Apparatus for separating entrained air from a liquid
OwnerShawn Vaughtinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for separating entrained air from a liquid includes a chamber extending vertically and having a bottom end and a dome-shaped top end. A divider is provided within the chamber dividing the chamber into an intake cavity and an exit cavity. The divider also forms a passage way near the top end of the chamber connecting the intake cavity and the exit cavity. The liquid enters the intake cavity through an inlet which has a smaller cross-sectional area than the intake cavity. The resulting increase in the liquid's volume causes pressure drop, in turn, causing the entrained air to coalesce into larger air bubbles and rise to the top of the liquid. As the liquid flows through the passage way, the separated air escapes through a bleed hole provided in the top end of the chamber.
Claims19
An apparatus for separating entrained air from a liquid comprising:
- at least one chamber extending vertically and having a bottom end and a top end, the at least one chamber comprising:
- a divider provided within the chamber dividing the chamber longitudinally into an intake cavity for receiving a liquid and an exit cavity from which the liquid exits the chamber;
- a space between the divider and inner surface of the top end of the chamber defining a passage way connecting the intake cavity and the exit cavity;
- an inlet provided in the intake cavity for ingress of the liquid, the inlet being spaced apart from the top end of the chamber, wherein the intake cavity has a larger cross-sectional area than the inlet;
- an outlet provided in the exit cavity for egress of the liquid, the outlet being spaced apart from the top end of the chamber;
- a bleed hole, through which the separated entrained air exits, provided in the top end of the chamber near the passage way.
A fuel delivery system for separating entrained air from a liquid fuel being supplied to an engine, the system comprising:
- a fuel input port for receiving the liquid fuel from a fuel tank;
- a fuel output port for directing the liquid fuel to the engine;
- a fuel return port for receiving excess fuel from the engine;
- a fuel return output port for returning the excess fuel to the fuel tank;
- a fuel return passage connecting the fuel return input port and the fuel return output port;
- at least one air separating chamber provided between the fuel input port and the fuel output port, the air separating chamber extending vertically and comprising:
- a bottom end and a top end;
- a divider provided within the chamber dividing the chamber longitudinally into an intake cavity for receiving a liquid and an exit cavity from which the liquid exits the chamber;
- a space between the divider and inner surface of the top end of the chamber defining a passage way connecting the intake cavity and the exit cavity;
- an inlet provided in the intake cavity for ingress of the liquid, the inlet being spaced apart from the top end of the chamber, wherein the intake cavity has a larger cross-sectional area than the inlet;
- an outlet provided in the exit cavity for egress of the liquid, the outlet being spaced apart from the top end of the chamber;
- a bleed hole, through which the separated entrained air exits, provided in the top end of the chamber near the passage way, wherein the chamber's inlet is connected to the fuel input port and the chamber's outlet is connected to the fuel output port and the bleed hole is connected to the fuel return passage allowing the air exiting the bleed hole to mix with the excess fuel and returned to the fuel tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.