JP2929380B1 - Gas-liquid separator in microgravity - Google Patents

Abstract

A gas-liquid separator capable of separating gas and liquid in a microgravity state by using centrifugal force of a mixture of gas and liquid without using an external power source. thing. SOLUTION: A substantially cylindrical separation housing 2 defining a separation space 10 for separating a gas and a liquid, and a mixture feeding means for feeding a mixture of a gas and a liquid to the separation housing 2 4, a steel wool 22 for holding the liquid separated from the mixture by surface tension, and a separation space 1
Gas discharge means 5 communicated with the upper part of
And a liquid discharging means 6 communicated with a steel wool 22 provided at a lower part of the apparatus. The mixture feeding means 4 is provided on the peripheral side wall 8 of the separation housing 2.
The mixture is fed into the separation space 10 so as to flow downward along the, and the fed mixture is separated into gas and liquid by centrifugal force while flowing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gas-liquid separation device for separating a gas and a liquid under microgravity.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a gas-liquid separation apparatus for separating a gas and a liquid from a mixture of a gas and a liquid in a microgravity state in which gravity hardly acts, such as in a space environment, has been put to practical use. . Known gas-liquid separation devices include a cylindrical separation housing for containing a mixture of gas and liquid, and the inside of the separation housing forms a separation space. The separation housing is rotatably supported, and an external power source such as a motor is drivingly connected to the separation housing, and the external power source rotates the cylindrical separation housing in a predetermined direction. In such a gas-liquid separation device, a mixture of gas and liquid is supplied to a separation space inside the separation housing,
The separation housing is rotated in a predetermined direction by an external power source. When the separation housing is rotated in this way, centrifugal force acts on the mixture in the separation space, and gas and liquid having different densities are separated by the centrifugal force. That is, the gas in the mixture gathers near the rotation axis of the separation housing to form a gas phase, and the liquid in the mixture gathers on the peripheral side wall of the separation housing, flows downward along the peripheral side wall, and flows downward. A liquid phase forms at the bottom of the.

[0003]

As described above, the conventional gas-liquid separation device requires an external power source for rotationally driving the separation housing, and therefore, the entire device is increased in size and the manufacturing cost is reduced. There is a problem of becoming high. In addition, the operation of the external power source consumes power and the like, and the amount of power that can be consumed in a microgravity state in a space environment is also limited. Therefore, the use of the external power source is not desirable.

An object of the present invention is to provide a gas-liquid separation device capable of separating a mixture into a gas and a liquid in a microgravity state without using an external power source.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to (a) a separation housing 2 having a substantially cylindrical or substantially conical peripheral side wall defining an upper part of a separation space 10 for separating gas and liquid. 8, a bottom plate 9 provided at the lower end of the peripheral side wall 8,
(B) a separation housing 2 having a top plate 11 provided at an upper end portion of the peripheral side wall 8; (C) a means 1 for feeding the mixture to the introduction portions 18 and 117;
(D) liquid phase holding means 22 filled in the separation housing 2 below the separation space 10 of the separation housing 2 and holding the liquid by surface tension; and (e) separation housing. A gas discharge pipe 36 formed in the upper part of the separation space 10 and communicating with the gas phase; and (f) provided below the liquid phase holding means 22 of the separation housing 2 and held by the liquid phase holding means 22. A gas-liquid separator in a microgravity state, comprising a liquid discharge pipe 34 for discharging liquid.

According to the present invention, the mixture of gas and liquid is delivered to the separation space of the separation housing so as to flow downward along the peripheral side wall of the separation housing. The mixture thus fed is separated into gas and liquid by centrifugal force while flowing along the peripheral side wall of the separation housing,
The separated liquid is held by the liquid holding means by surface tension. Therefore, the mixture can be surely separated into a gas phase and a liquid phase by utilizing the centrifugal force and the surface tension, and the entire apparatus can be reduced in size and power consumption can be reduced.

[0007] Further, the liquid holding means holds the liquid separated from the mixture by surface tension, so that the separated liquid is surely collected.

[0008] The present invention also relates to the introduction section 18, 117.
Is inclined downward toward the liquid phase holding means 22 in the separation housing 2 and extends curvedly along the peripheral side wall 8 of the separation housing 2 or is linearly formed in a tangential direction of the peripheral side wall 8. It is characterized by extending.

According to the present invention, the introduction sections 18 and 117
It is inclined downwardly toward the liquid holding means and is curved along the peripheral side wall of the separation housing or linearly extends in a tangential direction of the peripheral side wall. Therefore, the mixture of gas and liquid sent to the separation space from the introduction portions 18 and 117 flows downward along the peripheral side wall of the separation housing, and the mixture spirally moves along the peripheral side wall of the separation housing. While flowing downward, the gas and liquid are separated as required by centrifugal force.

[0010]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a first embodiment of a gas-liquid separator in a microgravity state according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of the gas-liquid separator of FIG. is there.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated gas-liquid separation device includes a substantially cylindrical separation housing 2 for separating a mixture of gas and liquid into gas and liquid, Feed means 4 for feeding the mixture into the separation housing 2
Gas discharging means 5 for discharging the separated gas
And a liquid discharging means 6 for discharging the separated liquid. The separation housing 2 has a hollow cylindrical shape,
It comprises a cylindrical peripheral side wall 8, a disk-shaped bottom plate 9 provided at the lower end of the peripheral side wall 8, and a disk-shaped top plate 11 provided at the upper end of the peripheral side wall 8. 8 and plates 9, 11
Form a separation space 10. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the separation housing 2 is made of a transparent material such as plastic.

The mixture supply means 4 for supplying the mixture to the separation housing 2 includes a mixture supply source 12 such as a tank containing the mixture, a supply pump 14 and an inlet pipe 16.
It is composed of Feed pump 14 is for mixture source 1
2 is led to the inlet tube 16, and the thus fed mixture is passed through the inlet tube 16 through the separation housing 2.
Supplied within.

The introduction portion 18 of the introduction tube 16 penetrates through the top plate 11 of the separation housing 2 and extends downward from above along the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8. Introduction section 18 of introduction pipe 16
The (tip) is inclined downward at a predetermined angle, and extends in an arc shape along the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8. With this configuration, the mixture fed into the separation housing 2 from the introduction pipe 16 is indicated by an arrow 20.
As shown by, the gas flows downward spirally along the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8, and is separated into gas and liquid by centrifugal force during the flow. Note that the angle at which the introduction portion 18 is inclined downward is set to about 10 ° to 30 ° with respect to the horizontal direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 2), and by setting in this manner, the mixture is gently directed downward. Can be washed away. In addition, by providing the length of the introduction portion 18 about 3/4 or more along the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8, the flow along the peripheral side wall 8 can be grown.

A liquid holding means for holding the liquid separated from the mixture is provided below the separation space 10 of the separation housing 2. The liquid holding means holds the liquid by surface tension, and as such a liquid holding means, it can be constituted by a porous body such as steel wool, sponge, wick material or the like. Is composed of steel wool 22 filled in the steel. A pressing member 24 such as a wire mesh is provided on the upper surface of the steel wool 22 to press the steel wool 22 to make it denser, and the steel wool 22 is tightly held between the steel wool 22 and the bottom plate 9 of the separation housing 2. As a result, the steel wool 22 is fixed, and the separation space 10 for separating the mixture into gas and liquid by centrifugal force is sufficiently ensured. At the center of the holding member 24, a liquid detection sensor 30 for detecting the liquid held by the liquid holding means is provided.
With the liquid detection sensor 30, the holding state of the liquid in the steel wool 22 can be grasped.

The liquid retained in the steel wool 22 is
The liquid is discharged by the liquid discharging means 6. The liquid discharge means 6 includes a discharge pump 32 and a liquid discharge pipe 34, and the liquid discharge pipe 34 is connected to the bottom plate 9 of the separation housing 2,
It is open at the center of the bottom plate 9. Therefore, when the discharge pump 32 operates, the liquid held in the steel wool 22 is discharged through the liquid discharge pipe 34 to the outside of the separation housing 2. The position where the liquid discharge pipe 34 is attached is as follows.
Another part of the bottom plate 9 of the separation housing 2 or the peripheral side wall 8
May be the lower end.

The gas separated from the mixture in the separation space 10 of the separation housing 2 is discharged by gas discharge means 5. The gas discharging means 5 includes a gas discharging pipe 36, and one end of the gas discharging pipe 36 extends downward from above through the top plate 11 of the separation housing 2 and communicates with the upper part of the separation space 10. In such a separation housing 2, the separated gas gathers in the upper central portion of the separation space 10 to form a gas phase, and therefore, the distal end of the gas discharge pipe 36 should be disposed in the upper central portion of the separation space 10. desirable. When the mixture is fed into the separation housing 2 by the action of the feed pump 14, the internal pressure increases, whereby the separated gas is discharged from the gas discharge pipe 36 to the outside of the separation housing 2. .

Next, the operation of the gas-liquid separator of the first embodiment will be described. This gas-liquid separation device is used when separating into gas and liquid in a microgravity state. The mixture of gas and liquid to be separated is supplied into the separation housing 2 through the introduction pipe 16 by the action of the supply pump 14 of the mixture supply means 4. The mixture flowing through the inlet pipe 16 is supplied to the inlet 18 of the inlet pipe 16.
To the separation space 10 of the separation housing 2. The introduction part 18 of the introduction pipe 16 is inclined downward,
Since the mixture is curved and extends along the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8, the fed mixture flows spirally downward along the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8 as shown by an arrow 20. . At this time,
A centrifugal force acts on the gas and the liquid, and the difference in their densities causes the liquid to flow toward the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8, while the gas flows so as to gather near the center of the separation space 10. Therefore, the mixture fed into the separation space 10 is separated into gas and liquid by the applied centrifugal force.

The liquid separated in the separation space 10 is
It adheres to the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8, flows further downward along the inner peripheral surface, passes through the pressing member 24, and reaches the steel wool 22. With reference to FIG. 2, the liquid penetrates from the upper surface of the steel wool 22 along the peripheral side wall 8 and is held by the steel wool 22 by surface tension to form a liquid phase 26. When the liquid penetrates the steel wool 22, the upper surface of the liquid phase 26 becomes higher in its peripheral portion as compared with the central portion as indicated by a two-dot chain line 28, and when the amount of the separated and held liquid increases, the holding member becomes higher. The liquid reaches the center of 24, and the liquid detection sensor 30 detects this. Therefore, the liquid detection sensor 3
0 detects when substantially the entire area of the steel wool 22 is filled with the liquid phase 26.

In this embodiment, for example, when the liquid detection sensor 30 detects a liquid, the discharge pump 32 is operated for a predetermined time. When the discharge pump 32 operates, the liquid retained in the steel wool 22 is discharged to the outside through the liquid discharge pipe 34. At this time, the liquid is held in the steel wool 22 by surface tension, and the liquid phase 26 substantially seals the gas phase.
The gas inside is reliably prevented from being discharged through the liquid discharge pipe 34.

The gas separated in the separation space 10 of the separation housing 2 gathers near the center of the separation space 10 (near the center axis of the separation housing 2) to form a gas phase. It is discharged out of the separation housing 2 through the pipe 36.

As described above, the gas and the liquid can be separated with a relatively simple structure without rotating the separation housing 2 in the microgravity state. Therefore, the size of the entire device can be reduced, and the power consumption of the device can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the mixture supply means 4 includes a supply pump 14, and the mixture is supplied to the separation space 10 by the supply pump 14, and the separated gas is separated by the rising pressure. The gas is discharged to the outside of the housing 2. Instead, a gas discharge pump is provided in the gas discharge means 5, and the gas separated by the gas discharge pump is suctioned and discharged. The mixture to be mixed may be introduced into the separation space 10.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the gas-liquid separator according to the present invention.
It is a perspective view which shows the embodiment simply. The basic configuration of the second embodiment is substantially the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, and the same members as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Referring to FIG. 3, the illustrated gas-liquid separation device comprises:
A substantially conical separation housing 102 for separating a mixture of gas and liquid, a mixture feeding means 104 for feeding the mixture to the separation housing 102, and a gas discharge for discharging the separated gas And a liquid discharging means for discharging the separated liquid. The separation housing 102 includes a peripheral side wall 108, a disk-shaped bottom plate 109 provided at a lower end of the peripheral side wall 108, and a disk-shaped top plate 111 provided at an upper end thereof and having a diameter larger than the bottom plate 109. I have. Therefore, the separation housing 102
Are formed such that the inner diameter becomes smaller toward the lower side. The separation housing 102 defines a separation space 110 for separating the mixture into a gas and a liquid.

As in the first embodiment, the mixture supply means 104 comprises a mixture supply source 112, a supply pump 114, and an introduction pipe 116, and the mixture from the mixture supply source 112 receives the mixture from the introduction pipe 116. Through the isolation housing 102
Supplied within. One end of the introduction pipe 116, that is, the introduction portion 117 is connected to the peripheral side wall 108 of the separation housing 102. The introduction portion 117 is linearly inclined downward at a predetermined angle, for example, an angle of about 10 ° to 30 °, and linearly extends in a tangential direction of the peripheral side wall 108. By connecting in this manner, the introduction pipe 11
6 is fed downwardly in its tangential direction into the separation space 110 of the separation housing 102, and the thus fed mixture is spirally wound, as indicated by the arrow 120, on the peripheral side wall 108. Flows downward along the inner peripheral surface of the liquid crystal. During this flow, the mixture is separated into a gas and a liquid by centrifugal force, as in the first embodiment. In addition,
Other configurations of the second embodiment are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, since the lower portion of the separation housing 102 has a smaller inner diameter than the upper portion thereof, the mixture flowing into the separation housing 102
The flow velocity is increased while flowing down along the peripheral side wall 108 of the separation housing 102, so that the change in inner diameter and flow velocity causes a greater centrifugal force to act on the mixture, thus displacing the gaseous mixture. And the liquid can be separated more efficiently.

The above-described gas-liquid separation device can be used, for example, as a device for separating water as a liquid and air as a gas. The present invention can also be applied to a separation device for separating hydrogen from hydrogen.

[0028]

According to the gas-liquid separation device in a microgravity state of the first aspect of the present invention, the separation of the separation housing so that the mixture of gas and liquid flows downward along the peripheral side wall of the separation housing. Sent to space. The mixture thus fed is separated into gas and liquid by centrifugal force while flowing along the peripheral side wall of the separation housing, and the separated liquid is held by the liquid holding means by surface tension. Therefore, the mixture can be surely separated into a gas phase and a liquid phase by utilizing the centrifugal force and the surface tension, and the entire apparatus can be reduced in size and power consumption can be reduced.

Further, the liquid holding means holds the liquid separated from the mixture by surface tension, so that the separated liquid is reliably collected.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the introduction portion of the introduction pipe is inclined downward toward the liquid holding means and is formed on the peripheral side wall of the separation housing. Along or linearly tangential to the peripheral wall. Therefore, the mixture of gas and liquid sent to the separation space from the inlet of the inlet pipe is:
The mixture flows downward along the peripheral wall of the separation housing, and the mixture is separated into gas and liquid as required by centrifugal force while flowing downward spirally along the peripheral wall of the separation housing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a first embodiment of a gas-liquid separation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of the gas-liquid separation device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a second embodiment of the gas-liquid separation device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2,102 Separation housing 4,104 Mixture feeding means 5,105 Gas discharging means 6,106 Liquid discharging means 8,108 Peripheral side wall 10,110 Separation space 16,116 Introducing pipe 18,117 Introducing part 22 Steel wool (liquid Holding means) 24 Holding member 30 Liquid detection sensor

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. (a) A separation housing 2, a substantially cylindrical or substantially conical peripheral side wall 8 defining an upper part of a separation space 10 for separating gas and liquid, and a lower end of the peripheral side wall 8 A separation housing 2 having a bottom plate 9 provided at the top and a top plate 11 provided at the upper end of the peripheral side wall 8; (b) a mixture of gas and liquid, which is inclined downward toward the tip end, (C) means 1 for feeding the mixture to the introduction portions 18 and 117 for feeding them so as to flow along the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral side wall 8 of the separation housing 2;
(D) liquid phase holding means 22 filled in the separation housing 2 below the separation space 10 of the separation housing 2 and holding the liquid by surface tension; and (e) separation housing. A gas discharge pipe 36 formed in the upper part of the separation space 10 and communicating with the gas phase; and (f) provided below the liquid phase holding means 22 of the separation housing 2 and held by the liquid phase holding means 22. A gas-liquid separator in a microgravity state, comprising a liquid discharge pipe 34 for discharging a liquid. 2. The introduction portions (18, 117) are inclined downward toward the liquid phase holding means (22) in the separation housing (2), and extend in a curved manner along the peripheral side wall (8) of the separation housing (2). 2. The gas-liquid separator in a microgravity state according to claim 1, wherein the device extends linearly in a tangential direction of the peripheral side wall.