GB2408223A

GB2408223A - A filter assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2408223A
Application number: GB0327051A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Walker; Steven Iley
Original assignee: Walker Filtration Ltd
Current assignee: Walker Filtration Ltd
Priority date: 2003-11-20
Filing date: 2003-11-20
Publication date: 2005-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2023-11-20
Also published as: GB0327051D0; GB2408223B

Abstract

A filter assembly comprises a housing 2 in which is contained a tubular filter element 4, the housing includes a manifold 6 having an opening 18 through which fluid to be filtered can pass, the filter element includes an end cap 16 adjacent the manifold having an opening feeding to the interior of the filter. A conduit 20, 26 feeds between the opening in the manifold and the opening in the filter element end cap, and is characterised by a first extent of conduit 20 integrally formed in the manifold and terminating in a planer surface 30 within the manifold, and a second extent of conduit 26 integrally formed with and extending from, the end cap 16 of the filter element and terminating in a planer surface 22 which abuts the planer surface 30 of the manifold to define a sealed conduit within the assembly. Advantageously, the filter assembly may be embodied in pumps or compressors or may be installed in fluid flow lines as a separate unit.

Description

FILTER ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to filter assemblies which may be embodied in pumps, compressors and the like, or which may be provided as separate units for installation in fluid flow lines.

Filter assemblies conventionally incorporate filter elements located in the flow path of a fluid to be monitored so that fluid flows therethrough, the filter elements being located in associated housings.

A typical housing includes a top manifold, a cylindrical body portion and a bottom end cap, while the filter element, received within the body portion, is conventionally of annular cross-section.

Fluid to be filtered is directed from an inlet port in the manifold cap to the central regions of the filter element through a conduit, the fluid then flowing through the material of the filter element and exiting the assembly through an outlet port in the manifold.

The conduit between the inlet port in the manifold of the housing and the adjacent end of the filter element must be such as to ensure a sealed passageway for the fluid from the inlet port to the interior of the filter element, and various configurations have been proposed.

For example, WO 99/30803 discloses a flow conduit formed as a one-piece moulding with the top end of the filter element, the conduit bending through 90 with the end face thereof remote from the filter element sealing with a planar internal surface within the manifold of the housing extending transversely of the direction of flow of the fluid through the inlet port.

WO 02/38247 discloses a flow conduit part of which is formed in the manifold of the housing and the other part of which is formed by a top end of the filter element, the end extents of the two parts of the conduit being received one within the other to be sealed in a plane extending at an angle of between 90 and 60 to the central longitudinal axis of the filter element.

Manufacture of the components defining the conduits, in particular the formation of the internal configuration of the manifold of the housing and the mating configuration of the top end of the filter element, has proved unduly complex and expensive.

It would be desirable to be able to provide a filter assembly incorporating a conduit linking a port in the manifold thereof with the hollow interior of the filter element which was of simpler construction and easier to manufacture than heretofore.

According to the present invention there is provided a filter assembly comprising a housing in which is contained a tubular filter element, the housing including a manifold having an opening therein through which fluid to be filtered can pass into or out of the assembly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filter element, the filter element including an end cap thereon adjacent the manifold and having an opening therein feeding into the interior of the filter element in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the filter element, and a conduit feeding between the opening in the manifold and the opening in the filter element end cap, characterized in that a first extent of the conduit is integrally formed in the manifold and terminates in a planar surface within the manifold, and a second extent of the conduit is integrally formed with, to extend from, the end cap of the filter element and terminates in a planar surface which abuts the planar surface in the manifold to define a sealed conduit within the assembly, the plane of the abutting surfaces being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the filter element at an angle within the range 30 to 60 .

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plane of the abutting surfaces makes an angle of 45 with the longitudinal axis of the filter element.

The seal between the abutting planar surfaces may be achieved by sealing means provided in said surfaces.

Alternatively, the free end of the second extent of the conduit may be provided with one or more O-ring seals therearound adapted for sealing engagement with an internal wall within the manifold.

Conveniently the housing includes a cylindrical body portion for releasable attachment to the manifold and in which the filter element is contained, while a condensate drain may be provided at the end of the filter element remote from the end cap.

In one embodiment of the invention the opening in the manifold comprises an inlet port to the assembly, the manifold further including an outlet port through which fluid that has passed through the filter element is discharged from the assembly.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the fluid flow is reversed and the fluid enters through the outlet port and is discharged through the inlet port.

By way of example only, an embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a front view partly in vertical section of a filter assembly according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded isometric view showing the manifold and filter element of the assembly of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an underneath plan view of the manifold of the assembly of Fig. 1.

IO Referring to the drawings, the illustrated filter assembly comprises a housing indicated generally at 2 in which is located a filter element indicated generally at The housing 2 includes a top end manifold 6, a cylindrical body portion 8 and a bottom end cap 10, the body portion 8 containing the filter element 4 and a condensate drain 12 in conventional manner.

The filter element 4 includes a conventional body 14 of annular configuration, and a top end cap 16.

The novelty of the assembly resides in the configuration of the end cap 16 of the filter element 4 and the internal configuration of the manifold 6 of the housing 2.

More particularly, the manifold 6 includes an inlet port 18 that feeds into a first conduit extent 20 of circular transverse sections formed within the manifold 6 and which terminates in a planar internal surface 22 within the manifold 6. The plane of the surface 22 extends at an acute angle to the direction of fluid flow through the inlet port 18 within the range of 30 to 60 and preferably 45 .

The manifold 6 also includes an outlet port 24 axially aligned with the inlet port 18.

The end cap 16 of the filter element 4 includes a second conduit extent 26 of circular transverse section feeding centrally therefrom and terminating in an annular rim 28 having a planar external surface 30. The plane of the surface 30 extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal central axis of the filter element 4 such as to mate with the surface 22 within the manifold 6.

More particularly, and with the surfaces 22,30 abutting one another, the first and second conduit extents 20,24 combine to constitute an elbowshaped conduit interconnecting the inlet port 18 with the hollow interior of the annular body 14 of the filter element 4.

O-ring seals 32 surrounding the rim 28 of the second conduit extent 26 seal against internal walls within the manifold 6 to render the conduit air-tight.

Alternatively sealing means could be provided in the abutting surfaces 22, 30 to seal the length of the conduit formed by the extents 20,26.

In use of the filter assembly, fluid to be monitored, for example gas containing contaminants in aerosol, liquid or solid particulate form, is fed to the inlet port 18 and flows through the assembly as shown by the arrows in Figure 1. The fluid flows through the elbow shaped conduit formed by the extents 20,26 and into the hollow interior of the filter element 4. The fluid passes through the material of the body 14 and into the annular volume between the filter element 4 and the body portion 8 of the housing 2, and exits the assembly as clean fluid through the outlet port 24, all in l5 conventional manner.

The condensate drain 12 ensures that bulk liquid contamination removed from the gas stream can be readily removed from the assembly.

The direction of flow of the fluid through the assembly could be reversed if considered beneficial under particular circumstances.

Thus the filter assembly of the invention incorporates a novel interface between the filter element 4 and the housing 2 the plane of which is preferably at 45 to both the central axis of the inlet port 18 and the longitudinal axis of the filter element 4. This angle could however vary by + 15 to either side of the preferred plane.

Manufacture of the manifold 6, which is typically of aluminium, and of the end cap 16 of the filter element 4, which is typically of plastic, is considerably simplified compared with known arrangements, while the assembly of the body portion 8 and bottom end cap 10 to the manifold 6 serves to hold the filter element 4 in place within the housing 2 with the abutting surfaces 22,30 in sealing engagement with one another.

Claims

Claims 1. A filter assembly comprises a housing in which is contained a

tubular filter element, the housing including a manifold having an opening therein through which fluid to be filtered can pass into or out of the assembly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filter element, the filter element including an end cap thereon adjacent the manifold and having an opening therein feeding into the interior of the filter element in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the filter element, and a conduit feeding between the opening in the manifold and the opening in the filter element end cap, characterized in that a first extent of the conduit is integrally formed in the manifold and terminates in a planar surface within the manifold, and a second extent of the conduit is integrally formed with, to extend from, the end cap of the filter element and terminates in a planar surface which abuts the planar surface in the manifold to define a sealed conduit within the assembly, the plane of the abutting surfaces being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the filter element at an angle within the range 30 to 60 .
2. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plane of the abutting surfaces makes an angle of 45 with the longitudinal axis of the filter element.

S
3. A filter assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the abutting planar surfaces are achieved by sealing means provided in said surfaces.
4. A filter assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the free end of the second extent of the conduit is provided with one or more O-ring seals therearound adapted for sealing engagement with an internal wall within the manifold.

IS
5. A filter assembly according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the housing includes a cylindrical body portion for releasable attachment to the manifold and in which the filter element is contained.
6. A filter assembly according to any one of the previous claims, wherein a condensate drain is provided at the end of the filter element remote from the end cap.
7. A filter assembly according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the opening in the manifold comprises an inlet port to the assembly, the manifold further including an outlet port through which fluid that has passed through the filter element is discharged from the assembly.
8. A filter assembly as any one herein described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.