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US 2026/0021432 A1Published application
Centrifugal Oil Separator, System, and Methods of Use
AssigneeWestermeyer Industries Inc.
InventorsGary W. Westermeyer, David Robert Frenk
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Abstract
An oil separator is described herein comprising a housing with first and second oil-gas separation sections and a lower oil reservoir. The second oil-gas separation section includes a bulk mesh portion that occupies a majority of the space between the inner wall of the housing and an outer wall of a central outlet tube for separated gas. An impingement plate is positioned between the second separation section and the oil reservoir section, and is configured to reduce gas turbulence in order to minimize oil re-entrainment into the gas. Related systems and methods also are disclosed.
Claims20
An oil separator, comprising:
- a housing having a tubular wall with an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, an upper end closure and a lower end closure, the housing including:
- a first separation section comprising a tangential inlet adapted to receive an oil-gas mixture, the first separation section being configured to promote circular flow of the incoming oil-gas mixture, and having a layer of a first mesh portion formed on the inner surface of the wall of the housing configured to collect oil particles, and
- a second separation section positioned below the first separation section, the second separation section being configured to collect additional oil particles,
- an oil reservoir section positioned below the second separation section, the oil reservoir section including an oil reservoir chamber configured to retain accumulated oil particles, and an oil outlet,
- a central tube extending axially within the housing through the first separation section and at least a portion of the second separation section, the central tube having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, a lower end portion, and an opposite upper end portion connected to a fluid outlet fitting, at least one of the upper end portion and the fluid outlet fitting extending outwardly through the upper end closure of the housing,
- a second mesh portion that occupies a majority of the space between the inner wall of the housing and an outer wall of the central tube in the second separation section, and
- an impingement plate positioned below the central tube and between the second separation section and the oil reservoir section, the impingement plate being configured to reduce gas turbulence in order to minimize oil re-entrainment into the gas.
4 more elements
A refrigeration system, comprising:
- a gas cooler configured to cool a gas while maintaining the temperature of the gas above a critical temperature for the gas,
- an evaporator downstream from the gas cooler,
- a compressor downstream from the evaporator,
- an oil separator configured to remove oil from a gas-oil stream exiting the compressor, and
- an oil conduit configured to return separated oil to the compressor,
- the oil separator comprising:
- a housing with a first separation section comprising a tangential inlet adapted to receive an oil-gas mixture, the first separation section being configured to promote circular flow of the incoming oil-gas mixture, and having a layer of a first mesh portion formed on an inner surface of the wall of the housing configured to collect oil particles, a second separation section positioned below the first separation section and being configured to collect additional oil particles, and an oil reservoir section positioned below the second separation section,
- a central tube extending axially within the housing configured to remove separated gas from the oil-gas separator, which is subsequently fed to the gas cooler,
- a second mesh portion that occupies a majority of the space between an inner wall of the housing and an outer wall of the central tube in the second separation section, and
- an impingement plate positioned below the central tube and between the second separation section and the oil reservoir section, the impingement plate being configured to reduce gas turbulence in order to minimize oil re-entrainment into the gas,
- the system being a closed loop transcritical gas refrigeration system.
8 more elements
A method, comprising:
- obtaining an oil separator comprising:
- a housing including a first separation section comprising a tangential inlet adapted to receive an oil-gas mixture and having a layer of a first mesh portion formed on an inner surface of a wall of the housing configured to collect oil particles, a second separation section positioned below the first separation section and being configured to collect additional oil particles, and an oil reservoir section positioned below the second separation section,
- a central gas outlet tube axially disposed in the housing,
- a second mesh portion that occupies a majority of the space between an inner wall of the housing and an outer wall of the central gas outlet tube in the second separation section, and
- an impingement plate positioned below the central tube and between the second separation section and the oil reservoir section,
- introducing a first oil-gas mixture through the tangential inlet and removing a first portion of the oil from the gas in the first separation section due to circular flow of the incoming oil-gas mixture and the entrainment of oil on the first mesh portion, producing a second oil-gas mixture,
- introducing the second oil-gas mixture to the second separation section and removing a second portion of the oil from the gas due to passage of the second oil-gas mixture through the second mesh portion, producing a separated gas stream,
- collecting separated oil in the oil reservoir section, and
- removing the separated gas stream from the oil separator through the central gas outlet tube.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.