EP1611321A2

EP1611321A2 - Device for separating fluids of different density

Info

Publication number: EP1611321A2
Application number: EP04724610A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giorgio Girondi
Original assignee: UFI Filters SpA
Current assignee: UFI Filters SpA
Priority date: 2003-04-09
Filing date: 2004-03-31
Publication date: 2006-01-04
Also published as: ITRE20030035A0; ITRE20030035A1; WO2004090292A2; WO2004090292A3

Abstract

Device for separating a mixture of fluids of different density, comprising an outer casing (2) provided with an entry conduit (3) for said mixture of fluids, and an exit conduit (4) for the fluid of lesser density, said conduits being separated by a filtering means (5) which defines an upstream chamber to which said entry conduit leads, and a downstream chamber (6) from which said exit conduit (4) leaves, a conduit (8) for discharging the fluid of greater density being associated with one of said chambers, said chambers being connected together by a valve member (9).

Description

DESCRIPTION

DEVICE FOR SEPARATING FLUIDS OF DIFFERENT DENSITY

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates in general to a device for separating fluids of different density.

BACKGROUND ART

In many sectors of the art, mixtures of fluids presenting very different mass densities need to be separated. For example in internal combustion engines this applies to the fluid mixture formed by the recirculation gases.

Burnt gases are known to return to the lower chambers of internal combustion engine cylinders because of seepage past the piston rings or because of imperfect connections. These gases are generally fed to the engine intake manifold, which then feeds them to the cylinders for combustion via a suitable conduit.

However, it can happen that the gases in the cylinder lower chambers come into contact with the oil present in the engine oil sump, and partly mix with it. Hence the engine intake manifold also receives oil particles which are damaging in that, in addition to soiling the various components with which the come into contact, they are highly polluting from the environmental viewpoint.

Separator devices are known which separate said burnt gases from the oil particles which they entrain when coming into contact with the oil in the engine oil sump. The known devices comprise a casing provided with an entry conduit for the gas and oil mixture and an exit conduit for the gas, a separator, for example of the coalescence type comprising a filtering baffle, being interposed between said entry and exit conduits. The filtering baffle substantially divides the interior of the device into two separate chambers. A conduit is present in the upstream chamber for discharging the oil which separates from the mixture and collects by gravity on the bottom of the upstream chamber. When the engine to which the device is connected is switched off, the oil which has collected in the downstream chamber of the filter should return into the upstream chamber through said filtering baffle, which to facilitate this oil passage between the two chambers is mounted inclined. It has however been found that in passing through the filtering baffle the oil tends to impregnate the baffle and to settle within it. This makes the baffle unusable, and must hence be frequently replaced.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the known art within the framework of a simple, rational and low-cost solution. The invention attains said object by virtue of the characteristics defined in the claims.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Said object is attained according to the invention by a separator device comprising an outer casing provided with an entry conduit for a mixture of fluids of different density, and an exit conduit for the fluid of lesser density, said conduits being separated by a filtering means which defines an upstream chamber to which said entry conduit leads, and a downstream chamber from which said exit conduit leaves, a valve member being provided which when opened connects said chambers together, a conduit for discharging the fluid of greater density being associated with one of said chambers. According to the invention said valve member is positioned in proximity to the bottom of said casing where the fluid of greater density collects. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the valve member comprises a umbrella valve which is opened by the pressure exerted on it by the fluid of greater density which has collected on the bottom of said casing. Again preferably, the conduit for discharging the fluid of greater density is positioned in the chamber to which said mixture entry conduit also leads.

According to the invention the valve member can be associated either with the filtering means or with the outer casing of the separator device. According to the invention, depending on the mixture of fluids to be separated and the industrial sector in which it is to be used, said filtering means can be of coalescence, labyrinth, cyclone or centrifugal type. The invention is described in detail hereinafter with the aid of the accompanying figures which illustrate one embodiment thereof by way of non-limiting example.

Figure 1 is a section through the device of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a detail of the invention.

Figure 1 shows the device 1 , which in the illustrated embodiment is used to separate a mixture of engine burnt gases and oil and is hence intended to be inserted into the circuit which connects the burnt gas and oil mixture discharge to the engine fuel intake manifold (not shown). The device 1 comprises an outer casing 2 having an entry conduit 3 through which said burnt gas and oil mixture enters the device, and an exit conduit 4 through which the burnt gases alone leave. Inside said casing 2 there is a filtering means 5, which in the illustrated embodiment is a coalescence separator baffle, which coalesces the oil micro-droplets so that they can be collected by virtue of their weight. The filtering means 5 separates the casing interior into two separate chambers, namely a chamber 6 upstream of the filtering means, to which said entry conduit 3 leads, and a chamber 7 downstream of the filtering means 5, from which said exit conduit 4 leaves.

From the chamber 6 there leaves a discharge conduit 8 for discharging the fluid of greater density which collects on the bottom of the chamber by the effect of the filtering means 5. The filtering means 5 is provided with two endpieces 50 and 51 by which it is fitted to the casing 2. On the lower endpiece 51 there is provided a valve member 9 (Figure 2) comprising a umbrella valve 10 which opens by the pressure which the oil collected on the bottom of the chamber 7 exerts on the annular wall 100 of the valve 10 by way of the holes 11 present in the endpiece 51. During engine operation, oil separated by the filtering means collects on the bottom of the chamber 6, whereas the oil which falls onto the bottom of the chamber 7 is discharged through the conduit 8. When the oil present in the chamber 7 reaches a determined level the pressure which it exerts on the valve 10 is such that the valve opens and by passing through the holes 11 the oil flows from the chamber 7 to the chamber 6, and from there is discharged through the discharge conduit 8.

Claims

1. A device for separating a mixture of fluids of different density, comprising an outer casing provided with an entry conduit for said mixture of fluids, and an exit conduit for the fluid of lesser density, said conduits being separated by a filtering means which defines an upstream chamber to which said entry conduit leads, and a downstream chamber from which said exit conduit leaves, characterised by comprising a valve member for connecting said chambers together, a conduit for discharging the fluid of greater density being associated with one of said chambers.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said valve member is positioned in proximity to the bottom of said casing.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that said valve member is opened by the pressure exerted thereon by the fluid of greater density collected on the bottom of said casing.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said valve member is an umbrella valve.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said conduit for discharging the fluid of greater density is positioned in that chamber to which said mixture entry conduit leads.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said valve member is rigid with said casing.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said valve member is associated with said filtering means.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said filtering means is a coalescence filter.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said filtering means is a labyrinth filter.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said filtering means is of cyclone type.

11. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said filtering means is of centrifugal type.

12. A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said mixture is composed of gas and oil.