JP2005226552A - Recycling method of filter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a filter which filters fluid used for an engine from causing environmental damage. <P>SOLUTION: In a generating set installation base 100 as a filter attachment/detachment base, a used filter which has filtered the fluid used in the engine 11 of a generating set 10 is removed from a filter holding part, and the used filter is cleansed in a cleansing base 200. The cleansed filter is attached to the filter holding part of the generating set 10 in an arbitrary generating set installation base 100 for reusing the filter. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for reusing a filter for filtering a fluid used in an engine.

  Conventionally, engines are used in various devices. For example, an engine (for example, see Patent Document 1) as a drive source of a power generation device installed in a building or factory for emergency power generation or regular power generation at the time of a power failure, or as a drive source of a transportation device such as an automobile or a ship There are engines.

  An engine is provided with an oil filter for filtering engine oil, a fuel filter for filtering fuel supplied to the engine, and an air filter for filtering air sucked by the engine.

JP 2000-240453 A

  Filter paper is widely used as a material for filter media. The filter medium is formed so that foreign matters contained in the liquid passing through the filter medium are entangled with fibers, thereby removing the foreign substances from the liquid. It becomes disposable. However, the disposable use of the filter has an adverse effect on the environment such as a resource problem and a dust problem. Further, since the filter is disposable, it is necessary to purchase a new one every time the filter is replaced, and the running cost of the engine increases.

  An object of the present invention is to suppress adverse environmental effects due to a filter for filtering a fluid used in an engine.

  An object of the present invention is to reduce the running cost of the engine.

  The invention of the filter reuse method according to claim 1 includes a plurality of filter attachment / detachment bases for attaching / detaching a filter for filtering the fluid used in the engine while being held by the filter holding part to / from the filter holding part, Circulating the filter between one or more cleaning bases for cleaning the filter, removing the used filter held by the filter holding part at the filter attaching / detaching base, and the cleaning base And cleaning the used filter removed from the filter holding portion, and attaching the cleaned filter to the filter holding portion at a certain filter attachment / detachment base.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for reusing a filter according to the first aspect, the filter for filtering a fluid by a metal filter medium is used.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the method for reusing a filter according to the second aspect of the present invention, the filter is used for filtering a fluid with a filter medium formed of a nonwoven fabric in which metal fibers are irregularly entangled.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the method for reusing a filter according to the third aspect, a protector member that is provided on the fluid inflow side of the filter medium and relieves a collision force of foreign matter on the filter medium, and a fluid outflow side of the filter medium And a support member that supports the filter medium.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the method for reusing a filter according to the first, second, third, or fourth aspect, the filter that filters oil as a fluid, the filter that filters fuel as a fluid, or air as a fluid. The said filter which filters is used.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the bad influence to the environment by the filter which filters the fluid used for an engine can be suppressed, and the running cost of an engine can be reduced.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a filter reuse system to which the filter reuse method of the present embodiment is applied.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the filter reuse system according to the present embodiment schematically includes a power generation device installation base 100 that is a plurality of filter attachment / detachment bases such as hospitals, hotels, factories, and the like where the power generation device 10 is installed. And the filter 16 is circulated between the washing | cleaning bases 200 which wash | clean the filter 16 (refer FIG. 3) mentioned later used with the electric power generating apparatus 10, and the filter 16 is reused. Here, FIG. 1 shows an example in which there is only one cleaning base 200, but there may be a plurality of cleaning bases 200.

  The power generation device 10 includes an engine 11 such as a diesel engine that is a drive source, a fuel tank 12 that stores fuel such as light oil supplied to the engine 11, and a generator 13. The power generation principle of the power generation device 10 is not different from that of the conventional one, and is to generate power by driving the generator 13 with the driving force of the engine 11 obtained by burning fuel.

  The fuel supplied from the fuel tank 12 to the engine 11 is filtered by the fuel filter device 14a. Further, engine oil used for lubricating each part in the engine 11 is filtered by the oil filter device 14b. The fuel filter device 14 a and the oil filter device 14 b are provided separately from the engine 11 and the fuel tank 12. Further, the air taken in by the engine is filtered by the air filter device 14c. The air filter device 14 c is disposed at the upper part of the engine 11.

  The fuel filter device 14a and the oil filter device 14b will be described. 2 is a front view schematically showing the fuel filter device 14a and the oil filter device 14b. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal front view showing the internal structure of the filter device 14. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel filter device 14 a and the oil filter device 14 b are arranged close to each other in parallel and supported by the support frame 15. Since the fuel filter device 14a and the oil filter device 14b have substantially the same configuration, the filter device 14 will be described collectively.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the filter device 14 includes a storage case 17 that is a filter holding portion having an upper surface opening for detachably storing the filter 16 therein, and a lid 18 that opens and closes the upper surface of the storage case 17. Yes. The lid 18 is detachably attached to the storage case 17 with screws (not shown). A packing (not shown) is sandwiched between the storage case 17 and the lid 18. Here, FIG. 4 shows the filter device 14 with the lid 18 removed and the filter 16 taken out. In FIG. 4, the lid 18 is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the side wall 19 of the storage case 17 is provided with an inflow pipe 20 for sending fluid (fuel or engine oil) into the storage case 17. An outflow pipe 22 is provided for allowing fluid to flow out from the inside of the storage case 17. The inflow pipe 20 and the outflow pipe 22 of the fuel filter device 14a are connected to the fuel tank 12 and the engine 11, so that the fuel stored in the fuel tank 12 is sent to the engine 11 through the fuel filter device 14a. Is possible. The inflow pipe 20 and the outflow pipe 22 of the oil filter device 14b are both connected to the engine 11, and the engine oil can be circulated between the engine 11 and the oil filter device 14b.

  Next, the filter 16 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the filter 16 includes a main body casing 31, a cylindrical filter medium 32 held in the main body casing 31, a handle 33, and the like.

  The main body casing 31 includes a metal cylindrical core member 35 fitted into the center hole 34 of the filter medium 32, and a pair of upper and lower caps 36 and 37 fixed to both end surfaces in the axial direction of the filter medium 32. Yes.

  A large number of holes for allowing fluid to pass through are formed in the side surface of the core member 35.

  The caps 36 and 37 are formed in a disc shape. An outflow port 38 that communicates with one end of the core member 35 is provided at a substantially central portion of the lower cap 37. These caps 36 and 37 have a function of maintaining the airtightness of both end faces of the filter medium 32 so that the fluid flowing into the filter medium 32 from the outside of the filter medium 32 passes through the filter medium 32 toward the inside of the core member 35. ing.

  The handle 33 is attached to the upper surface of the upper cap 36 so as to be rotatable between a position along the cap 36 and a position upright with respect to the cap 36. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the handle 33 is upright by a virtual line.

  The filter medium 32 will be described. 5 is a horizontal sectional view showing the filter 16, FIG. 6 is a photograph showing a part of the outer periphery side of the filter medium 32, FIG. 7 is a photograph showing a part of the inner periphery side of the filter medium 32, and FIG. It is a horizontal sectional view which expands and shows. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by A in FIG. In FIG. 8, some members are omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the filter medium 32 is formed by bending a sheet-like nonwoven fabric into a bellows shape so that the mountain fold portions 39 and the valley fold portions 40 are alternately positioned, and welding both ends thereof into a cylindrical shape. Formed. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the nonwoven fabric of the filter medium 32 is a so-called random fiber formed by tangling metal fibers 41 irregularly. The fiber 41 is entangled irregularly in the surface direction and the thickness direction, and a layer of the fiber 41 is thereby formed. And the void | hole 42 formed when the fiber 41 is intertwined exists in layers. These fibers 41 are bonded together by sintering. Here, the hole diameter of the air holes 42 of the filter medium 32 is set so as to decrease from the outer peripheral side (see FIG. 6) which is the fluid inflow side of the filter medium 32 toward the inner peripheral side (see FIG. 7) which is the fluid outflow side. Has been. The material of the filter medium 32 should just be a metal, for example, can illustrate stainless steel, nickel, titanium, etc.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a protector member 43 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the filter medium 32. The protector member 43 is formed by forming a sheet-like metal mesh that is slightly larger than the filter medium 32, and the diameter of the holes is larger than the diameter of the holes 42 of the filter medium 32. The protector member 43 receives a foreign substance in the fluid flowing into the filter medium 32 by itself and reduces the speed of the protector member 43, thereby reducing the collision force of the foreign substance on the filter medium 32.

  A support member 44 is provided on the inner peripheral side of the filter medium 32. The support member 44 is formed by forming a sheet-like metal mesh smaller than the filter medium 32, and the diameter of the pores. The filter medium 32 is formed larger than the diameter of the air holes 42. The support member 44 supports the filter medium 32 from the inner peripheral side that is the fluid outflow side of the filter medium 32, thereby preventing the filter medium 32 from being deformed due to the pressure of the fluid.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a ring-shaped fitting portion 45 into which the outlet 38 of the filter 16 is detachably fitted is provided at the bottom inside the storage case 17 for storing the filter 16. The outflow pipe 22 is located inside the fitting portion 45, and the outflow port 38 of the filter 16 communicates with the outflow pipe 22 by fitting the outflow port 38 of the filter 16 into the fitting portion 45.

  The filter 16 in which the outflow port 38 is fitted and positioned in the fitting portion 45 is closed by the rubber pressing member 46 provided on the back surface of the lid 18 when the lid 18 is closed. Thus, it is sandwiched between the storage case 17 and the bottom wall 21 and fixed to the storage case 17. This fixing is released by opening the lid 18, whereby the filter 16 can be taken out from the storage case 17.

  Next, the air filter device 14c will be described. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing the internal structure of the air filter device 14c. The basic structure of the air filter device 14c is substantially the same as the fuel filter device 14a (and the oil filter device 14b), and is a structure in which the fuel filter device 14a is disposed sideways. That is, the air filter device 14c is provided with a storage case 17 which is a filter holding portion for detachably storing the filter 16 therein, a lid 18 for opening and closing the opening of the storage case 17, and a fluid (air) provided in the storage case 17. An inflow pipe 20 for feeding the inside of the storage case 17, an outflow pipe 22 provided in the storage case 17 for allowing a fluid to flow out from the inside of the storage case 17, and the like. The inflow pipe 20 of the air filter device 14c is open to the atmosphere, and the outflow pipe 22 is connected to the engine. Hereinafter, the air filter device 14c may also be referred to as the filter device 14 like the fuel filter device 14a and the oil filter device 14b described above.

  In such a configuration, when the power generation device 10 operates, the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 12 to the engine 11 passes through the fuel filter device 14a in the middle thereof, and the air taken in by the engine 11 passes through the air filter device 14c. . The engine oil is sent out from the engine 11, passes through the oil filter device 14b, and is returned to the engine 11 again. The flow of the fluid (fuel, engine oil, air) in the filter device 14 (fuel filter device 14a, oil filter device 14b, air filter device 14c) at this time will be described with reference to FIGS. . The fluid flows into the storage case 17 from the inflow pipe 20, passes through the protector member 43, the filter medium 32, the support member 44, and the core member 35 of the filter 16, reaches the inside of the core member 35, and flows out of the cap 37. 38, flows out from the filter device 14 via the outflow pipe 22. At this time, in the process in which foreign substances such as dust, dust, and metal pieces contained in the fluid move together with the fluid, they are entangled by the protector member 43 and the filter medium 32 and removed from the fluid. Here, the size of the foreign matter that can be entangled is smaller in the filter medium 32 than in the protector member 43, and is smaller in the filter medium 32 from the outer peripheral side toward the inner peripheral side. The filter 16 is replaced before being clogged. Specifically, for example, the power generator 10 is replaced every specified operating time or every specified period.

  Next, a method for reusing the filter 16 including a method for replacing the filter 16 will be described.

  First, in the power generation apparatus installation base 100, for example, the used filter 16 such as the filter 16 for which the specified operating time has passed or the filter 16 for which the specified period has passed is taken out from the storage case 17. Specifically, by removing the screw that fixes the lid 18 to the storage case 17, the lid 18 is opened, the handle 33 of the filter 16 is brought upright, and the handle 33 is pulled upward, whereby the filter 16 is removed from the storage case. Remove from 17.

  Next, the new filter 16 for replacement prepared in advance is stored in the storage case 17, the cover 18 is closed with the handle 33 placed along the cap 36, and the cover 18 is screwed to the storage case 17. Here, a regenerated product is used as the replacement filter 16, but it may be a new product when there is no regenerated product.

  Next, the used filter 16 removed from the storage case 17 is transported from the power generation apparatus installation base 100 to the cleaning base 200 and collected.

  At the cleaning site 200, the collected used filter 16 is cleaned. As a cleaning method, the cleaning fluid is ejected from a direction opposite to the flow direction of the fluid during filtration in the filter 16. That is, the cleaning fluid is sprayed from the outlet 38 of the filter 16 to the inside of the core member 35. As a result, the cleaning fluid flows from the inside to the outside of the core member 35, passes through the support member 44, the filter medium 32, and the protector member 43 and is discharged. At this time, the foreign matter entangled with the filter medium 32 and the protector member 43 moves toward the outside of the protector member 43 together with the cleaning fluid, and is removed from the filter medium 32 and the protector member 43. At this time, in the filter medium 32, the hole 42 has a larger diameter as it goes from the inner periphery to the outer periphery, and the holes of the protector member 43 are larger than the holes 42 of the filter medium 32. The foreign matter can move toward the outside of the protector member 43 together with the cleaning fluid. The filter 16 cleaned in this way can be reused. Here, examples of the cleaning fluid include cleaning liquid, air, and nitrogen gas.

  Here, in the cleaning described above, depending on the foreign matter, there is a possibility that the foreign material may be caught by the protector member 43 or the filter medium 32 and remain on the protector member 43 or the filter medium 32. In this case, the flow of fluid is the same as that during fluid filtration. The cleaning fluid is ejected in the direction, the cleaning fluid is ejected again from the direction opposite to the flow of the fluid at the time of fluid filtration, and the ejection in which these directions are changed is repeated several times. Thereby, the foreign matter caught by the protector member 43 and the filter medium 32 is shaken, the catch is released, it becomes movable, and is removed. The cleaning method for the filter medium 32 and the protector member 43 is not limited to the above-described cleaning method, and may be, for example, a known ultrasonic cleaning or air blow cleaning.

  The filter 16 cleaned and regenerated in this way is transported to the power generation apparatus installation base 100 as a new filter 16 for replacement, replaced with the used filter 16 and reused. Here, the transport destination of the regenerated filter 16 is not limited to the power generation device installation base 100 where the filter 16 is used, but is transported to any power generation device installation base 100.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the filter 16 is circulated between the bases and reused. Thereby, wasteful use of resources can be prevented, and adverse effects on the environment can be suppressed.

  Moreover, since the cost of the regenerated product of the filter 16 can be kept lower than that of a new product, the running cost of the power generation apparatus 10 can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, since the filter medium 32 is made of metal, the filter medium 32 is prevented from deteriorating even if the filter medium 32 is washed with a cleaning fluid, thereby extending the life of the filter medium 32. Thus, adverse effects on the environment can be further suppressed, and the running cost of the power generation apparatus 10 can be further reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the filter medium 32 is formed of a non-woven fabric formed by irregularly intertwining metal fibers 41, so that foreign matter such as dust, dust, and metal pieces in the fluid is on the surface. Filtering (depth filtration) can be performed not only on the outer periphery but also on the inside thereof, and a large amount of foreign matters can be removed from the fluid as compared with a filter material made of metal mesh that can only perform surface filtration.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the protector member 43 is provided on the fluid inflow side of the filter medium 32, the collision force of the foreign matter to the filter medium 32 is relieved, so that the filter medium 32 is prevented from being damaged, and the filter medium 32. The service life is extended.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the support member 44 is provided on the fluid outflow side of the filter medium 32, the filter medium 32 is prevented from being deformed by the pressure of the fluid.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the filter 16 for filtering oil and the filter 16 for filtering fuel are applied as the filter 16 to be reused, so that they adhere to the filter 16 that is discharged when the filter 16 is washed. Since the used fuel and oil can be collected at the cleaning site 200, the fuel and oil can be reliably disposed of.

  In addition, the filter manufacturer and the power generator manufacturer can manage the cleaning base 200, the transportation of the filter 16, and the replacement of the filter 16 to prevent the filter 16 from being replaced with a non-genuine product. The filter 16 can be reliably replaced with a genuine product. As a result, the performance of the engine 11 can be ensured, the occurrence of a failure or malfunction, and the shortening of the life of the engine 11 can be prevented.

  In the present embodiment, the filter medium 32 is described as an example formed in a cylindrical shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the filter medium 32 may be planar. The filter medium 32 may or may not be formed in a bellows shape.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the engine 11 used as a drive source of the power generation apparatus 10 as an engine has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the engine may be an engine used in, for example, an automobile or a ship. It may be. In this case, filter attachment / detachment bases include automobiles, ship maintenance areas and gas stations. Further, the engine is not limited to a diesel engine, and may be another type of engine such as a gasoline engine.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing a filter reuse system to which a filter reuse method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. It is a front view showing roughly a fuel filter device and an oil filter device. It is a vertical front view which shows the internal structure. It is a vertical front view which shows the filter apparatus of the state from which the cover was removed and the filter was taken out. It is a horizontal sectional view showing a filter. It is a photograph which shows a part of outer peripheral side of a filter medium. It is a photograph which shows a part of inner peripheral side of a filter medium. It is a horizontal sectional view which expands and shows a part of filter. It is a vertical front view which shows the internal structure of an air filter apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

11 Engine 16 Filter 17 Storage Case (Filter Holding Unit)
32 Filter medium 41 Fiber 43 Protector member 44 Support member 100 Power generation device installation base (filter attachment / detachment base)
200 Cleaning base

Claims (5)

Between a plurality of filter attachment / detachment bases for attaching / detaching a filter for filtering a fluid used in the engine while being held by the filter holding part to / from the filter holding part, and one or more cleaning bases for cleaning the filter Circulating the filter;
Removing the used filter held by the filter holding portion at the filter attaching / detaching base;
Cleaning the used filter removed from the filter holder at the cleaning site;
At the filter attachment / detachment base, attaching the cleaned filter to the filter holding unit;
How to reuse a filter that contains.   The method for reusing a filter according to claim 1, wherein the filter is used for filtering a fluid with a metal filter medium.   The method of reusing a filter according to claim 2, wherein the filter is used to filter a fluid with a filter medium formed of a nonwoven fabric in which metal fibers are irregularly entangled.   The filter comprising: a protector member provided on a fluid inflow side of the filter medium to reduce a collision force of a foreign substance to the filter medium; and a support member provided on a fluid outflow side of the filter medium and supporting the filter medium. 3. A method of reusing the filter according to 3. The method for reusing a filter according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the filter that filters oil as a fluid, the filter that filters fuel as a fluid, or the filter that filters air as a fluid is used.

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