CA1079699A - Disposable centrifugal separator - Google Patents

Disposable centrifugal separator

Info

Publication number
CA1079699A
CA1079699A CA299,539A CA299539A CA1079699A CA 1079699 A CA1079699 A CA 1079699A CA 299539 A CA299539 A CA 299539A CA 1079699 A CA1079699 A CA 1079699A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
chamber
rotor
shroud
outlet port
contaminated fluids
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA299,539A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Robert E. Kozulla
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Federal Mogul Engineering Ltd
Original Assignee
Glacier Metal Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US05/784,124 external-priority patent/US4106689A/en
Application filed by Glacier Metal Co Ltd filed Critical Glacier Metal Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1079699A publication Critical patent/CA1079699A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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  • Centrifugal Separators (AREA)

Abstract

DISPOSABLE CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A disposable, centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated oil is disclosed. The centrifugal separator has a shroud which defines a first chamber and has a hollow rotor rotatably mounted in the first chamber and defining a second chamber. Oil under pressure is admitted to the second chamber through concentrically arranged tubes or spindles and past a low pressure shut-off valve. The oil flows into the first chamber through tangential reaction nozzles in the rotor to cause contaminants to migrate toward the sidewall of the second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force. The shroud and Rotor are permanently closed so that the entire assembly may be dis-carded when a significant amount of contaminants has been deposited on the sidewall of the second chamber.

Description

I lQ';'9699 BACKGROUrlD OF THE INVE~TION

Conventional fluid filters, such as oil filters, are basically mechanical strainers which include a filter element having pores ~hich trap and segregate dirt from the fluid. Since the flow through the filter is a function of the pore size, filte flow will decrease as the filter pack becomes clogged with dirt.
Since the f-iltration system ~ust remove dirt at the same rate at which it enters the oil, a clogg~d conventional pack cannot process enough oil to keep the dirt level of the oil at a satis- .
factory level. A further disadvantage of some mechanical straine type filters is that they tend to remove oil additives. Further-more, the additives may be depleted to some extent by acting upon trapped dirt in the filter and are rendered ineffective for their intended purpose on a working surface in an ~ngine.
Prior art centrifugal filters have been proposed which do not act as mechaniczl strainers but, rather, remove -ontami-nants from a fluid by centrifuging. For e~ample, such a filter is shown in U. S. patent 3,432,091, granted to Beazley. In the Beazley patent, there is illustratèd a hollow rotor which is rotatably mounted on a spindle. The spindle has an aYial passage way which conducts oil into the interior of the rotor. Tangen-tially directed outlet ports are provided in the rotor so that the rotor is rotated upon issuance of the fluid therefrom. Sclid such as dirt are centrifuged to the sidewalls of the rotor and '. . `
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~ 1079639 the dirt may be later removed by disassembling the rotor and scraping the filter cake from the sidewalls.
Such centrifugal filters have oil inlets and outlets through the base of the filter, since access to the rotor for cleaning purposes is provided by removing a shroud cover and ~y then removing the rotor from the spindle. This necessitates a relatively heavy and elaborately machined base casting for the centrifugal separator and the separator itself is intended to be a permanent installation which is periodically cleaned to remove the sludge buildup.

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SU~ Y OF T~E INVENTION
This invention relates to a centrifugal separator which is inexpensive and may be disposed of after use rather than dis-assembled for cleaning. An inlet is provided at one end of the separator and an axially aligned outlet is pro~ided at the other end of the separator so that the outward appearance of the device is very similar to a conventional automotive spin-an crankcase canister filter. T.t is intended that the filter be replaced every 50,000 miles; therefore, its construction need not be as rugged or expensive as conventional centrifugal separators.
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` 10791699 One aspect of the present invention resides in a centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated fluids and being disposable by virtue of its economical construction. Shroud means is provided having ends and intermediate sides defining a first chamber, and a vertically extending spindle is located within the shroud means and has a hollow rotor rotatably mounted thereon. The hollow rotor defines a second chamber for receiving contaminated fluids to be separated, and inlet port means is pxovided at one end of the spindle and shroud means.
Passage means exists through the spindle to the second cham~er with means being provided to rotate the rotor and thereby cause contaminants in contaminated fluids within the second chamber to migrate toward a sidewall of the second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force and to be separated from such contaminated fluids. The means to rotate the rotor includes tangentially mounted outlet port means on the rotor in fluid communication with the second chamber to cause the rotor to rotate upon discharge of fluid from the second chamber to the first chamber. Outle~ port means is provided from the first chamber, and the shroud is a ; permanently closed assembly substantially fully defining the first chamber with its sides and ends. The inlet port means at tke one end of the spindle is axially aligned with the axis of the spindle, and the inlet port means includes ~- attaching means for releasably attaching the iniet port to a fitting on a crankcase. The attaching means is permanently fixed to the shroud means and is constructed and arranged to ~,~
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. ., ; :., ,, . , ,-" 1079699 be capable of providing substantially the sole support of the separator ~n the crankcase so tha the separator is readily removed from the crankcase by release therefrom of the attaching means. The outlet port means is at the other end of the shroud means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disposable centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated fluids, the separator having shroud means defining a first chamber. A vertically extending spindle is within the shroud means and has a hollow rotor rotatably mounted thereon, the hollow rotor defining a second chamber for receiving contaminated fluids to be separated. The spindle includes an inner hollow tube and an outer hollow tube surrounding and spaced from the inner tube. An inlet port is provided at one end of the inner tube for admitting contaminated fluids, and a first outlet port is provided adjacent the outer end of the inner tube for conducting the contaminated - fluids to the space between the inner and outer tubes. A
second outlet port is provided adjacent one end of the outer tube at an end of the tube remote from the other end of the inner tube and communicates with the second chamber. ' Screen means surrounds the outer tube and with the outer tube defines a third chamber within the second chamber. Baffle means separates the second outlet port from direct communi- -cation with the third chamber, and means is provided to rotate the rotor thereby cause contaminants in contaminated fluids within the second chamber to migrate toward a side-~, ~:~ - a -~, .. .

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wall of the second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force and to be separated from the contaminated fluids. The means to rotate the rotor includes tangentially mounted outlet port means on the rotor in fluid communication between the third and first chambers to cause the rotor to rotate upon discharge of fluid from the third chamber to the first chamber. A third outlet port is provided from the first chamber at an end of the shroud opposite the inlet port.

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¦ many prior art arrangements. The bleeder valve provides an ¦ atmospheric reference between the inside and the outside of the ¦ first chamber, thereby venting the suction created during drainage.
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¦ ~RIEF DESCRIPTIO~l or TilE DRAWING
The draTing illustrates a centrifugal filter according ¦ to this invention, partly in section, and a crankcase mounting fitting adapted to receive the filter.

DETAILED DESCP~IPTION OF THE INVE~TIOM
Referring now to the figure, there is illustrated a centrifugal separator 10 having a sealed shroud 11 which defines a first chamber 12. The shroud 11 comprises a drawn sheet metal can havihg a lid 13 joined to the can by a conventional can-type ¦ rolled seam 14. The lid 13 includes a relatively thick support . ¦ disc 15 and a relatively thin gauge ring 16 welded to the support ¦ disc 15. The ring 16 is shaped to retain a sealing gasket 17 in 5~ ¦ a rolled channel 18. An axially aligned inlet fitting 19 extends through and is permanently associated with the support disc 15.
~ An axially aligned outlet fitting`20 is permanently affixed to ; i and extends through the other end of the shroud 11. The shroud ¦ 11 also has attached to it a bleed valve 48 having a light ball ¦ 50 which remains off its seat by gravity during the filter opera-. ¦ tion. If for some reason thc outlet flow is throttled, the first ;~ ¦ chamber will fill with oil, thereby forcing the ball to its seat ¦ and preventing oil fro~ leaking to atmosphere. It should be`
¦ appreciated that the style and configuration of the inlet and outlet fittings 19 and 20 are subject to particular mounting : . -5-I
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107g 699 requirements for the separator.
A hollow rotor 21 is rotatably mountcd on a spindle assembly 22. The rotor 21 defines a second chamber 23 and com-P prises a can 24 which is closed by a base 25 joined to the can ¦ 24 by a rolled seam 26. Tangential ~nd oppositely directed out-¦ let ports 27 and 28 are formed in the base 25 in depressions 29.
¦ The spindle assembly 22 comprises an inr.er tube 30 ¦ threaded into the inlet fitting 19 and a concentri c211y arranged ¦ outer tube 31 mounted for rotation relative to the inner tube 30 ¦ by bèarings 32. The rotor assembly 21 is fixed to the rotatable ¦outer tube 31 by snap rings 33. The rotor assembly 21 and the I spindle assembly 22 are supported by the inlet fitting l9 which .
¦ has a neck 34 extending into the outer tube 31 and by a heavy ¦ spring 35 which has a thrust pad 36 projecting into the inner tub ¦ 30. The spri~g 35 per~its fluid access from the first chamber 12 ¦ to the outlet fitting 20.
¦ Oil enters the inlet fitting 19 from a fitting 37 on a ¦ crankcase 38 and flows to an outlet port 39 in the tube 30. The ¦ outlet port 39 is normally closed by a check valve 40 which com-¦prises a spool 41 slidable in the inncr tube 30 to a nor~ally ¦ closed position across the port 39 and held in that position by ¦ a spring 42. At a predetermined pressure within the tube 30, the ¦ spcol slides zgainst the bias of the spring 42 to open the port ¦ 39. Thus, during idling or start-up conditions when the oil ¦ pressure is not high, the separator 10 will be bypassed. Oil ¦ issuing from the outiet port 39 flows through a space between ; the inner and outer tubes and through outlet ports 43 in the , -6-!
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. ~ 7~699 outer tube. There is provided a baffle 44 around the outlet ports 43 to direct oil into the second chamber 23; The oil egresses from the sccond chamber 23 to the first chamber 12 through the reaction nozzles ~7 and 28. In order Lo reach the reaction nozzles 27 and 28, the oil must pass through a cylin-drical screen 45, which surrounds the outer tube and which, with the baffle 44 and an annular plate 46, defines a third chamber 47. Desirably, the screen 45 has a mesh which is finer than the nozzle openings 27 and 2~, so that those openin~s will not be plugged by any large particles which may tend to migrate to the third chamber 47. Oil is expelled from the second cnamber throug the tangentially mounted outlet ports 27 and 28, and, since those ports are oppositely directed, they cause t'ne rotor assembly 21 t rotate accordir;g to the prir.ciple of Hero's en~ine.
As the rotor a~sembly 21 rotates, suspended solids migrate to and are retained at the sidewall of the rotor with a force which is dependent upon the running oil pressure of the engine. In time, the dirt particles and sludge form a rubber mass at tile rotor sidewall. After a predetermined number of miles, this mass ~ill accumulate until the entire separator 10 must be replaced.
~ hile the invention has becn described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it is to be clearly under-stood that this is done orly by-way of example, and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the appended claims.
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Claims (8)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. In a centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated fluids and being disposable by virtue of its economical construction, comprising shroud means having ends and intermediate sides defining a first chamber, vertically extending spindle within said shroud means and having a hollow rotor rotatably mounted thereon, said hollow rotor defining a second chamber for receiving contaminated fluids to be separated, inlet port means at one end of said spindle and shroud means, passage means through said spindle to said second chamber, means to rotate said rotor and thereby cause contaminants in contaminated fluids within said second chamber to migrate toward a sidewall of said second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force and to be separated from such contaminated fluids, said means to rotate said rotor comprising tangentially mounted outlet port means on said rotor in fluid communication with said second chamber to cause said rotor to rotate upon discharge of fluid from said second chamber to said first chamber, outlet port means from said first chamber, in combination therewith the improvement wherein said shroud is a permanently closed assembly substantially fully defining said first chamber with its sides and ends, said inlet port means at said one end of said spindle being axially aligned with the axis of said spindle, said inlet port means including attaching means adapted to releasably attach said inlet port means to a fitting on a crankcase, said attaching means being permanently fixed to said shroud means, said attaching means of said inlet port means being constructed and arranged to be capable of providing substantially the sole support of said separator on said crankcase whereby said separator is readily removed from said crankcase by release therefrom of said attaching means, and said outlet port means being at the other end of said shroud means.
2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said outlet port means is axially aligned with said inlet port means.
3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a sealing ring on said shroud surrounding said inlet port and adapted to form a seal against a crank-case.
4. A disposable centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated fluids comprising shroud means defining a first chamber, a vertically extending spindle within said shroud means and having a hollow rotor rotatably mounted thereon, said hollow rotor defining a second chamber for receiving contaminated fluids to be separated, said spindle comprising an inner hollow tube and an outer hollow tube surrounding and spaced from said inner tube, an inlet port at one end of said inner tube for admitting contaminated fluids, a first outlet port adjacent the other end of said inner tube for conducting the contaminated fluids to the space between the inner and outer tubes, a second outlet port adjacent one end of said outer tube at an end of said tube remote from said other end of said inner tube and communicating with said second chamber, screen means surrounding said outer tube and with said outer tube defining a third chamber within said second chamber, baffle means separating said second outlet port from direct communication with said third chamber, means to rotate said rotor and thereby cause contaminants in contaminated fluids within said second chamber to migrate toward a sidewall of said second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force and to be separated from such contaminated fluids, said means to rotate said rotor comprising tangentially mounted outlet port means on said rotor in fluid communication between said third and first chambers to cause said rotor to rotate upon discharge of fluid from said third chamber to said first chamber, and a third outlet port from said first chamber at an end of said shroud opposite said inlet port.
5. A centrifugal separator as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first and second chambers are permanently sealed.
6. A centrifugal separator according to claim 4, wherein a pressure-responsive valve is provided between the inlet and outlet ports of said inner tube and is openable upon the attainment of a predetermined pressure.
7. A centrifugal separator according to claim 6, wherein said pressure-responsive valve comprises a valve spool slidable within said inner tube and spring-based to a position blocking the outlet port of said inner tube in the absence of said predetermined pressure.
8. A centrifugal separator according to claim 4, wherein said inlet port at said one end of said inner tube is axially aligned with the third outlet port from said first chamber.
CA299,539A 1977-04-04 1978-03-22 Disposable centrifugal separator Expired CA1079699A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US05/784,124 US4106689A (en) 1977-04-06 1977-04-04 Disposable centrifugal separator

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1079699A true CA1079699A (en) 1980-06-17

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA299,539A Expired CA1079699A (en) 1977-04-04 1978-03-22 Disposable centrifugal separator

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5575912A (en) * 1995-01-25 1996-11-19 Fleetguard, Inc. Self-driven, cone-stack type centrifuge
US6364822B1 (en) 2000-12-07 2002-04-02 Fleetguard, Inc. Hero-turbine centrifuge with drainage enhancing baffle devices

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5575912A (en) * 1995-01-25 1996-11-19 Fleetguard, Inc. Self-driven, cone-stack type centrifuge
US6364822B1 (en) 2000-12-07 2002-04-02 Fleetguard, Inc. Hero-turbine centrifuge with drainage enhancing baffle devices

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