Rotary drum fluid/liquid separator with energy recovery means
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorRobert W. Kramer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotating drum divided in axial spaced compartments with one of the compartments includes paddles and coalescing material to separate the fluid from the liquid and the other compartment includes stationary oil pumping and water pumping means and an energy recovery means for effectively separating fluid such as oil from liquid such a water. Another embodiment includes a simplified version of the fluid/liquid separator adapted for zero gravity environment and includes means for purging the lines from air prior to pumping the liquid. An electrical sensing circuit including conductivity sensors or an electronic controller including pressure sensors serve to control the rate of removal of the separated component or controlling said purging means.
Claims21
A fluid/liquid separator for separating the mixture of the fluid and liquid into separate components of fluid and liquid comprising a rotating drum rotating about a central axis, a first pumping means attached to said rotating drum including a rotating housing extending radially inward toward said central axis for defining a first compartment and a second compartment disposed in axial alignment with said first compartment, means for imparting rotary motion to said rotating drum so that the angular velocity of said rotating drum is sufficiently high to separate the fluid from the liquid admitted into said rotating drum through an inlet in said first compartment, said first pumping means having an inlet for admitting said separated fluid into said first pumping means for pumping said separated fluid, fluid passage means interconnecting said first pumping means and an outlet in said second compartment, a second pumping means including a second rotating housing attached to said rotating drum and being in axial alignment with said first pumping means and being disposed in said second compartment and being in fluid flow relationship with said separated liquid, liquid passage means interconnecting said second pumping means and an outlet formed in said second compartment and an energy recovery means disposed between said first pumping means and said second pumping means for reducing the power demand on the means for imparting rotary motion.
Apparatus for separating fluid and liquid from a fluid/liquid mixture comprising a rotating drum rotatably supported about a central axis, said rotating drum having a first compartment with an inlet for admitting said liquid/fluid mixture in said rotating drum and a second compartment in fluid flow relationship and axially disposed relative to said first compartment, means for imparting rotary motion to said rotating drum for centrifuging said fluid/liquid mixture for separating the liquid and the fluid into separate fluid and liquid components in said first compartment, pumping means in said second compartment for pumping said liquid component, outlet means connected to said pumping means for independently discharging said liquid component from said rotating drum, an additional outlet means fluidly connected to said rotating drum for discharging said fluid component, and further comprising an energy recovery means disposed in said second compartment for recovering centrifugal energy from said liquid component to facilitate rotating the drum.
Apparatus for separating oil and water from an oil/water mixture comprising a rotating drum rotatably supported about a central axis, said rotating drum having a first compartment with an inlet for admitting said oil/water mixture in said rotating drum and a second compartment in fluid flow relationship and axially disposed relative to said first compartment, means for imparting rotary motion to said rotating drum for centrifuging said oil/water mixture for separating the water and the oil into separate oil and water components in said first compartment, pumping means in said second compartment for pumping said oil and water components, and respective outlet means connected to said pumping means for independently discharging said oil and water components from said rotating drum, wherein said pumping means includes a first pump for pumping the water component and a second pump for pumping the oil component, and including an energy recovery means disposed in said second compartment between said first pump and said second pump, said energy recovery means being in fluid flow relationship with respect to said first pump.
Apparatus for separating fluid and liquid from a fluid/liquid mixture comprising a rotating drum rotatably supported about a central axis, said rotating drum having a first compartment with an inlet for admitting said fluid/liquid mixture in said rotating drum and a second compartment in fluid flow relationship and axially disposed relative to said first compartment, means for imparting rotary motion to said rotating drum for centrifuging said fluid/liquid mixture for separating the liquid and the fluid into separate fluid and liquid components in said first compartment, pumping means in said second compartment for pumping said fluid and liquid components, and respective outlet means connected to said pumping means for independently discharging said liquid component and said fluid component from said rotating drum and having pressurizing means for pressurizing said second compartment to reduce the level of immersion of said pumping means in said separated liquid component.
Apparatus for separating fluid and liquid components from a fluid/liquid mixture comprising a rotating drum rotatably supported about a central axis, said rotating drum having a first compartment with an inlet for admitting said fluid/liquid mixture in said rotating drum, and a second compartment in fluid flow relationship and axially disposed relative to said first compartment, means for imparting rotary motion to said rotating drum for centrifuging said fluid/liquid mixture for separating the liquid and the fluid into separate components in said first compartment, pumping means in said second compartment for pumping said liquid component, and respective outlet means connected to said pumping means for independently discharging said liquid component and said fluid component from said rotating drum, wherein valve means are fluidly connected to said outlet means for said liquid component for opening and closing said outlet means for said liquid component, said pumping means is rotating when said outlet means for said liquid component is closed, and means including clutch means to hold said pumping means in a stationary position and to open said outlet means for said liquid component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.