EP1464797B1 - Blow by gas oil separating device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an oil separator for purifying oil mist containing crankcase ventilation gas of an internal combustion engine, comprising a housing having an inlet for the crankcase ventilation gas, an outlet for the purified gas and an oil outlet, wherein in the housing at least one rotatably driven, rotating Ölabscheideelement is arranged an inner surface of the oil separation element radially outwardly surrounding wall portion of the housing is formed as Ölniederschlags- and oil collection surface and connected to the oil outlet, wherein the Ölabscheideelement is a component in the form of a fitted with blades, at the same time acting as a rotor and compressor impeller, wherein by the rotating Impeller the incoming crankcase ventilation gas is displaceable in a rotating, entrained oil mist particles with a centrifugal force acting movement and at the same time a conveying effect on the crankcase Venting gas in one direction from the inlet to the gas outlet of the oil separator is exercisable.

WO 01/36103 A discloses a method and an apparatus for purifying gas having the characteristics indicated above. The device comprises a stationary housing in which a motor-driven rotor with conical Slices is stored. The rotor is provided with guide elements, which may take the form of curved blades. The function of these guide elements is to collect the liquid deposited on the conical disks into larger droplets and then spin them off in the form of these larger droplets in order to avoid a re-mixing of liquid droplets into the gas stream. A simultaneous function as a pump is achieved in that cause the pump-like guide elements during rotation of the rotor, a pumping action. An external drive motor is connected via a shaft which is guided by a gas-tight shaft seal from the outside into the housing of the device with the rotor.

A disadvantage is considered in this known device that the passage of the shaft through the shaft seal leads to increased friction, whereby a portion of the drive energy is consumed unused, and that the shaft seal is subject to wear and therefore controlled from time to time and renewed as needed must become.

EP 1 422 389 A shows a centrifugal separator with a housing and a non-contact rotatable therein impeller, which exerts a centrifugal force on a gas flow. The centrifugal force leads to a separation of oil droplets. The cleaned gas is passed radially inwardly around the impeller radially inwardly and then discharged through an outlet. Immediately radially outward of the outlet, the impeller may have blades that produce a centripetal flow. Thus, this separator has the combined functions of an oil mist separation and a delivery of the gas.

The drive shaft of the impeller of this separator is in particular the camshaft or balance shaft of an internal combustion engine, which adversely restricts the freedom in the arrangement of the separator, since the position and course of these waves are predetermined and fixed on the machine side. Preferably, the end of the drive shaft carrying the impeller is cantilevered. This requires a stable shaft and a good balance to avoid disturbing vibrations of the cantilever wave, which disadvantageously has a high production cost. A gas-tight shaft bushing can be omitted here only because the drive shaft is located in an area of the internal combustion engine through which the crankcase ventilation gas flows anyway, which further restricts the freedom in the arrangement of the separator.

Another oil separator for the purpose mentioned above is known from WO 02/44530 A1. The well-known oil separator has as Ölabscheideelement a rotatably mounted centrifugal rotor on which radially outwardly a ring of turbine blades is mounted. By way of at least one stationary drive fluid nozzle, a drive fluid, in this case compressed air, can be guided onto the turbine blades in order to set the centrifugal rotor in rotation. In normal operation of the oil separator, the compressed air used for the drive comes from a provided on the associated internal combustion engine turbocharger. In operating conditions in which the turbocharger does not provide a sufficient amount of compressed air or only compressed air with an insufficient pressure, can be removed via a valve arrangement auxiliary compressed air from a compressed air tank, which is present on an associated vehicle for a compressed air brake system. A friction-increasing shaft passage from the housing of the oil separator to an external rotor drive is thus avoided.

A disadvantage, however, in this known oil separator, that it is only suitable for engines of such vehicles, which have both a turbocharger and a compressed air system, which is practically the case only for heavy trucks. A further disadvantage is that significant amounts of air are introduced into the oil separator by the turbine-like drive of the centrifugal rotor, which can affect the pressure conditions unfavorable and can lead to a deterioration of the separation effect. The centrifugal rotor here preferably consists of a stack of conical plates, between which the crankcase ventilation gas flows radially from the inside to the outside. In this case, the oil droplets forming the oil mist precipitate on the surface of the individual conical plates and are thrown off there to the oil precipitation and oil collecting surface. Although an extensive separation of the oil mist can be achieved with this, disadvantageously centrifugal rotors designed in accordance with this prior art have virtually no or only a very slight conveying action on the crankcase ventilation gas. Thus, a reliable function of this oil separator is only guaranteed if there is sufficient between the connected to the crankcase inlet of the oil separator and the outlet of the oil separator, the desired flow of the crankcase ventilation gas pressure gradient. To ensure this required pressure gradient, however, this document makes no information about the prior art.

Another oil separator for the purpose mentioned above is known from DE 100 44 615 A1. Also in this oil separator, a centrifugal rotor is provided as a Tellerseparator, so also with a stack of conical plates, is formed. The oil separation element formed here by the plate separator is mounted on a rotatably mounted axle, which is led out of the housing and is coupled to a drive means located outside the housing.

In this oil separator known from the prior art, the problem of the low conveying effect of a designed as a plate separator Ölabscheideelements was recognized and it was proposed a compressor upstream of the Tellerseparator or downstream. In this case, a compressor wheel of the compressor may preferably be fastened to the axle or to the rotor of the disk separator.

A disadvantage of this known prior art that the oil separator due to the provided separately from the plate separator compressor receives a much larger height, which is unfavorable in many cases or out of restricted space is out of the question. It is also considered a disadvantage that the shaft carrying the plate separator and the compressor wheel is led out of the housing, for which a gas-tight seal is required, which leads to a markedly increased friction on the shaft. As a result, the achievable speed of the Ölabscheideelements and the compressor wheel is significantly reduced at a given drive power, which reduces the separation efficiency.

For the present invention, therefore, the object is to provide an oil separator of the type mentioned above, which avoids the disadvantages set out above and in particular a compact design, a good conveying effect, a good separation efficiency and a reliable and long-term maintenance-free function can be achieved.

The solution of this object is achieved according to the invention with an oil separator of the type mentioned above, which is characterized in that the rotating oil separator or impeller mounted without Achsdurchführung outwardly inside the sealed apart from the inlets and outlets housing and a flowed through by an outside of the crankcase ventilation gas Inside the housing arranged drive is non-contact in rotation displaceable.

Advantageously, the functions of a rotor and a compressor summarized in the oil separator according to the invention in a single, designed as an impeller component, resulting in a particularly compact design with a small size. At the same time this ensures that no external compressor or other conveyor for maintaining the flow of the crankcase ventilation gas and for maintaining a predetermined negative pressure in the crankcase is required. The inlet for the crankcase ventilation gas and the outlet for the purified gas can each extend axially or tangentially or in an intermediate direction according to the circumstances in the specific application. The outlet for the purified gas is preferably connected to the intake tract of the associated internal combustion engine. The oil outlet may be provided for use with gravity for the discharge of the separated oil in a geodetically deepest part of the housing; Alternatively, the oil outlet in the housing can also be higher, since the separated oil can be promoted by the rotating impeller to a higher position of the oil outlet. The oil outlet is pressurized by its peripheral arrangement, thereby promoting the oil drain becomes. Thus, the oil separator according to the invention can be used in a virtually arbitrary mounting position. An undesirable access of oil in the gas outlet and bearing points of the impeller can be prevented by appropriate design and shape of the housing. In the oil separator embodied according to the invention, friction losses are minimized since the impeller can be set in rotation contactlessly by a drive arranged outside the housing, as a result of which a friction-increasing, gas-tight shaft feedthrough is avoided. The drive is thus advantageous in a non-perfused by the crankcase ventilation gas area. As a result, for example, an electric drive can be used without the risk of ignition of the potentially combustible crankcase ventilation gas. In addition, the oil separator is protected from damage An accumulation of oil droplets safely. This ensures a reliable and long-term maintenance-free operation of the oil separator.

Preferably, it is further provided that the housing and the impeller are formed in the form of a radial or axial compressor or in a mixed form of both. This ensures that the desired conveying effect is achieved to a sufficiently large extent, while at the same time ensuring that the crankcase ventilation gas is effectively displaced in the rotational movement required to separate the oil mist for generating centrifugal forces.

In order to increase the efficiency of the oil separator, this may be in the form of a multi-stage and / or a multi-flow compressor.

To realize the above-mentioned non-contact drive of the impeller, this drive preferably comprises a magnetic coupling or an eddy current coupling and an electrically or hydraulically or pneumatically driven motor or derived from the internal combustion engine mechanical drive. All parts of the engine are thus outside of the perfused by the crankcase ventilation gas inside the oil separator. The transmission of the driving force to the impeller is carried out contactlessly via the magnetic coupling or the eddy current coupling through a wall of the housing of the oil separator, wherein this wall is preferably an end-side or peripheral side wall. In this way, any explosion or fire hazard is avoided by sparks within an electric drive motor, since the possibly flammable crankcase ventilation gases are not in the range of, for example, electric Drive motor can get. If necessary, between the engine and clutch, a transmission gear, preferably with a fixed gear ratio, be provided in order to operate on the one hand the engine and on the other hand, the impeller with a respective favorable, mutually different speed. A good separating effect of the oil separator can be expected in practice at speeds of the impeller in a range between about 5,000 and 15,000 1 / min.

Alternatively, the non-contact drive of the impeller may include an integrated brushless electric motor. Again, the housing of the oil separator can remain completely closed, so that even in this embodiment can be dispensed with friction-increasing shaft seals. Since the electric motor is a brushless motor, there is also no risk of ignition of the crankcase ventilation gas, if this should constitute an ignitable mixture. Thus, the required safety is guaranteed here, too, despite an electric drive.

In a further embodiment of the oil separator is provided that the impeller can be driven at a constant speed. This ensures in particular that the drive can be kept very simple.

An alternative embodiment of the oil separator suggests in this regard that the impeller can be driven with a variable, each present operating state of the internal combustion engine adapted speed. Although a somewhat more expensive drive is required for this embodiment, but at the same time an improvement in the efficiency of the oil separator and a Targeted influence of the pressure in the crankcase can be achieved.

A development of the oil separator is specified in claim 8. In order to take a targeted or even more extensive influence on the pressure conditions in the crankcase and on the flow conditions in the oil separator, it is provided that in or in front of the inlet for the crankcase ventilation gas and / or in or behind the outlet for the purified gas (depending ) an adjustable throttle body or (each) an adjustable combined throttle and valve member is provided. In addition, these organs can be used to completely block one or more flow paths for the crankcase ventilation gas or the purified gas as needed. This locked state is used in particular at standstill of an associated internal combustion engine in order to prevent caused by a chimney effect gas leakage and deposition of oil droplets or Kondensaten.in an associated line system and sensors provided therein for engine control and monitoring.

A further development of the oil separator is specified in claim 9. It is envisaged that branches off from the outlet for the purified gas, a return line which leads either to the inlet for the crankcase ventilation gas or in the crankcase of the associated internal combustion engine, wherein in the course of the return line, an adjustable throttle or valve member and / or a check valve is arranged. In this embodiment of the oil separator, the crankcase ventilation gas may, if necessary, be passed through the oil separator several times, at least in partial quantities, which results in an improvement the oil separation can be achieved. A circulation including the crankcase is useful, for example, in a follow-up operation of the oil separator after stopping the engine. For a certain time after switching off the engine crankcase gases still occur, which can then be cleaned in the oil separator and returned to the crankcase to prevent harmful deposition of oil droplets and condensates in the gas line system and on any sensors provided therein any kind.

With regard to the design of the impeller is provided in a first embodiment, that the impeller is designed as an open, high-speed impeller. Such an impeller can be relatively easily manufactured and has a low weight, which high speeds are achieved quickly for a given drive power.

Alternatively, the impeller may be designed as a closed impeller with a cover disk. By means of the cover disc is achieved in particular that the crankcase ventilation gas is forcibly detected in its full volume flow through the impeller, whereby the crankcase ventilation gas issued rotation is particularly intense, which is beneficial for the separation of the oil mist by centrifugal force.

In order to favorably influence the flow conditions in the interior of the oil separator, the impeller can be designed on the inflow side with precursors.

A further development of the oil separator is specified in claim 13. It is envisaged that to increase the separation effect achieved by the oil separator provided with the rotating oil separator one or more different, conventional oil separator before or after or are connected in parallel.

A further development of the oil separator is specified in claim 14. Here, also to increase the separation efficiency of the oil separator, provided that in the housing in the course of the flow path of the crankcase ventilation gas, a fixed and / or rotating with the rotating Ölabscheidelement or the impeller filter body, preferably made of a foam or a knitted fabric is arranged. In this embodiment of the oil separator, a conventional oil separation element is integrated in the form of the filter body in the oil separator, which complement the deposition effects advantageous.

Another measure for targeted and, if necessary, variable influencing the flow conditions in the oil separator is that the impeller fixed or adjustable Vorleitschaufeln upstream and / or fixed or adjustable Nachleitschaufeln can be connected downstream.

With regard to the storage of the impeller of the oil separator is provided that the impeller is rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft or fixed on a rotatably mounted shaft, that the impeller is mounted flying or tensioned and that as a bearing for the rotatable mounting of the impeller or the shaft at least a plain bearing or rolling bearing or air cushion bearing or magnetic bearing is provided. The choice between the different versions of the shaft is appropriate after the particular circumstances of the individual case and in particular according to the given spatial conditions. A flying storage is more appropriate for shorter-built wheels; a tense bearing is particularly useful for wheels with greater axial length. Sliding or rolling bearings are common and inexpensive bearings that can be used in the market. Although air cushion bearings or magnetic bearings are somewhat more expensive, but are characterized by a particularly low friction, so that hereby a particularly good drive efficiency can be achieved.

In unilaterally equipped with blades wheels it may happen during operation that forms a pressure difference between the two sides of the impeller, which leads to an axial force on the impeller. This can lead to increased friction in the bearings of the impeller or the associated shaft. In order to exclude this increase in friction, it is provided that the impeller is equipped with blades on both sides or that in one side equipped with blades impeller in this at least one equipped with blades side of the impeller is attached to the other side pressure equalization opening. As a result, pressure differences between the two sides of the impeller can not arise, which caused by differences in pressure axial forces are excluded on the impeller.

A further development of the oil separator is specified in claim 18. It is envisaged that the coming into contact with the crankcase ventilation gas and the oil in contact surfaces of the housing and the impeller are provided with a deposits repellent coating, so that no more thicker in the operation of the oil separator Forming deposits on the inner surfaces of the housing and on the surface of the rotating Ölabscheideelements or impeller form. This coating can for example consist of plastic, such as PTFE or silicone.

In order to produce the housing of the oil separator as inexpensively as possible and to keep the installation of the oil separator as simple as possible, it is preferably provided that the housing is made of two housing parts with a circumferential in the Ölniederschlags- and oil collecting surface housing separation plane. In this way, the housing parts can be advantageously produced as injection molded parts made of plastic or light metal and joined together with the inclusion of the impeller to the housing. Due to the course of the housing separation plane in the oil precipitation and oil collection surface is also the cheap way to gain access to the oil precipitation and oil collection surface and the impeller by separating the housing parts to clean them as needed as part of a maintenance of the oil separator.

A further development of the oil separator is specified in claim 20. It is provided to achieve a particularly compact design with a reduced number of parts of the oil separator, that is a part of the housing as an integral part of the associated internal combustion engine, in particular of the crankcase or control housing or cylinder head cover is formed. The required installation space is so small and it is advantageous short flow paths.

In operation of the oil separator, the problem may arise that the oil mist on the way from the crankcase cools into the housing of the oil separator, which is known to reduce the fluidity of the oil is reduced. This can lead to the fact that the oil deposited on the oil precipitation and oil collecting surface does not move or only very slowly in the direction of the oil outlet due to its viscosity. Another alternative solution of the problem or a refinement of the oil separator, which overcomes this problem, is specified in claim 22. In order to promote the draining movement of the deposited oil, this embodiment of the oil separator provides that it is provided with a heating means for heating at least the wall area of the housing serving as the oil precipitation and oil collecting surface and / or heating the rotating oil separator or impeller Part of the housing is used.

A further development of the oil separator is specified in claim 22. It is provided for the oil separator, that this is associated with a control or control device with which the function of the oil separator at least by varying the rotational speed of the rotating oil separator or impeller the current operating state of the internal combustion engine, preferably by accessing a in an electronic engine control and - rule unit digitally stored engine map, is adaptable. With this control or control device can be achieved that in different operating conditions of the internal combustion engine depending on the oil separator is influenced in its operation, that on the one hand always a good efficiency in the oil mist separation from the crankcase ventilation gas is achieved and on the other hand, the pressure in Crankcase of the associated internal combustion engine is held within a predetermined pressure range. Next has the rule or Control unit preferably a permanently connected diagnostic unit or an interface for on-demand connection of a diagnostic unit.

In a further embodiment, it is proposed that in or on the oil separator sensors are provided with those relevant to the operation of the oil separator parameters, in particular actual speed of the rotating oil separator or impeller, gas pressure before and / or behind the rotating oil separator or impeller, gas flow through the oil separator, the temperature of the incoming crankcase ventilation gas and / or the outflowing clean gas and / or the oil separator itself or its drive, can be detected and forwarded to the control or control device, and that in or on the oil separator actuators are provided with which the operation of Adjustable. Organs influencing the oil separator, in particular the drive of the rotating oil separation element or impeller or the throttle elements or the throttle and valve members or the guide vanes, are adjustable. About the sensors, the control or control device can always detect the current operating state of the oil separator and if necessary via the actuators influence the oil separator in its function and operation so that always an optimal or near-optimal mode of operation is guaranteed, the current operating state of the associated internal combustion engine is adapted. In addition, the oil separator or the drive of the oil separator can have a cooling device which can be switched on or off in accordance with the detected temperatures.

A further development of the oil separator is specified in claim 24. The technical measure claimed herein to increase the efficiency of the oil mist separation in the oil separator is that the oil separator has a physically and / or chemically acting on the perfused crankcase ventilation gas conditioning device.

In a concrete further embodiment, it may be provided that by means of the conditioning device, the crankcase ventilation gas, which flows to the oil separator or flows through the oil separator or flows away from the oil separator, gases, e.g. Noble gases, can be supplied. By supplying one or more gases into the crankcase ventilation gas, the separation efficiency of the oil separator can be increased or influenced, for example, by operating an associated internal combustion engine by passing the crankcase ventilation gas, after passing through the oil separator, together with the supplied gas into the engine Intake tract of the associated internal combustion engine is initiated.

According to a further embodiment it can be provided that by means of the conditioning device, the crankcase ventilation gas, which flows through the oil separator, and / or at least a part of the oil separator is displaceable in an ultrasonic vibration. By the ultrasonic vibration, the deposition of the oil droplets from the crankcase ventilation gas can be positively influenced. In addition, the flowability of the deposited oil is increased so that it leaves the oil separator faster through the oil outlet.

Another refinement provides that the crankcase ventilation gas, which flows through the oil separator, can be charged electrostatically by means of the conditioning device is. With such an electrostatic charge, the separation of oil droplets from the entrained in the crankcase ventilation gas oil mist can be positively influenced, as is known per se of pure electrostatic precipitators, however, have a considerable size. In the oil separator according to the invention, the electrostatic charge is used in addition to reinforce the separation effect generated by the centrifugal force yet.

Furthermore, the present invention proposes in claim 28, an oil separator, which is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of parallel-connected oil separator according to one of the preceding claims. This makes it possible, depending on the size of an associated internal combustion engine to use one or more oil separators or depending on the instantaneous power of the internal combustion engine to activate a more or less large number of parallel oil separators, the number of active oil separators depending on the amount of just incurred, too de-oiling crankcase ventilation gas.

Particularly preferably, it is provided in a further embodiment that the plurality of oil separators are identical to each other and are modularly connected to one another in a desired number. This is advantageously achieved that in the best case, the oil separator must be constructed and built only in one embodiment and that it is then used as needed simply or repeatedly on an internal combustion engine, which is very easy to connect with each other by the modularly connectable oil separator.

The materials used for the oil separator must of course be resistant to the thermal, mechanical and chemical influences that occur in practice. This can be done preferably high quality plastics and light metals.

Figur 1

einen ersten Ölabscheider im Längsschnitt,

Figur 2

den Ölabscheider aus Figur 1 nun in einer Ausstattung mit Sensoren und Aktoren und mit einem Regel- oder Steuergerät,

Figur 3

den Ölabscheider aus Figur 1 mit entferntem, in Figur 1 linkem Gehäuseteil, in Stirnansicht,

Figur 4

einen zweiten, zweistufigen Ölabscheider im Längsschnitt,

Figur 5

einen dritten, zweiflutigen Ölabscheider, ebenfalls im Längsschnitt,

Figur 6

einen mit einer Kurbelgehäuseentlüftungsgas-Rückführleitung ausgestatteten Ölabscheider in Ansicht, teils im Längsschnitt,

Figur 7

ein Laufrad als Teil eines Ölabscheiders in zwei Ausführungen, wobei die linke Hälfte und die rechte Hälfte der Figur 7 je eine Ausführung zeigen,

Figur 8

einen weiteren Ölabscheider, der zusätzlich zu dem Laufrad einen Vorläufer aufweist, wieder im Längsschnitt, teils in Ansicht,

Figur 9

einen weiteren Ölabscheider im Längsschnitt, der mit Heizeinrichtungen ausgestattet ist,

Figur 10

einen Ausschnitt aus einem Ölabscheider, der mit verstellbaren Vorleitschaufeln im Bereich seines Gaseinlasses ausgestattet ist, im Längsschnitt, teils in Seitenansicht,

Figur 11

einen Ölabscheider, bei dem ein Teil des Ölabscheidergehäuses durch einen Bereich eines Kurbelgehäuses einer zugehörigen Brennkraftmaschine gebildet ist, in Seitenansicht, teils im Längsschnitt,

Figur 12

in ihrer linken Hälfte und in ihrer rechten Hälfte zwei weitere, jeweils mit einem konventionellen Ölabscheider in Reihe geschaltete Ölabscheider, wieder teils im Längsschnitt, teils in Seitenansicht,

Figur 13

einen weiteren, zweistufigen Ölabscheider mit zusätzlichen Verdichterschaufeln auf einem seiner zwei Laufräder, wieder im Längsschnitt, teils in Ansicht,

Figur 14

ein Laufrad des Ölabscheiders, das mittels Luftlagern auf einer feststehenden Welle gelagert ist, im Längsschnitt,

Figur 15a

einen Ausschnitt aus einem Laufrad und dem Gehäuse eines Ölabscheiders mit zwei Ausführungen eines berührungslosen elektrischen Antriebes des Laufrades, im Längsschnitt,

Figur 15b

das Laufrad mit seinem Antrieb aus Figur 15a im Querschnitt gemäß der Linie XVb - XVb in Figur 15a,

Figur 16a

ebenfalls einen Ausschnitt aus einem Laufrad und einem Gehäuse eines Ölabscheiders mit zwei weiteren Ausführungen eines berührungslosen elektrischen Antriebes, wieder im Längsschnitt,

Figur 16b

einen Querschnitt durch das Laufrad mit seinem Antrieb gemäß der Schnittlinie XVIb - XVIb in Figur 16a,

Figur 17

den Gaseinlaß eines Ölabscheiders mit einem verstellbaren Drosselkörper, teils im Längsschnitt, teils in Ansicht, mit zwei unterschiedlichen Stellungen des Drosselkörpers,

Figur 18

eine schematische Darstellung eines Ölabscheiders mit einer zugehörigen Brennkraftmaschine, mit zugehörigen Gasführungskanälen und mit einem zugehörigen Regel- oder Steuergerät,

Figur 19

eine aus zwei identischen Ölabscheidern zusammengestellte modulare Ölabscheideeinrichtung,

Figur 20

einen Ölabscheider mit einem geänderten elektrischen Antrieb, im Längsschnitt, teils in Ansicht und

Figur 21

einen Ölabscheider, wieder teils im Längsschnitt, teils in Ansicht, der mit einer Konditionierungseinrichtung ausgestattet ist.

In the following embodiments of the invention will be explained with reference to a drawing. The figures of the drawing show:

FIG. 1

a first oil separator in longitudinal section,

FIG. 2

the oil separator of Figure 1 now in an equipment with sensors and actuators and with a control or control device,

FIG. 3

the oil separator of Figure 1 with removed, left in Figure 1 housing part, in front view,

FIG. 4

a second, two-stage oil separator in longitudinal section,

FIG. 5

a third, double-flow oil separator, also in longitudinal section,

FIG. 6

an oil separator equipped with a crankcase ventilation gas recirculation line in view, partly in longitudinal section,

FIG. 7

an impeller as part of an oil separator in two versions, wherein the left half and the right half of Figure 7 each show an embodiment,

FIG. 8

another oil separator, which in addition to the impeller has a precursor, again in longitudinal section, partly in view,

FIG. 9

a further oil separator in longitudinal section, which is equipped with heaters,

FIG. 10

a section of an oil separator, which is equipped with adjustable Vorleitschaufeln in the region of its gas inlet, in longitudinal section, partly in side view,

FIG. 11

an oil separator, in which a part of the oil separator housing is formed by an area of a crankcase of an associated internal combustion engine, in side view, partly in longitudinal section,

FIG. 12

in its left half and in its right half two further, each with a conventional oil separator in series oil separator, again partly in longitudinal section, partly in side view,

FIG. 13

another, two-stage oil separator with additional compressor blades on one of its two wheels, again in longitudinal section, partly in view,

FIG. 14

an impeller of the oil separator, which is mounted by means of air bearings on a fixed shaft, in longitudinal section,

FIG. 15a

a section of an impeller and the housing of an oil separator with two versions a contactless electric drive of the impeller, in longitudinal section,

FIG. 15b

the impeller with its drive of Figure 15a in cross section along the line XVb - XVb in Figure 15a,

FIG. 16a

also a section of an impeller and a housing of an oil separator with two other versions of a non-contact electric drive, again in longitudinal section,

FIG. 16b

a cross section through the impeller with its drive according to the section line XVIb - XVIb in Figure 16a,

FIG. 17

the gas inlet of an oil separator with an adjustable throttle body, partly in longitudinal section, partly in view, with two different positions of the throttle body,

FIG. 18

a schematic representation of an oil separator with an associated internal combustion engine, with associated gas ducts and with an associated control or regulating device,

FIG. 19

a modular oil separator composed of two identical oil separators,

FIG. 20

an oil separator with a modified electric drive, in longitudinal section, partly in view and

FIG. 21

an oil separator, again partly in longitudinal section, partly in view, which is equipped with a conditioning device.

The illustrated in Figure 1 first embodiment of an oil separator 1 comprises a housing 10 which is formed from two housing parts 11, 12. The housing parts 11, 12 lie sealingly against one another along a parting plane 10 'with the interposition of a sealing element and are connected to one another in a suitable manner, for example by means of screws.

Inside the housing 10, an impeller 2 is rotatably mounted on a housing-fixed shaft 17, for which purpose a sliding bearing 24 is used, which is arranged between the housing-fixed shaft 17 and a part of the impeller 2 forming hub 21.

The impeller 2 has a base plate 22 which is occupied by circumferentially spaced blades 20.

By means of a contactless electric drive 3, the impeller 2 in the interior of the housing 10 is set in rotation.

On the left in FIG. 1, the housing 10 has an inlet 13 for crankcase ventilation gas to be liberated from oil mist, which flows in the direction of the arrow indicated in the inlet 13.

At the top right in Figure 1, an outlet 14 is shown for purified crankcase ventilation gas, through which the gas flows in the direction of the arrow.

In the inlet 13 is in this embodiment of the oil separator 1, an adjustable throttle body 13 'is arranged in the form of a pivotable throttle valve, with which the free flow area of the inlet 13 for the crankcase ventilation gas is variable.

The inflowing crankcase ventilation gas is rotated by the impeller 2 as it rotates by means of the rotary drive 3, whereby a centrifugal force is applied to the oil droplets entrained in the crankcase ventilation gas. In this case, the impeller 2 acts with its blades 20 at the same time as a centrifugal rotor and as a compressor, the latter serving to generate a conveying effect on the gas in the direction from the inlet 13 to the outlet 14.

The acted upon by the centrifugal force of oil droplets pass radially outwards and are reflected on a formed on the inside of the housing 10 Ölniederschlags- and collecting surface 15 from. From there, the precipitated oil droplets flow under gravity and under the action of a pressure gradient down and leave through a provided at the lowest portion of the housing 10 oil outlet 16 the oil separator 1, usually in the direction of the oil pan of an associated, not shown here internal combustion engine.

In order for the oil droplets, which are moved radially outward by the centrifugal force, not to enter the clean gas outlet 14, it discharges radially inwardly behind the base disk 22 and rises into the interior of the housing 10.

As already mentioned, a non-contact electric drive 3 is used to generate the rotational movement of the Impeller 20 about its axis of rotation 29. In the present example, the non-contact electric drive 3 is formed by an electric motor 30 which is located in a separate housing portion 18 outside the interior of the oil separator 1. Via a motor shaft 31, an arrangement of permanent magnets 35 is rotatably connected to the motor 30. When the electric motor 30 is switched on, this arrangement of permanent magnets 35 rotates directly on the outside of the right-hand housing part 12 of the housing 10. Opposite this arrangement of permanent magnets 35 is an arrangement of second permanent magnets 25 in the interior of the housing 10 on the rear side of the base disk 22 Impeller 2 connected, for example, glued, are. Since the impeller 2 is rotatably mounted together with its magnet 25 on the housing-fixed shaft 17, the magnetic coupling thus formed takes the impeller 2 with the electric motor 30 and thus ensures the desired rotational movement of the impeller 2, without requiring a passage of a rotatable shaft is required by a wall of the housing 10. The electrical energy required for the operation of the electric motor 30 is supplied via an electric cable 34, which is shown only in sections here. Instead of the permanent magnets 25, 35 and hysteresis material magnets can be used.

Figure 2 shows the oil separator of Figure 1, which is now supplemented by several components and in which the electric drive 3 is modified.

The housing 10 with its two housing parts 11, 12 and the separating plane 10 'running between them corresponds to the embodiment according to FIG. 1. The impeller 2 is also identical to the embodiment according to FIG. 1.

Notwithstanding Figure 1, no throttle body is provided in Figure 2 in the axially extending inlet 13. For this purpose, the inlet 13 is provided with two sensors 71, with which the temperature and the pressure of the crankcase ventilation gas in the inlet 13 of the oil separator 1 can be detected.
Alternatively, the inlet 13 may also be arranged tangentially, as indicated by dashed lines at the top right of the continuously drawn inlet 13.

The outlet 14 for purified crankcase ventilation gas is here, as in Figure 1, tangentially upwardly from the housing 10 from. What is new in Figure 2, that now in the outlet 14, an adjustable throttle body 14 ', also here in the form of a pivotable throttle valve, is arranged. In the flow direction of the cleaned crankcase ventilation gas downstream of the throttle body 14 ', a flow measuring 72 is further arranged, which has the form of a displaceable by the flowing gas in rotation measuring element.

Alternatively, as the flow sensor also the sensor 72 'shown separately in Figure 2 above, which is formed here by a heated wire, which cools more or less according to the respective present gas flow, whereby its electrical resistance varies.

At the top right in FIG. 2, a sensor arrangement 71 "is provided at the outlet 14, with which the temperature and the pressure of the cleaned crankcase ventilation gas in the outlet 14 can be detected.

A further sensor arrangement is arranged on the right-hand side of the housing 12 in the lower right-hand corner of FIG. 2 and communicates with the interior of the housing 10 in order to control the position therein To detect temperature and the pressure of the crankcase ventilation gas.

Both the sensors 71, 71 ', 71 ", 72 and 72' and the adjustable throttle element 14 'are connected via dashed lines to a control or regulation device 7. By means of this regulation or control device 7, the drive 3 of the Oil separator 1 are controlled so that always the best possible separation efficiency and a desired pressure in the crankcase of an associated internal combustion engine, which is connected to the inlet 13, is reached .. In addition, the adjustable throttle body 14 'of the control or control unit 7 from in appropriate Be adjusted.

The drive 3 is not carried out in the oil separator 1 according to Figure 2 with an electric motor, but with a coil assembly 33 which is arranged itself fixed, but can generate a rotating electromagnetic field. This rotating electromagnetic field acts through a wall of the right housing part 12 through the mounted on the impeller 2 permanent magnets 25, whereby the rotary drive of the impeller 2 is effected. The drive 3 is connected to the control or control unit 7 in connection. To supply the electrical energy to the drive 3, an electrical cable 34 shown only in sections is also used here.

In operation of the oil separator 1 with rotating impeller 2, the crankcase vent gas flowing in through the inlet 13 is set in strong rotation, which by centrifugal force conveys the oil droplets contained in the gas to the oil precipitation and oil collecting surface 15 from where the precipitated oil is discharged through the oil outlet 16 can.

FIG. 3 of the drawing shows a view into the interior of the oil separator 1 according to FIG. 2 from left to right with the left housing part 11 removed. The view now points to the right-hand housing part 12 and the parting plane 10 'with the impeller 2 arranged therein. At the center of the impeller 2 is perpendicular to the plane of its rotation axis 29. In the background, the base plate 22 is arranged on the front, preferably integrally formed blades 20 which have the typical curvature of compressors in their course from radially inward to radially outward.

On the left in FIG. 3, the transition into the outlet 14, which leads tangentially upwards, can be seen in the interior of the housing part 12.

In the background behind the impeller 2 is the arrangement shown in dashed lines of here a total of four permanent magnets 25, which are positioned at a regular distance around the axis of rotation 29 around.

Distributed around the outer circumference of the housing part 12, three optional fastening straps, which serve for mounting the oil separator 1, for example on an internal combustion engine, are shown here in dashed lines.

Figure 4 shows a two-stage oil separator 1, which is characterized in that it has two wheels 2 ', 2. The two wheels 2 ', 2 are housed one behind the other and rotatable about a common axis of rotation 29 in the housing 10 consisting of three housing parts. On the right side of the housing 10 is the inlet 13 for entölendes crankcase ventilation gas. Radially outside From the blades 20 of the first impeller 2 'is a first Ölniederschlags- and oil collection surface 15, from the down a first oil outlet 16 goes off.

From a first region of the housing 10, in which the impeller 2 'is arranged, a transfer opening 113 leads into a second part of the housing 10, in which the second impeller 2 is arranged. Also, this impeller 2 has blades 20. Radially outside of these blades 20 is also here an oil precipitation and oil collection surface 15, which also opens down into an oil outlet 16.

The upper left in FIG. 4 shows the outlet 14 for the deoiled crankcase ventilation gas.

The drive of the two wheels 2 ', 2 takes place here together again via a non-contact drive, including the left in Figure 4 impeller 2 is equipped with an arrangement with permanent magnets 25, as explained earlier. The wheels 2 ', 2 are connected to each other rotationally.

For supporting the wheels 2 ', 2 serve bearings 24, 24', by means of which the wheels 2 ', 2 are mounted on the housing-fixed shaft 17.

In order to obtain a favorable flow guidance in the region of the inlet 13, the impeller 2 'located there is formed with a hub 21', which becomes steadily smaller in diameter towards the inlet 13. In addition, the hub 21 'is formed as a precursor 26, wherein the blades of the precursor 26 effect a favorable transition of the inflowing gas to the blades 20 of the impeller 2'. At their left side in Figure 4, both wheels 2 ', 2 each have a supporting base plate 22nd

FIG. 5 shows an oil separator 1, which is characterized in that it is a double-flow oil separator 1. This oil separator 1 is mirror-symmetrical to a plane perpendicular to the plane of the drawing center plane and has left and right each have an inlet 13 for entölendes crankcase ventilation gas. The housing 10 of the oil separator 1 has two housing halves, wherein in each half an impeller 2 is arranged, wherein the wheels 2 are arranged mirror-symmetrically. Towards the top, the interiors of the two parts of the housing 10 open into a common outlet 14 for the deoiled crankcase ventilation gas.

The two wheels 2 are again rotatably mounted on a housing-fixed common shaft 17 by means of bearings 24 here. The drive of the wheels 2 takes place again without contact by means of an electric drive 3. In an intermediate wall between the two parts of the. Housing 10 coils 33 are arranged, which are supplied via an electrical line 34 with a suitable voltage. In the two wheels 2 permanent magnets 25 are again arranged in juxtaposition to the coils 33, which form the impeller-side part of the drive 3.

Radially outward from the wings 20 of each impeller 2, an oil precipitation and oil collecting surface 15 is again formed on the inside of the respectively associated part of the housing 10. Each of these surfaces 15 open into an oil outlet 16 each.

Figure 6 shows an oil separator 1 in which a return line 19 is provided between the outlet 14 and the inlet 13 for the crankcase ventilation gas. In the course of this return line 19, an adjustable throttle body 19 'is arranged in the form of a pivotable throttle valve. With this throttle body 19 ', the passage cross section of the return line 19 can be adjusted as needed or completely closed. About this return line 19, at least a portion of the coming out of the oil separator 1 crankcase ventilation gas from the outlet 14 can be performed again to the inlet 13, so that a portion of the gas passes through the oil separator 1 several times.

The oil separator 1 per se is shown in Figure 6 only in external view, so that only the housing 10 with the right attached thereto drive 3 is visible. The arranged inside the housing 10 impeller 2 is indicated in dashed lines.

FIG. 7 shows one embodiment of the impeller 2 in the left and in the right half.

To the left of the center line, which is simultaneously the axis of rotation 29 of the impeller 2, the impeller 2 is designed as an open impeller, wherein the blades 20 end free radially outside. The radially inner part of the impeller 2 forms the hub 21, in whose lower part in Figur'7 the arrangement of permanent magnets 25 is provided. Radially outward from the permanent magnets 25 are the coils 33 as part of the drive, in which case a coil 33 is visible.

In the right half of Figure 7, the impeller 2 is formed as a closed impeller. The blades 20 are at their remote from the hub 21 end connected by a peripheral cover plate 122 with each other.

Down in Figure 7, the right wheel 2 has a base plate 22 in which the permanent magnets 25 are mounted. Below these permanent magnets 25 is one of the coils 33 as part of the contactless electric drive of the impeller. 2

The self-adjusting flows of the crankcase ventilation gas in these two wheels are each indicated by flow arrows.

FIG. 8 shows an oil separator 1, for which it is characteristic that next to the impeller 2 it has a precursor 26 on the inflow side and guide vanes 28 'on the outflow side.

On the far left in FIG. 8, the inlet 13 for the crankcase ventilation gas to be de-oiled is visible. In the flow direction of the crankcase ventilation gas is then followed by the precursor 26, which already ensures a flow swirl of the crankcase ventilation gas in the sense of the drawn helical flow arrow.

Next in the direction of flow then follow the blades 20 of the impeller 2, which is again mounted rotatably on a housing-fixed shaft 17 by means of plain bearings 24, 24 'here.

Radially outward of the blades 20 is located as the inner surface of the housing 10, the oil precipitation and oil collection surface 15, which is connected at the bottom with the oil outlet 16. Since the lower boundary of the interior of the oil separator 1, which is formed by the housing 10, a steady Has slope in the flow direction, also passes oil, which has already been deposited in the region of the precursor 26 on the inner surface of the housing 10, by gravity and by the enticing effect of the gas flow to the outlet 16th

Farther downstream, following the vanes 20, is the arrangement of guide vanes 28 'which provide a favorable flow transition of the gas into the outlet 14, which is up here on the housing 10.

The right-hand side in FIG. 8 shows the contactless electric drive 3, which is housed in its own housing part 18. For electrical power supply here again an electrical line 34. Inside the housing part 18 is a non-rotatably connected to a motor shaft 31 of the motor 30 disc 32 in which an array of permanent magnets 35 is housed. Opposite of these permanent magnets 35, separated by a part of the housing 10 forming wall, the permanent magnets 25 of the impeller second

Figure 9 shows an embodiment of the oil separator 1 which is characteristic of having heaters 6, 6 '.

On the far right in FIG. 9, the inlet 13 for the crankcase ventilation gas to be de-oiled is visible. The housing 10 of the oil separator 1 consists here again of two housing parts 11, 12, which are connected to each other along a parting plane 10 '. The impeller 2 in the interior of the housing 10 is here again rotatably mounted on a housing-fixed shaft 17 by means of plain bearings 24, 24 '. Before the blades 20 of the impeller 2, a precursor 26 is provided here, with a part of the hub 21st the impeller 2 is connected. This part of the hub 21 is in turn firmly connected to the rest of the impeller 2, for example, welded.

Radially outward from the blades 20, the oil precipitation and oil collecting surface 15 is here again present, which merges into the oil outlet 16 at the very bottom.

A first heating device 6 is provided on the outside at the lower part of the housing 10 in the region of the oil precipitation and oil collecting surface 15. Hereby, the surface 15 of the housing interior can be heated, at which the oil precipitates, whereby the oil is flowable and flows faster to the outlet 16.

A second heating device 6 'is provided inside the housing-fixed shaft 17 and serves to heat in the region of the bearings 24, 24' for lubrication existing lubricants and thereby reduce the bearing friction in the bearings 24, 24 '. As a result, a higher speed of the impeller 2 is achieved at a given drive power.

At the far left in FIG. 9, a small part of the housing part 18 is still recognizable for receiving the non-contact electric drive. In the left-hand base disk 22 of the impeller 2, two of the permanent magnets 25 for the rotary drive of the impeller 2 can be seen.

FIG. 10 shows a detail of an oil separator 1, in which an arrangement of adjustable pilot vanes 28 is provided in the inlet 13. The arrangement comprises in the example shown a total of four Vorleitschaufeln 28, at a distance of 90 ° via the inlet 13 to the Rotary axis 29 are arranged around and radially outward.

To adjust the Vorleitschaufeln 28 is an actuator 5 in the form of an electric actuator, which is shown in part at the top of FIG. Via a shaft 50, an adjustment movement caused by the actuator 5 is transmitted synchronously to the individual feed vanes 28. So that no secondary flow paths for gases into the inlet 13 or out of the inlet 13 out in the region of the shaft 50 may arise, this is sealed by a gas-tight housing 51.

Depending on the position of the pilot vanes 28, the inflowing crankcase ventilation gas can be acted upon by these with a flow twist, which favorably influences the further flow guidance in the region of the vanes 20 of the rotor 2. Of the impeller 2 is only a small, near the inlet 13 lying part visible in Figure 10. In the center of the impeller 2 and its blades 20 is the housing fixed shaft 17 on which the impeller 2 is rotatably mounted about its axis of rotation 29 by means of the visible here bearing 24 'and another, non-visible bearing.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the oil separator 1, which is partially spatially integrated into the valve cover 40 'of an associated internal combustion engine 4. In the valve cover 40 'while the inlet 13, the oil outlet 16 and the impeller 2 receiving part of the housing are formed.

The impeller 2 has here in its center a hub 21, which merges to the left in a base plate 22. With the hub 21 and the base plate 22 are the blades 20 made in one piece. Also, the permanent magnets 25 are here again in the base plate 22 attached as impeller-side part of the non-contact drive 3.

Radially outward of the blades 20 lies within the valve cover 40 'the oil precipitation and oil collection surface 15, from the bottom right in Figure 11, the oil outlet 16 leads away.

The recess in the valve cover 40 ', in which the impeller 2 is arranged, is outwardly, i. in Figure 11 to the left, sealed by a plate-shaped part of the housing 10. On the outside, in Figure 11 so on the left side, this plate-shaped housing part is the drive 3, which is supplied via the electrical line 34 with electrical energy. Down the gas outlet 14 goes off for the cleaned crankcase ventilation gas. The gas outlet 14 extends over part of its length through the outside of the valve cover 40 'lying part of the housing 10 of the oil separator 1. The free end of the gas outlet 14 is formed here as a hose connection piece to which a hose for continuing the de-oiled crankcase ventilation gas can be connected.

Figure 12 shows in its left and in its right half two versions of the oil separator 1, which are each connected in series with a conventional oil separator 8 and 8 '.

Above in Figure 12, the impeller 2 is located with its blades 20 within the housing 10, in which case the axis of rotation 29 of the impeller 2 is vertical. Radially outward of the blades 20 of the impeller 2 is also the inner surface of the housing 10 as Ölniederschlags- and oil collection surface 15 formed and connected to an upper left in Figure 12 visible oil outlet 16. The outlet 14 for the cleaned crankcase ventilation gas is located on the upper right at the top of the housing 10. The previously described parts of the oil separator 1 are identical for the two embodiments shown in FIG.
The oil separator 1 shown in the left half of Figure 12 is preceded by a knitted body 81 as a conventional oil separator 8, which is arranged im.Inneren a cup-shaped lower housing part. The inlet 13 for the crankcase ventilation gas to be de-oiled flows laterally from the left into this lower housing part. On its way into the region of the impeller 2, the crankcase ventilation gas must first forcibly flow through the knitted body 81 at its full volume flow, a first separation of oil droplets taking place. The separated in the knit body 81 oil flows under gravity down and there via an oil drain 80 from, for example, in the oil pan of an associated internal combustion engine.

After flowing through the knitted body 81, the now already partially de-oiled crankcase ventilation gas reaches the area of the impeller 2. This ensures on the one hand by centrifugal force for further separation of oil mist from the crankcase ventilation gas and on the other hand by its conveying effect for a repeal of the knitted body 81 caused differential pressure. Finally, the deoiled gas leaves the oil separator 1 through the gas outlet 14.

In the right half of Figure 12, the upstream conventional oil separator 8 'is formed by a cyclone. Through a right above in the range of this cyclone tangential inlet 13 passes to be de-oiled Crankcase vent gas into the interior of the oil separator 8 'and is placed therein in a rotating vortex flow. As a result, some of the oil droplets are thrown by centrifugal force to the outside and deposited. From the inner surface of the cyclone formed as an oil separator 8 ', the precipitated oil flows under gravity down to the very bottom intended oil drain 80'. The crankcase ventilation gas passes through a central overflow from the oil separator 8 'up into the region of the impeller 2, which also ensures here for a further oil separation and on the other by its conveying effect for a cancellation of the differential pressure caused by the cyclone.

FIG. 13 shows two embodiments of a two-stage oil separator 1, one embodiment each being shown in the upper and in the lower half of FIG.

In the upper half of FIG. 13, the first impeller 2 ', viewed in the flow direction, is provided with a co-rotating filter body 27, which can be flowed through in the radial direction by the crankcase ventilation gas, as indicated by the flow arrows.

From the region of the first impeller 2 ', the now partially deoiled crankcase ventilation gas passes through the transfer opening 113 into the region of the second impeller 2, which is designed without a co-rotating filter body.

The two wheels 2 ', 2 are arranged in a common housing 10, which here has a closed except for the transfer opening 113 dividing wall between the two wheels 2', 2.

Radially outside of each impeller 2 ', 2 is again ever a Ölniederschlägs- and oil collection surface 15, which opens down into each case an oil outlet 16.

In the example of the oil separator 1 shown in the lower half of FIG. 13, the first impeller 2 'seen in the flow direction is equipped with a precursor 26 with short blades. Next in the flow direction then follows a with the impeller 2 'rotating filter body 27, which is flowed through here in the axial direction of the crankcase ventilation gas substantially. For this purpose, the base disk 22 'of the impeller 2' is gas permeable, e.g. with holes, executed. In addition, the left in Figure 13 side of the base plate 22 'with compressor blades 20' is occupied, which serve to generate the desired conveying action and at the same time for acting on the base disc 22 'exiting crankcase ventilation gas with a centrifugal force.

The second impeller 2 is identical to the impeller 2 according to the upper half of FIG. 13 in the embodiment of the oil separator 1 according to the lower half of FIG.

The gas outlet 14 for the purified crankcase ventilation gas is located at the top left in the region of the housing 10 and here has an axial outflow direction for the purified gas. Alternatively, the outlet 14 may also tangentially depart from the left upper portion of the housing 10, as indicated by dashed lines at the top of FIG.

Figure 14 shows a closed impeller 2, which is characteristic that it has an air bearing.

The impeller 2 has a hub part 21, which is arranged concentrically to the axis of rotation 29. With a curved course goes from the hub part 21, the base plate 22 radially outward. The blades 20 follow this course, so that the axial: inflowing crankcase ventilation gases are deflected in a radial direction.

Concentric with the axis of rotation 29 here a housing-fixed shaft 17 is provided, which is hollow in its interior and there forms an air passage 117. From this air passage 117 go from a plurality of transverse bores 117 ', which lead to the outer periphery of the shaft 17. On the outer circumference of the shaft 17 'sleeve-shaped bearings 24, 24' are provided in the region of the transverse bores 117. By introducing compressed air through the air passage 117 and the transverse bores 117 'in the gap region between the shaft 17 and the bearings 24, 24', an air cushion is formed there, which ensures a particularly low bearing friction. Thus, a particularly high speed of the impeller 2 is achieved at a given driving force.

Figures 15a and 15b show in longitudinal section and in cross section two embodiments of the impeller 2 with an integrated in the region of the hub 21 non-contact drive 3 with magnetic bearings for the impeller 2. It is ever a design in the upper and in the lower half of the figure 15a and 15b.

The impeller 2 has in both embodiments a hub portion 21, which tapers to the left-side inlet, which is not shown, steadily. Towards the right, the hub region 21 merges into the base disk 22. In the transition region from the hub part 21 to the base plate 22, the blades 20 of the impeller 2 are arranged. The impeller 2 is here connected to a rotatable shaft 17 ', which is rotatably mounted outside of the impeller in a manner not shown here.

In the embodiment shown in the upper half of Figure 15a and Figure 15b, the housing 10 of the oil separator forms an annular gap-shaped space surrounding the shaft 17 '. In this annular gap-shaped space, the coils 33 of the non-contact electric drive 3 are housed and supplied via electrical lines 34 with electrical energy.

In the embodiment according to the lower half of Figure 15a and Figure 15b, the housing 10 forms an open to the shaft 17 'receiving area for the coil 33, whereby here the coils 33 are spaced from the shaft 17 only with a small air gap.

In the interior of the shaft 17 'are distributed over the circumference in opposition to the coils 33 permanent magnets 25 are used, which form the contactless electric drive 3 in conjunction with the coil 33.

Figures 16a and 16b show in the same representation as the figures 15a and 15b two further embodiments of the impeller 2 with contactless electric drive. 3

The impeller 2 is executed in all versions here again with a rounded on the inlet side and otherwise hollow cylindrical hub portion 21, which merges to the right into the base plate 22. The blades 20 are integrally formed with the hollow cylindrical portion of the hub 21 and the base plate 22.

For storage of the impeller 2 serves a housing-fixed shaft 17.

In the embodiment shown in the upper half of FIGS. 16a and 16b, an arrangement of electromagnets 33, which can be supplied with electrical energy via electrical lines 34, is seated on the outside of the housing-fixed shaft 17. Radially outward follows this arrangement of the magnets 33 a sleeve-shaped arrangement of the permanent magnets 25, in which case a small movement gap is kept free. The sleeve-shaped arrangement of the permanent magnets 25 is connected at its outer periphery rotationally fixed to the inner periphery of the hub 21 of the impeller 2. The sleeve-shaped arrangement of the permanent magnets 25 with the coil assembly 33 forms a plain bearing and at the same time the non-contact electric drive. 3

In the lower half of Figs. 16a and 16b, the arrangement of the electromagnetic coils is attached to the inside of the hollow shaft 17 fixed to the housing. Radially outward from the hollow shaft 17 is here again a sleeve-shaped arrangement of permanent magnets 25, which is here again rotationally connected to the inner circumference of the hollow hub portion 21 of the impeller 2. In this case, there is a movement gap between the sleeve-shaped arrangement of the permanent magnets 25 and the outer circumference of the shaft 17, whereby here a sliding bearing for the rotatable mounting of the impeller 2 is formed.

FIG. 17 shows a section of an oil separator, the section showing the inlet 13 and a small part of the impeller 2. It is essential here that within the inlet 13 in the axial direction of an adjustable throttle body 131 is arranged. Here is the throttle body 131 in the upper and in the lower half of Figure 17 shown in two different positions.

In the lower half of Figure 17, the throttle body 131 has taken its opening position in which it is moved away to the left, ie in the direction of the inlet 13 of the impeller 2. As a result, the outer circumference of the throttle body 131 is removed from an end edge 130 'of a concentric intermediate wall 130. Radially inwardly from this concentric partition wall 130, the path of the crankcase ventilation gas extends into the region of the impeller 2. Outside this concentric partition wall 31 runs an annular channel 132 as a bypass duct, which bypasses the region of the impeller 2.

In the position of the throttle body 131 shown in the lower half in Fig. 17, most of the crankcase ventilation gas flows to the impeller 2 where oil separation is performed in the manner previously described.

In the position of the throttle body 131 shown in the upper half of FIG. 17, the outer periphery of the latter bears against the free end edge 130 'of the concentric partition 130, so that the flow path for the crankcase ventilation gas is blocked in the region of the impeller 2. The entire amount of crankcase ventilation gas now flows through the bypass duct 132.

On the left in FIG. 17, in dashed lines, an alternative form of the adjustable throttle body is indicated as throttle body 131 '.

To guide the adjustable throttle body 131, 131 'is the shaft 17 from the impeller 2 to the left, ie in the direction to the inlet 13, extended, wherein the throttle body 131, 131 'is hollow in its center and so on the shaft 17 is axially displaceable.

The throttle body 131, 131 'thus forms in this embodiment a combined throttle and valve member 13 "The closed position of the throttle bodies 131, 131' can be used, for example, as a shut-off function to avoid an undesired chimney effect when the internal combustion engine is at a standstill.

FIG. 18 shows an example of the interaction of an oil separator 1 with an internal combustion engine 4 and associated further parts.

The internal combustion engine 4 has a crankcase 40, from which a crankcase ventilation line 43 goes off. Via a throttle body 13 ', this line 43 leads to the inlet 13 of the oil separator. 1

In the oil separator 1, which is shown here only schematically, there is the impeller 2. Left of the oil separator 1, the outlet 14 is arranged for the de-oiled crankcase ventilation gas. Via a further throttle element 14 ', the outlet 14 is connected to a further gas line 44. This gas line 44 opens into an intake line 41, through which the internal combustion engine 4, the air required for combustion is supplied. Through an exhaust pipe 42, the combustion exhaust gases leave the internal combustion engine. 4

At the lower part of the oil separator 1 is the oil outlet 16, which is connected via an oil return line 45 to the crankcase 40 of the internal combustion engine 4. By This oil return line 45, the separated oil is returned to the oil sump in the crankcase 40.

Further, Figure 18 shows a return line 19 which leads from the outlet 14 to the inlet 13 of the oil separator 1. In the course of this return line 19, a check valve 19 'is provided, which allows a gas flow only in the direction from the outlet 14 to the inlet 13 and thus a cleaning of the crankcase ventilation gas in a "small" circuit.

As indicated in dashed lines, alternatively, the return line 19 may also be performed instead of the inlet 13 to the crankcase 40 of the internal combustion engine 4. Also in this alternative guide the return line 19 is provided in the course of the check valve 19 'to determine the desired flow direction, as is also indicated in dashed lines. In this embodiment, cleaning of the crankcase ventilation gas in a "larger" circuit including the crankcase 40 is possible. This mode of operation is e.g. after a shutdown of the internal combustion engine. 4 makes sense in a limited time lag of the oil separator 1.

Finally, FIG. 18 also shows a regulating or control device 7, which is connected via electrical lines with sensors and actuators. Sensors may be, for example, elements for detecting the rotational speed of the impeller 2 or for detecting gas temperatures before or in or behind the oil separator 1 or for detecting gas pressures before or in or behind the oil separator 1. Actuators here are actuators for the adjustable throttle bodies 13 ', 14' and a variable drive of the impeller 2 of the oil separator 1, which by means of the control or control unit 7 can be influenced in the desired manner in their state or their position in accordance with the detected measured values. The aim of these measures is, on the one hand, to achieve as far as possible an oil separation from the crankcase ventilation gas and at the same time to keep the pressure in the crankcase 40 of the internal combustion engine 4 within predetermined limits.

To indicate the correct condition or to display errors, the control or control unit 7 may be assigned a permanently connected diagnosis display 70 that can be perceived by a driver or that needs to be connected only during testing and maintenance and that can be read by the maintenance personnel.

As indicated on the bottom left in FIG. 18, an arrangement with two oil separators 1 can also be used if correspondingly large amounts of crankcase ventilation gas are to be de-oiled. The use of two smaller oil separators 1 may be cheaper than the use of a single, correspondingly larger oil separator.

Figure 19 shows a schematic representation of an oil separator with two identical oil separators 1, which are connected in parallel.

Each oil separator 1 has again an impeller 2 and an inlet 13 for entölendes crankcase ventilation gas, an outlet 14 for the deoiled crankcase ventilation gas and an oil outlet 16 for the separated oil.

The inlet 13 is in each case connected to a pipe section 43 '. On the other hand, each oil separator is connected to a respective pipe section 41 ', the in turn is connected via a line section 44 to the outlet 14 of the oil separator 1. The outlet 16 of each oil separator 1 is connected to a respective pipe section 45 '. The pipe sections 41 ', 43' and 45 'of the parallel oil separator 1 each extend in alignment with each other and are provided at their ends with connecting flanges 141, 143, 145. By means of these connecting flanges 141, 143, 145, an arbitrary number of oil separators 1 can be connected to one another to the oil separator with the desired number of oil separators 1 connected in parallel.

On the right are still short sections of continuing lines 41, 43, 45 can be seen, the line 43 comes from the crankcase of an associated internal combustion engine, the line 41 leads to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine and the line 45 leads into the crankcase of the internal combustion engine.

The respective leftmost connection flanges 141, 143, 145, to which no further oil separator 1 is to be connected, are to be closed by flange plates.

In the case of the oil separators 1 according to FIG. 19, a return line 19 can also be provided between the outlet 14 and the inlet 13 of the oil separator 1.

Figure 20 shows an embodiment of the oil separator 1 with an integrated brushless electric motor 30 as a drive 3 for the impeller 2. Since the motor 30 is brushless, here no.Funken principle arise in the operation of the electric motor 30, so that the motor 30 in this embodiment can come into contact with crankcase ventilation gas without the risk of ignition of the Crankcase ventilation gas in its passage through the oil separator 1 consists.

Otherwise, the oil separator 1 according to FIG. 20 corresponds to the oil separator 1 already shown and described in FIG.

Finally, FIG. 21 shows, in a representation similar to FIG. 6, an embodiment of the oil separator 1 which is equipped with a conditioning device 9 beyond the features which are already illustrated and explained in FIG.

The conditioning device 9 may have different designs and thus different functions.

At the bottom left in FIG. 21, a supply line 90 is shown as the first embodiment of the conditioning device 9, through which a gas or gases, for example a noble gas, can be admitted into the flow of the crankcase ventilation gas which flows through the inlet 13 to the impeller 2 of the oil separator 1. As a result, the crankcase ventilation gas can be given special properties that are more favorable for oil separation or for further use of the deoiled crankcase ventilation gas.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 21, the supply line 90 opens into the return line 19, which is provided here between the outlet 14 and the inlet 13 for the crankcase ventilation gas.

A second embodiment of the conditioning device 9 comprises means for generating an electrostatic charge of the crankcase ventilation gas. For this purpose, the conditioning device comprises a voltage source 91, which is connected via not numbered lines with an electrode 91 '. The electrode 91 'surrounds here a part of the inlet 13 and a part of the housing 10, namely the left housing part 11 of the oil separator 1. By the electrostatic charge of the oil mist in the crankcase ventilation gas forming oil droplets their deposition can be improved in the oil separator 1. Since the electrode 91 'is outside the housing 10, there is no risk of ignition for the crankcase ventilation gas.

Claims (29)

1. Oil separator (1) for cleaning the oil mist-containing crankcase venting gas of an internal combustion engine (4), with a housing (10) with an inlet (13) for the crankcase venting gas, an outlet (14) for the cleaned gas and an oil outlet (16), with at least one rotary driven, rotating oil separator element being arranged in the housing (10), with one inner surface of a wall area which radially surrounds the oil separator element on the outside of the housing (10) being designed as an oil depositing and oil collecting surface (15) and being connected with the oil outlet (16), the oil separator element being a component in the form of an impeller (2) provided with vanes (20) and acting at the same time as rotor and compressor, with the in-flowing crankcase venting gas with entrained oil mist particles made to move by means of the rotating impeller (2) in a rotating movement by applying a centrifugal force, and a conveying effect being simultaneously exercised on the crankcase venting gas in a direction from the inlet (13) to the gas outlet (14) of the oil separator (1),
   characterized in that
   the rotating oil separator element or impeller (2) is positioned on the inside of the housing (10), without axis passage to the outside, the housing being tight except for the inlet and outlets (13, 14, 16) and being made to rotate contact-free by a drive (3) arranged on the outside of the housing (10) through the inside of which the crankcase venting gas is flowing.
2. Oil separator according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (10) and the impeller (2) are designed in the form of a radial or axial compressor or in a mixed form of the two.
3. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed in the form of a multi-stage and/or a multi-flow compressor.
4. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact-free drive (3) of the impeller (2) comprises a magnetic coupling (25, 35) or an eddy current coupling, as well as an electrically or hydraulically or pneumatically drivable motor (30) or a mechanical drive derived from the internal combustion engine (4).
5. Oil separator according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the contact-free drive (3) of the impeller (2) comprises an integrated brushless electric motor (30).
6. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impeller (2) can be driven at a constant speed.
7. Oil separator according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the impeller (2) can be driven at a variable speed adjusted to the correspondingly existing operating condition of the internal combustion engine (4).
8. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one adjustable throttle element (each) (13', 14') or one adjustable combined throttle and valve element (each) (13'') is provided in or before the inlet (13) for the crankcase venting gas and/or in or behind the outlet (14) for the cleaned gas.
9. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a return line (19) branches off from the outlet (14) for the cleaned gas, the return line leading either to the inlet (13) for the crankcase venting gas or into the crankcase (40) of the associated internal combustion engine (4), with an adjustable throttle or valve element and/or a non-return valve (19') being arranged in the course of the return line (19).
10. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impeller (2) is designed as an open, fast running impeller (2).
11. Oil separator according to any one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the impeller (2) is designed as a closed impeller (2) with a covering disk (122).
12. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impeller (2) is designed with forerunners (26) on the in-flow side.
13. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or a plurality of different conventional oil separators (8, 8') are switched either in parallel to it, or before, or after.
14. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a stationary filter element (15', 27) and/or one rotating with the rotating oil separator element or the impeller (2) is provided in the housing (10) in the course of the flow path of the crankcase venting gas, the filter element preferably being made of foam or knit fabric.
15. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that stationary or adjustable pre-guide vanes (28) are provided upstream of the impeller (2) and/or stationary or adjustable post-guide vanes (28') are provided downstream of the impeller (2).
16. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impeller (2) is rotatably arranged on a stationary shaft (17) or stationarily on a rotatably positioned shaft (17'), that the impeller (2) is overhung or tensioned, and that at least one friction bearing or rolling bearing or air cushion bearing or magnetic bearing is provided as bearing (24, 24') for the rotatable bearing of the impeller (2) or the shaft (17').
17. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impeller (2) is provided with vanes (20, 20') on both sides or that - with an impeller (2) being provided on one side with vanes (20) - at least one pressure compensation opening (23) is provided connecting the side of the impeller (2) provided with vanes (20) with the other side.
18. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a deposit-repellent coating is provided for those surfaces of the housing (10) and for the rotating oil separating element or impeller (2) which come into contact with the crankcase venting gas and the oil.
19. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) is designed with two housing parts (11, 12) with a housing separating level (10') which is circumferentially provided in the oil depositing and oil collecting surface (15).
20. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) is made of several parts and that at least one part (12) of the housing (10) is designed as an integral part of the associated internal combustion engine (4), in particular of its crankcase (40) or control box or cylinder head cover (40').
21. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the oil separator (1) is provided with a heating device (6) which is used to heat at least the wall area of the housing (10) used as the oil depositing and oil collecting surface (15) and/or to heat a part of the housing (10) which is bearing the rotating oil separator element or the impeller (2).
22. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a regulating or control device (7) is allocated to it, by means of which the function of the oil separator (1) is adjustable at least by variation of the speed of the rotating oil separator element or impeller (2) to the correspondingly current operating condition of the internal combustion engine (4), preferably by access to an engine characteristic map which is digitally stored in an electronic engine control and regulating unit.
23. Oil separator according to claim 22, characterized in that sensors (71, 71', 72, 72') are provided in or on the oil separator (1) by means of which parameters can be recorded which are relevant for the operation of the oil separator (1) - especially the parameters of the actual speed of the rotating oil separator element or impeller (2), the gas pressure before and/or after the rotating oil separator element or impeller (2), the gas volume flow through the oil separator (1), the temperature of the inflowing crankcase ventilating gas and/or of the pure gas flowing off and/or of the oil separator (1) itself or of its drive (3) - the parameters being transferable to the regulating or control device (7), and that actuators (5) are provided in or on the oil separator (1) by means of which adjustable elements influencing the operation of the oil separator (1) can be adjusted, especially the drive (3), or the throttle elements (13', 14'), or the throttle and valve elements (13''), or the guide vanes (28).
24. Oil separator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a conditioning device (9) which is acting physically and/or chemically upon the crankcase ventilating gas flowing through.
25. Oil separator according to claim 24, characterized in that gases, e.g. rare gases, can be supplied by means of the conditioning device (9) to the crankcase ventilating gas which flows to the oil separator (1) or through the oil separator (1), or away from the oil separator (1).
26. Oil separator according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the crankcase ventilating gas which flows through the oil separator (1) and/or at least one part of the oil separator (1) can be put into ultrasonic vibration by means of the conditioning device (9).
27. Oil separator according to claim 24, 25 or 26, characterized in that the crankcase ventilating gas which flows through the oil separator (1) can be electrostatically charged by means of the conditioning device (9).
28. Oil separator device characterized in that it comprises a plurality of oil separators (1) switched in parallel, according to any one of the preceding claims.
29. Oil separator device according to claim 28, characterized in that the plurality of oil separators (1) are identical among each other and can be modularly combined with each other in a desired number.

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