GB2231508A

GB2231508A - Air separator in or for a fluid flow system

Info

Publication number: GB2231508A
Application number: GB9009340A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony William Ward
Original assignee: WARDTEC Ltd
Current assignee: WARDTEC Ltd
Priority date: 1989-04-26
Filing date: 1990-04-26
Publication date: 1990-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-26
Also published as: GB2231508B; GB9009340D0

Abstract

An air separator 40 in or for a fluid flow system has a hollow body 41 which includes an inlet port 42 and an exit port 43 for connection in a system for flow of fluid through the body and an exit 44a for air such that any air in the fluid flowing through the body 41 is trapped in the body adjacent the top thereof and is vented away through the exit 44a. An additional aperture 44 receives a long boss 53 which reaches below the liquid level, in use. Topping up liquid may be introduced through this. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Air separator in or for a fluid flow system" Oescription of Invention This invention relates to an air separator in or for a fluid flow svstem.

The system may comprise, for example, an appliance, vessel, or a svstem or network of pipes. The invention relates particularl". hut not exclus velv, to a central heating system of the kind, hereinafter referred to as the kind specified, comprising a circuit, including a heater. a header Iexpansion tank connected to the circuit to supply water to the circuit and to receive discharge from the circuit and at least one heat exchanger. Js',clly the heater is a boiler which can be fired bv gas, oil, solid fuel. or am other suitable fuel, the, or at least one, heat exchanger comprises at least one radiator or a cYlinder for storing water heated by the circulating hot water of the circus.

Any air or other gas, vapour or the like, all herein referred to as air, which enters the system can be separated from the fluid and released from the system by means of the air separator.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved air separator in or for a fluid flow system.

According to one aspect of the present invention we provide an air separator, in or for c fluid flow svstem comprising a hollow body having in an upper part thereof an exit port for air and in a lower port thereof a primary inlet port and a primary outlet port for connection in the system for flow of fluid through the body.

The body may have a further port which mav open to the interior of the body in a lowermost region thereof below said lower region. The further port may be connected to a supply of fluid for top up flow of fluid to the svstem.

According to a more specific aspect of the invention we provide an air separator according to the first aspect of the invention in a fluid flow svstem comprising a central heating system of the kind specified wherein the exit port for air is connected for discharge into the tank, said primarv inlet port is connected to the heater and the primarv outlet port is connected to said at least one heat exchanger. the body having said further port and said further port being connected to the tank for flow of water from the tank to the interior of the bodv to top up the circuit.

The exit port may be arranged to discharge to atmosphere at a position so disposed in relation to the tank so that water discharged therefrom falls at grafirity into the tank.

The bodv may be elongate having a longitudinal axis and havina cylindrical tubular projections at longitudinally opposite ends of the horlv which are adapted for coupling to other components of the system and an opening provided in a side wall of the body intermediate said ends and having fastened therein, for example by soldering, a tubular cylindrical boss which extends generally transversely to said longitudinal axis.

At iecst one of the projections may be adapted to be received within a compress;on or other female joint.

At least one of the projections may be adapted to provide a female socket pa-t to receive a male part of a joint.

Said boss may terminate in the body or adjacent the side wall thereof in which said opening is provided.

The bodv may be provided with a further such opening with a further boss fastened therein.

Said further boss may extend within the body to Q posttion adjacent the opposite side of the body to that in which the opening is formed.

The or each boss may comprise a socket to receive a conduit therein.

The socket of the or each boss and 1our projection mav he provided with th a recess containing solder or like jointing material. The' recess may be a groove which may be of part circular shape in cross-section.

The socket may comprise an end part of said boss of greater diameter than the part of the boss that is received in said opening and there being a shoulder therebetween to provide an abutment for said conduit.

The body and said projections may be formed as a one-piece item.

The bodv may be disposed, in use. with said lonaitudinal axis horizontal or substa#tially horlzontal. one of said projections comprising said primary inlet port and the other projection comprising said primary outlet port and said boss comprising the exit port and said further boss, when present, providing said further port.

#A!hen the separator is provided in the central heatinq svstem according to a more specific aspect of the invention, the primarv inlet port is connected to the boiler and the primarv outlet port to said at least one heat exchanger, whilst said exit port is connected to discharge into the tank and the further port is connected to the tank to supply top up fluid to the circuit.

Alternatively, the separator may be disposed, in use, with said longitudinal axis upright or substantially upright, one of said projections comprising said exit port for air and the other Droiection comprising said further port, in this embodiment the bodv is provided with two bosses in said side wall, one of said bosses comprising said primarv inlet port and the other of said bosses said primary outlet port.

Where the separator is incorporated in a central heating circuit according to the more specific aspect of the invention, the one projection comprising sdid primary outlet port is connected to discharge to the tank, the other projection comprising said further port is connected to the tank to feed top-uD water to the interior of the body, whilst one of said bosses which is preferably disposed above the other of said bosses is connected to said at least one heat exchanger, whilst the other boss is connected to said boiler.

Preferablv, said other boss is said further boss which extends within the body to a position adjacent said other side.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail wav of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fl(:;'J3XF I is a diagrnmmatic illustration of a fluid flow system embodying the invention.

FIG'PRE 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of another fluid flow system embodying the invention, FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-section, to an enlarged scale, through the air separator of the system of Figures 1 and 2, and FIGURE 3a is a fragmentary cross-section showing a modification of the separator of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure I a fluid flow system comprises a central heatina svstem having a circuit In comprising a boiler II connected bv a supply conduit 12 to a radiator 13 which is connected bv a return conduit 1h to the boiler II. If desired the circuit may include more than one radiator 13 and mov include a hot water tank in conventional manner. The boiler 11 mav he fired in any desired manner, for example, it may he gas-fired, oil-fired, or solid fue, fired. Alternat#veIy. instead of a holler '' ? the circuit mav include another form of heater, such as an electrical heater.

An open topped header/expansion tank 20 is provided at an appropriate height above the remainder of the circuit in conventional manner and is connected to the circuit by an air separator 40.

The air separator 40 is incorporated in the circuit and, as best shown in Figure 3, comprises a body 41 of generally cylindrical configuration hovinq reduced diameter tubular projections 42, 43 at opposite ends. The air separator 40 is orientated in the system shown in Figure I so that a longitudinal axis X-X of the body 41 is disposed horizontal Iv. The body 41 and tubular projections 42, 43 are formed as a one-piece member by a forming operation.

The tubular projections 42, 43 are of appropriate external diameter so as to fit in a standard compression joint, for example thee may be of 15 or 25 mm outside diameter. Of course, if desired, the projections 42, 43 mav be coupled to the remainder of the system by couplings other than a compression joint, such as a conventional solder joint. Alternatively, at least one of the projections 4r, 43 may be provided with a female socket part to receive a male part of a joint. The socket part may comprise a compression joint or a solder joint or, preferably, a pre-soldered joint by being formed with a circumferentially extending groove or recess such as that shown at 43a in Figure 3a, containing plumber's solder 43b.

The body 41 is provided with two apertures 44a, 44b at the top 45 of the body. In the aperture 44a is received a cylindrical boss 46 which is soldered in the aperture 43 as shown at 47 and is provided with an enlarged diameter part 48 with a shoulder 49 therebetween. The larger diameter part 48 provides a female socket to receive a conduit 50 which extends to a discharge location disposed directly above the open top of the headeriexpansion tank 20. The part 48 is provided with a circumferentially extending recess or groove 51 of part circular shape in cross-section in which is received plumbers solder 52. The boss 46 thus opens to the interior of the body at the top thereof whilst projections 42, 43 are in communication with a lower region of the body.

In the other aperture 44b is received a longer boss 53, the lower end 54 of which terminates adjacent the side 55 of the body opposite the opening 44 and thus is open to the interior of the bod" in a lowermost region thereof disposed below the lower region with which the projections 42, 43 communicate. The boss 53 is solde-ed in the aperture h4 as ndicated at 56.

The boss 53, like the boss 46, has an enlarged end part 57 with a shoulder 58 therebetween to receive an end of a further conduit 59. The part 57 is provided with a circumferential extendina groove or recess 6n containing plumbers solder 61 to join the conduit 50 to the boss 53.

If desired the bosses 4t and 53 may be formed to be connected to the conduits 55 and 5P in other wavs. for example bv means of conventional compression joints, but it is preferred to provide the pre-soldered joints described and illustrated. The conduit 59 extends to the bottom of the tank 20 and provides a gravity feed of water to top up the svstem in conventional manner.

In use, anv air in the water flowing into the bodv 41 from the boiler 11 through the projection 42, which provides a primarily inlet port, is trapped in the bod part 41 adjacent the top thereof and is vented through the conduit 50. Water leaving the body part 41 through the other projection 43, which comprises a primarv outlet port. is thus freed from such air so that flow of air through the remainder of the circuit is prevented or is substantially reduced.

Because the boss 53 opens to the interior of the bodv 41 in the lowermost region there;, passage of air through the pipe 55 is prevented. If desired, the boss 53 mav terminate at the top 45 of the hodv with consequent risk of inlet of air into the pipe 55.

Referring now to Figure 2, the use of the separator 40 in a circuit similar to that of Figure I as illustrated. but with the separator 40 being disposed with its longitudinsl axis Y-Y vertical. In Figure 2 the same reference numerals have been used to refer to the same parts as were used in Figure In this embodiment the projection 43 provides an air exit port from the body 41 whilst the projection 42 provides a further port through which top up water is supplied from the tank 20 through conduit 59.

The boss 53 provides a primary inlet port for water passing from the boiler II through the conduit 12 whilst the boss 46 provides a primary outlet port for water to pass from the bodv 41 to the or at least one heat exchanger 13 and thence back to the boiler I 1.

In this embodiment water passing from the boiler 11 which mav contain air, enters tne bodv 4i through the boss 53 at c lower region of the body and due to the close positioning of the end 54 of the boss 53 to the side well 55, flow is restricted, thereby giving time for anv air trapped in the water to rise upwardly to the top of the body and hence to leave the bodv through the air exit port 43 and pass via the conduit 50 to atmosphere. In this, as in the first embodiment. any water ahead of the air in the conduit 5P and which is forced out of the end thereof is received by the tank 20.

The water in the lower region, thus freed of air, leaves the lower region through the boss 46. Top-up water is supplied to the lowermost region by the conduit 55 through the other port provided by the projection 42.

Preferably, all solder used is lead free solder thereof avoiding anv possibility of a health risk which may arise if lead is in contact with the water in the system.

A separator embodying the invention is easy to manufacture, simply requiring the provision of the body 41 with reduced diameter projections 43.

43 formed integrally therewith and having bosses 46 and 53 fixed in apertures in the bodv. The solder 43b. 52 and 61 is simply and cost effectively provided in the associated grooves 43a, 5! and 60. The shape of the separator and the Position of its boss 53 provides effective operation.

If desired, the projections 47 43 may be made as separate components fixed, as by soldering, in apertures provided in the bodv in a similar manner to the bosses 46, 53. Alternatively, the bosses 44 53 may be formed integrally with the remainder of the body like, or instead of, the prolections 42. 43.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanving drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAY MY

An Anair separator, in or for a fluid flow svstem comprisinq a hollow body having in an upper part thereof an exit port for air and in a lower part thereof a primarv inlet port and a primarv outlet port for connection in the svstem for flow of fluid through the bodv.
2. An air separator according to Claim I in which the body has a further port which opens to the interior of the body in a lowermost region thereof below said lower region.
3. An air separator according to Claim 9 in which the further port is connected to a supplv of fluid for top-up flow of fluid to the system.
4. An air separator according to Claim 2 or Clam 3 in a fluid flow system comprising a central heating system of the kind specified wherein the exit port for air is connected for discharge into the tank, said primarv inlet port is connected to the heater, the primary outlet port is connected to said at least one heat exchanger, and said further port is connected to the tank for flow of water from the tank to the interior of the bocry to top up the circuit.
5. An air separator according to Claim 4 in which the exit port is arranged to discharge to atmosphere at a position so disposed in relation to the tank so that water discharged therefrom falls by gravitv into the tank.
6. An air separator according to any one of Claims I to 5 in which the body is elongate having a longitudinal axis and having cylindrical tubular projections at longiudinal!y opposite ends of the body which are adapted for coupling to other components of the system and an opening provided in a side wall of the bodv intermediate said ends and having fastened therein, for example by soldering, a tubular cylindrical boss which extends generally transversely to said long;tudinal axis.
7. An air separator according to Claim 6 in which at least one of the projections is adapted to be received within a compression or other female joint.
8. An air separator according to Claim 6 or Claim 7 in which at least one Or the projections is adapted to provide a female socket part to receive a male part of a joint.
9. An air separator according to any one of Claims s to 8 in which the boss terminates in the body or adjacent the side wall thereof in which said opening is provided.
10. An air separator according to anv one of claims 6 to q in which the bodv is provided with a further such opening with a further boss fastened therein.
II. An air 'separator according to 'lair In in which said further hoss extends within the bodv to a position adjacent the opposite side of the bodv so that in which the opening is formed.
12. An air separator according to any one of Claims 6 to 11 in which the or each boss comprises a socket to receive a conduit therein.
13. An air separator according to Claim 12 in which the socket of the or each boss and/or projection is provided with a recess containing solder or like jointing material.
!4. An air separator according to Claim 13 in which the recess is a groove which is of part circular shape in cross section.
15. An air separator according to any one of Claims 12 to !4 in which the socket comprises an end part of said boss of greater diameter than the parl of the boss that is received in said opening, and there beinq a shoulder therebetween to provide an abutment for said conduit.
it. An air separator according to any one of Claims 8 to 15 in which the bodv and said projections are formed as a one-piece item.
17. An air separator according to Claim 10 in which the bodv is disposed, in use, with stir' longitudinal axis horizontal or substantia!lv ho#:zonta!. one said projections comprising said primary inlet port and the other proiection comprising said primary outlet port and said boss comprising the exit port and said further boss providing said further port.
18. An air separator according to anv one of claims 4 to 17 in which the primary inlet port is connected to the boiler and the primary outlet port to said at least one heat exchanger, whilst said exit port is connected to discharge into the tank and the further port is connected to the tank to supply top-up fluid to the circuit.
An An air separator accordina to any one of Claims k to ! 6 which is disposed, in use, with said longitudinal axis upright or substantially upright, one of said projections comprising said exit port for air and the other projection comprising said further port.
20. An air separator according to Claim IC in which the bodv is provided with two bosses in said side wall, one of said bosses comprising said primary inlet port and the other of said bosses said primarv outlet port.
2!. An air separator according to Claim 1P or Claim vn in which the one projection comprising said primary outlet port is connected to discharge to the tank, the other projection comprising said further port is connected to the tank to feed top-up water to the interior of the body1 whilst one of said bosses is connected to said at least one heat exchanger whilst the other boss is connected to said boiler.
22. An air separator according to Claim 21 in which said one of said bosses is disposed above the other of said bosses.
23. An air separator according to Claim 21 or Claim 22 in which said other boss is said further boss which extends within the body to a position adjacent said other side.
24. An air separator substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to the accomponving drawings.
25. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein.