Fluid separating device
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorW. Dean
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid separator device allows for introducing air entrained in a liquid flow to a centrifugal pump in a manner that will not allow the pump to become gas bound. One example device designed according to this invention includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet downstream of the inlet. An air chamber is positioned on an opposite side of the inlet from the outlet. An air flow passage allows air from the air chamber to be introduced near a rotor assembly input of a centrifugal pump such that relatively small air bubbles are introduced to the liquid flow through the rotor assembly in a manner that prevents the air bubbles from recollecting into a larger bubble that would otherwise interfere with the centrifugal pump operation.
Claims22
A fluid separator device, comprising:
- a housing having an inlet, an outlet downstream of the inlet, an air chamber on an opposite side of the inlet, and an air flow passage having an input side in communication with the air chamber and an output side near the outlet, the inlet having a first flow dimension, the outlet having a second flow dimension and the air flow passage output having a third flow dimension that is less than at least one of the first or second dimensions.
A method of introducing a fluid that contains air and liquid into a centrifugal pump that has a rotor, comprising the steps of:
- receiving the fluid at a first position spaced from the rotor;
- and
- directing an amount of gas from the received fluid to a second position adjacent the rotor in smaller increments than the amount received at the first position.
An assembly for controlling fluid flow, comprising:
- a first component that has at least one portion through which a fluid selectively flows;
- and
- a pump device having a pump portion that draws fluid from the first component and directs fluid toward the first component and a fluid separator portion having a separator inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the first component, a separator outlet on one side of the separator inlet that is in communication with an inlet of the pump portion, an air chamber on an opposite side of the separator inlet and an air flow passage having an air flow inlet in communication with the air chamber and an outlet near the separator outlet, the air flow passage having a flow dimension that is smaller than at least one of the separator inlet or the separator outlet.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a power stack assembly;
- an accumulator for containing a coolant fluid;
- and
- a pump device in communication with the power stack assembly and the accumulator for selectively directing coolant through the power stack assembly, the pump device having a pump portion and a separator portion having a separator inlet in communication with an outlet of the power stack assembly, a separator outlet in communication with an inlet of the pump portion, an air chamber on an opposite side of the separator inlet and an air flow passage having an input side in communication with the air chamber and an output side near the separator outlet, the air flow passage having a flow dimension that is smaller than a flow dimension of at least one of the separator inlet or the separator outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.