US 4,054,501 A · Method and apparatus for removal of mechanical impurities from dielectric fluids

Abstract

A method of removing mechanical impurities from dielectric fluids resides in that a fluid being treated is caused to flow across an electric field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the collection surfaces of electrodes which create the electric field. An apparatus for the removal of mechanical impurities from dielectric fluids comprises a hollow housing having an inlet and outlet openings for the fluid to pass therethrough. Mounted within said housing is a stack of electrodes which are alternately connected to the positive and negative terminals of a DC power source. Each of the electrodes has through openings made therein, and the electrode stack is arranged within the housing so that the fluid being treated is allowed to pass through said openings in the electrodes. The method and apparatus ensure more efficient contaminant removal as compared to the prior art systems. The herein proposed system may be advantageously used for treating jet and internal-combustion engine fuels as well as hydraulic fluids and lubricant oils.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method of removing mechanical impurities from dielectric fluids, residing in that the fluid being treated is caused to flow in an electric field along an unobstructed path defined in part by openings in a series of spaced flat electrodes and in part by spaces between said openings, said electrodes having collection surfaces extending laterally from edges of said openings thereof with the collection surface of one electrode facing the collection surface of the next electrode to define therewith a collection chamber for the mechanical impurities communicating with and extending laterally from the unobstructed path of fluid flow, the latter being in a direction substantially perpendicular to the collection surfaces of said electrodes which create said electric field.

An apparatus for the removal of mechanical impurities from dielectric fluids, comprising:

a hollow housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening for the fluid being treated to pass therethrough;
a stack of flat electrodes spaced from each other and mounted within said housing, said electrodes being formed with through openings and being arranged with unobstructed spaces between said openings so that the latter and said spaces define in said housing a continuous unobstructed path of fluid flow for the fluid being treated, said electrodes being alternately connected to the positive and negative terminals of a high voltage DC power source;
said electrode stack being arranged in said housing so that the fluid being treated is allowed to pass through said openings in said electrodes, and said spaces therebetween along said unobstructed path, said electrodes having collection surfaces extending laterally from edges of said openings with the collection surface of one electrode defining with the collection surface of the next electrode a collection chamber which communicates with and extends laterally from the unobstructed path of fluid flow and which results in deposition of the contaminant particles, contained in the fluid being treated, on the collection surfaces of said electrodes, which are not in the way of the fluid flow, whereby said particles are not entrained by the outflowing fluid.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for removal of mechanical impurities from dielectric fluids

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for removal of mechanical impurities from dielectric fluids

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8