US 3,937,622 A · Air purifier system

Abstract

This invention relates to apparatus for periodically automatically purging the contaminants from a filter unit of a compressed air system to reactivate the filtering medium in the filter unit during the time that an air compressor for supplying air under pressure to the system is operating unloaded or is stopped. The cleansing and reactivating apparatus comprises a purge reservoir disposed on the downstream side of the filter unit and valve means under the control of a compressor governor to automatically effect the supply of fluid under pressure from the purge reservoir to a fluid pressure operated combined compressor unloading and backflow vent valve device to automatically respectively cause unloading of the compressor upon the stopping there of and backflow of substantially dry air from the purge reservoir through the filtering medium, such as a desiccant in the filter unit, and this valve device to atmosphere until the pressure in the purge reservoir, and therefore, the operating pressure for this valve device, is reduced to a chosen low value. The conduit through which fluid under pressure flows from the discharge of the compressor to the inlet of the filter unit is so connected to the backflow pathway from the purge reservoir to atmosphere that the pressure in this conduit is reduced simultaneously with that in the purge reservoir as the fluid under pressure in this reservoir is released to atmosphere by backflow through the desiccant in the filter unit.

Claims16

Dependent claims

Cleansing apparatus for a filter unit of the desiccant type disposed in a conduit connecting a fluid compressor to a storage reservoir, said cleansing apparatus comprising:

a. a purge reservoir charged with fluid under pressure delivered by the fluid compressor, wherein the improvement comprises:
b. a fluid pressure operated combined compressor unloading and backflow vent valve device operable by fluid under pressure from said purge reservoir to concurrently effect a release of fluid under pressure from the conduit and a supply of fluid under pressure from said purge reservoir through the filter unit to atmosphere in a direction opposite to the normal direction of flow of fluid under pressure therethrough to remove contaminants from and thus reactivate the desiccant in said filter unit until the pressure in the purge reservoir is reduced to a chosen low pressure, and
c. fluid pressure operated means effective upon the pressure in the storage reservoir reaching a chosen value to cause the flow of fluid under pressure from said purge reservoir to said fluid pressure operated combined compressor unloading and backflow vent valve device to effect operation thereof.

For use in a compressed fluid installation of the type including a storage reservoir, a fluid compressor, a conduit through which the compressor effects the supply of fluid under pressure to the reservoir for the charging thereof, fluid pressure operated means for releasing fluid under pressure from a portion of the conduit connected to the discharge of the compressor to atmosphere, and fluid pressure operated valve means operated in consequence of the pressure in the storage reservoir reaching a chosen value for effecting operation of the fluid pressure operated releasing means, wherein the improvement comprises a combined filter unit of the desiccant type and reactivating means therefor, said combined filter unit and reactivating means therefor comprising:

a. a sectionalized casing having a plurality of casing sections each provided with at least one cavity whereby said casing sections cooperate to provide said sectionalized casing with a plurality of chambers, one of said casing sections having formed integral therewith a support arm extending into one of said chambers into which opens said portion of said conduit connected to the discharge of the compressor,
b. a filter cartridge filled with a desiccant, said cartridge being disposed between said one chamber and another of said chambers and interposed between and in sealing relation with said support arm and a second one of said casing sections,
c. a first one-way flow valve means controlling flow of filtered fluid under pressure from said another chamber to a third chamber of said plurality of chambers,
d. choke means for providing a limited rate of flow of fluid under pressure from said third chamber to said another chamber,
e. a filter element disposed between said third chamber and a fourth chamber from which fluid under pressure may be supplied for effecting operation of the fluid pressure operated releasing means, and
f. a second one-way flow valve means controlling flow of filtered fluid under pressure from said fourth chamber to a fifth chamber from which fluid under pressure may be supplied to the storage reservoir
g. said fluid pressure operated releasing means being so constructed as to cooperate with said choke means and said one-way flow valve means as to provide for operation of said releasing means by fluid under pressure supplied thereto from said fourth chamber to release fluid under pressure from said third chamber to atmosphere via said filter cartridge to effect reactivation of the desiccant therein until the pressure in said third and fourth chambers is reduced to a chosen low value.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Air purifier system

Life of this patent

Air purifier system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16