle collection space defined by the separator housing around the central axis adjacent the main inner surface of the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage of the separator housing, the particle collection space having an annular shape and being located downstream of the flow diverter, wherein the particle collection space is defined between the main inner surface of the flow passage and an annular particle collection wall spaced radially inwardly from the main inner surface;
- and
- a swirl region within the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage axially between the flow diverter and the outlet of the separator housing, wherein the particle collection space is located at a downstream end of the swirl region, wherein the helical flow-turning blades are adapted to cause flow to swirl about the central axis within the swirl region such that particles within the swirling flow are centrifugally forced radially outwardly against the main inner surface of the sidewall and are captured in the particle collection space;
- wherein a distance is defined between a maximum outer diameter of the flow diverter and the main inner surface of the sidewall of the separator housing;
- wherein the distance is less than 25% of a transverse cross-dimension of the inlet of the separator housing;
- wherein the flow diverter is positioned within the enlarged diameter portion of the flow passage at a location axially spaced form the inlet;
- wherein the flow diverter includes a hollow interior defined by an inner surface that faces at least partially toward the outlet, wherein the flow diverter has an open downstream end providing fluid communication between the swirl region and the hollow interior;
- a gas outlet mount coupled to an exterior of the separator housing, the gas outlet mount defining a gas outlet port leading to an interior of the gas outlet mount;
- and
- a conduit extending from the gas outlet mount into an interior of the separator housing, through the flow passage, and upstream towards the flow diverter, wherein the conduit extends from the gas outlet port into the open downstream end and into the hollow interior of the flow diverter.
10 more elements
A flow separator comprising:
- a separator housing extending along a central axis between an inlet and an outlet, the separator housing defining a flow passage that extends through the separator housing along the central axis from the inlet to the outlet, the flow passage having an intermediate portion including a main inner surface of a sidewall of the separator housing that surrounds the central axis, the intermediate portion of the flow passage having a larger diameter than the inlet;
- a flow diverter disposed within the intermediate portion of the flow passage and separated from the inlet by an axial spacing, the flow diverter having a first surface facing at least partially toward the inlet and a second surface facing at least partially towards the outlet,
- a bladed arrangement disposed around the flow diverter so that at least a portion of the bladed arrangement is disposed radially between the flow diverter and the main inner surface of the intermediate portion of the separator housing, the bladed arrangement being configured to direct flow in a swirl around the flow diverter;
- a swirl region disposed along the flow passage and extending downstream of the flow diverter;
- and
- a barrier wall disposed within the flow passage at an opposite end of the swirl region from the flow diverter, the barrier wall cooperating with the flow passage to define an annularly shaped particle collection space having a pathway leading outwardly away from the particle collection space;
- wherein a distance is defined between a maximum outer diameter of the flow diverter and the main inner surface of the sidewall of the separator housing, and wherein the distance is between 1% and 15% of a transverse cross-dimension of the inlet of the flow separator housing;
- wherein the flow diverter includes a hollow interior defined by an inner surface that faces at least partially toward the outlet, and wherein the flow diverter has an open downstream end providing fluid communication between the swirl region and the hollow interior;
- wherein the flow diverter has an open downstream end providing fluid communication between the swirl region and the hollow interior;
- a gas outlet mount coupled to an exterior of the separator housing, the gas outlet mount defining a gas outlet port leading to an interior of the gas outlet mount;
- and
- a conduit extending from the gas outlet mount into an interior of the separator housing, through the flow passage, and upstream towards the flow diverter, wherein the conduit extends from the gas outlet port into the open downstream end and into the hollow interior of the flow diverter.
9 more elements
An in-line flow separator comprising:
- a separator housing extending along a central axis between an inlet and an outlet, the separator housing defining a flow passage that extends through the separator housing along the central axis from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the inlet and the outlet of the separator housing are coaxial;
- a flow diverter disposed within the flow passage, the flow diverter having a first surface facing at least partially toward the inlet and a second surface facing at least partially towards the outlet,
- a bladed arrangement disposed around the flow diverter so that at least a portion of the bladed arrangement is disposed radially between the flow diverter and the separator housing, the bladed arrangement being configured to direct flow in a swirl around the flow diverter;
- a swirl region disposed along the flow passage and extending downstream of the flow diverter;
- and
- a barrier wall disposed within the flow passage at an opposite end of the swirl region from the flow diverter, the barrier wall cooperating with the flow passage to define an annularly shaped particle collection space having a pathway leading outwardly away from the particle collection space;
- a sensor housing coupled to the separator housing, the sensor housing having an interior in fluid communication with the pathway, the sensor housing including a particle sensor for detecting particles received in the sensor housing from the particle collection space through the pathway;
- wherein the flow diverter includes a hollow interior defined by an inner surface that faces at least partially toward the outlet, and wherein the flow diverter has an open downstream end providing fluid communication between the swirl region and the hollow interior and wherein the flow diverter has an open downstream end providing fluid communication between the swirl region and the hollow interior;
- a gas outlet mount coupled to an exterior of the separator housing, the gas outlet mount defining a gas outlet port leading to an interior of the gas outlet mount;
- and
- a conduit extending from the gas outlet mount into an interior of the separator housing, through the flow passage, and upstream towards the flow diverter, wherein the conduit extends from the gas outlet port into the open downstream end and into the hollow interior of the flow diverter.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.