JPH08159619A - Oil separator and air compressor equipped with the separator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To demonstrate a performance which is equivalent to a two stage oil separation system comprising a cyclone-type oil separator and a filter-type oil separator with one oil separator. CONSTITUTION: A cylindrical member 16 whose lower end is open is extended downward, penetrating the central upper part of an enclosed vessel 51. A gas inlet pipe 43, which allows gas to flow in the tangential direction with the inner peripheral surface, is installed to the upper part of the cylinder-shaped member 46. A filter 55, which comprises a micro-fiber or the like so as to catch oil mist, is installed around the cylinder-shaped member 46 and at the same time, a gas outlet is installed to the upper peripheral edge of the enclosed vessel 51 while an oil outlet is installed to the lower part of the vessel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an oil separator suitable for separating oil discharged along with compressed air from an air compressor, and an air compressor equipped with the oil separator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional air compressor is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, when the scroll type air compressor 1 is driven by the motor 2, air is sucked into the compressor 1 through the suction strainer 3 and compressed by the scroll type compression mechanism incorporated therein.

On the other hand, lubricating oil is injected into the compressor 1, and this lubricating oil lubricates the sliding parts of the scroll type compression mechanism and simultaneously seals the gaps. The mist of the lubricating oil is discharged along with the compressed air and enters the cyclone type oil separator 4, where most of the mist of the lubricating oil is separated from the compressed air while the compressed air is descending while swirling. . The separated lubricating oil L enters the oil cooler 7 through the strainer 6, is cooled there, and then enters the intake pipe 11 through the oil filter 8 and is accompanied by the intake air flowing through the intake pipe 11. Return to compressor 1.

The air flowing out from the oil separator 4 is introduced into the filter type oil separator 5, and the mist of the lubricating oil still remaining in the air is separated by passing through the filter 55. The separated lubricating oil L merges with the lubricating oil returning from the cyclone type oil separator 4 via the strainer 9 and the expansion device 10 and returns to the compressor 1.

The compressed air flowing out of the filter type oil separator 5 is sent to an original air reservoir (not shown) via an on-off valve 12 and an operation valve 13.

[0006]

The above conventional air compression apparatus is provided with the cyclone type oil separator 4 and the filter type oil separator 5, and since there are two oil return circuits to the compressor 1, There is a problem in that the oil circuit is complicated and the cost increases.

When the balance of the respective oil return amounts passing through the two oil return circuits is poor, the oil amount of the lubricating oil L stored in the bottom of the filter type oil separator 5 increases, and the lower part of the filter 55 is removed. The effective area of the filter 55 is reduced by being immersed in the lubricating oil. Therefore, although the flow path resistance is adjusted by the expansion device 10, there is a problem that air is inevitably sucked into the oil return circuit together with the lubricating oil.

In order to deal with this, it has been proposed to provide a float valve in the closed container 51 of the filter type oil separator 5 to keep the height of the oil surface constant, but this is expensive and practical. It is difficult to convert.

Further, the cyclone type oil separator 4 is abolished,
If only the filter-type oil separator 5 is used, the filter-type oil separator 5 becomes large in size, which increases the space and cost thereof and is difficult to put into practical use.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been invented to solve the above-mentioned problems. The gist of the first invention is that a cylindrical member whose lower end is opened is an upper part of a closed container. A gas inlet pipe is provided in the upper part of the cylindrical member for penetrating through the center and allowing gas to flow in a direction tangential to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member to trap oil mist around the cylindrical member. For this purpose, an oil separator is provided, in which a filter made of microfiber or the like is provided, and a gas outlet is provided at the upper peripheral edge of the closed container and an oil discharge port is provided at the lower portion.

The lower end of the cylindrical member can extend to the lower end of the filter.

A gist of a second invention is an air compression device characterized in that the oil separator is interposed in a discharge pipe of an air compressor.

[0013]

In the present invention, the gas containing the oil mist flows from the gas inlet into the upper part of the cylindrical member tangentially with respect to the inner peripheral surface thereof, and descends while swirling inside the cylindrical member. The centrifugal force acting on the oil mist causes the oil mist to be scattered in the radial direction and separated from the gas. Residual oil mist is then separated from the gas as it is passed through the filter by being trapped by the filter. The separated oil falls to the bottom of the closed container, is temporarily stored, and is discharged from the oil discharge port. The gas separated from the oil flows out from the gas outlet.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A first embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, an inverted cup-shaped cylindrical member 46 is attached through the center of the ceiling wall of the closed container 51. The gas inlet pipe is penetrated through the upper side wall of the cylindrical member 46.
43 is attached to allow gas to flow tangentially to the inner peripheral surface 47 of the cylindrical member 46.

Inside the closed container 51, a cylindrical filter 55 made of microfibers coaxial with the cylindrical member 46 is arranged around the cylindrical member 46. The upper end opening of this filter 55 is covered with an upper cover 58, and the lower end opening Is covered by a saucer 57.

The cylindrical member 46 penetrates the upper cover 58, and the lower end opening thereof is open above the filter 55. A gas outlet pipe 53 is attached to the periphery of the ceiling wall of the closed container 51, and an oil discharge pipe 54 is attached to the center of the bottom wall of the closed container 51.

Thus, from the gas inlet pipe 43 to the cylindrical member 46
In the process in which the gas flowing in tangentially to the inner peripheral surface 47 descends while spirally swirling in the cylindrical member 46,
Most of the oil mist contained therein is scattered in the radial direction by the centrifugal force acting on the oil mist and separated from the gas.
This mist collides with the inner peripheral surface 47, descends along the inner peripheral surface 47, enters the receiving tray 57, overflows from the receiving tray 57, and is sealed.
Collect at the bottom of 51.

On the other hand, the gas flowing out from the lower end opening of the tubular member 46 changes its direction and passes through the filter 55. In this process, the mist of oil remaining in the gas is captured by the filter 55 and separated from the gas. To be done. This oil is a filter
In the process of flowing from the upper part to the lower part of 55, large oil drops gradually become separated from the filter 55 and collect at the bottom of the closed container 51. The gas that has passed through the filter 55 flows out from the gas outlet pipe 53. The lubricating oil L accumulated at the bottom of the closed container 51 is discharged to the outside from the oil discharge pipe 54.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. In the second embodiment, the lower end of the cylindrical member 46 is extended to the lower end of the filter 55, and the hole 49 is formed in the lower part thereof. An air guide tube 48 is disposed in the cylindrical member 46, the upper end of which is opened upward in the central upper portion of the cylindrical member 46, and the lower end thereof penetrates the cylindrical member 46 to extend in the vertical direction of the filter 55. It opens toward the middle tier. The other structure is similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and corresponding members are designated by the same reference numerals.

However, after the gas separates the oil mist in the process of descending while swirling inside the cylindrical member 46, the center of the cylindrical member 46 is raised and the gas is introduced into the air guide tube 48 from its upper end opening. After entering, it flows out of the cylindrical member 46 through the inside of the air guide tube 48, and then passes through the filter 55.

The oil mist separated from the gas in the cylindrical member 46 adheres to the inner peripheral surface 47 of the cylindrical member 46, travels along this inner peripheral surface into the saucer 57, and passes through the hole 49 to form a cylinder. It goes out of the member 46.

In this second embodiment, the cylindrical member
The oil separated from the gas inside 46 descends into the receiving tray 57 along the inner peripheral surface 47 of the cylindrical member 46, so that the oil drips from the lower end of the cylindrical member 46 as in the first embodiment. It is possible to prevent the gas from being sucked into the filter 55 along with the gas flowing toward the filter 55 on the way.

FIG. 3 shows a piping system diagram of an air compression apparatus using the oil separator according to the present invention. The compressed air discharged from the compressor 1 enters the oil separator 50, where the mist of oil contained in the compressed air is separated.

Compressed air from which oil has been separated is opened / closed valve 12, operation valve
The oil L supplied to the original air reservoir (not shown) via 13 and separated from the compressed air enters the oil cooler 7 via the strainer 6 and, after being cooled there, enters the intake pipe 11 via the oil filter 8. , Return to the compressor 1 with the intake air. Other configurations and operations are similar to those of the conventional one shown in FIG. 4, and corresponding members are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0025]

In the oil separator of the present invention, the mist of the oil contained in the gas is separated in the process in which the gas descends while swirling inside the cylindrical member, and is left behind in the process of passing through the filter. The oil mist is separated. Therefore, the oil separator of the present invention can exhibit the same performance as the conventional two-stage oil separation system using the cyclone type oil separator and the filter type oil separator.

Therefore, by installing this oil separator in the discharge pipe of the air compressor, a single oil return circuit can be provided, so that the oil return circuit can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. Further, since there is only one oil return circuit, it is possible to prevent air from being mixed into the lubricating oil returning to the compressor as in the conventional case.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an oil separator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of an oil separator according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a piping system diagram of the air compressor according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a piping system diagram of a conventional air compression device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 50 Oil separator 43 Gas inlet pipe 46 Cylindrical member 51 Closed container 53 Gas outlet pipe 54 Oil discharge pipe 55 Filter

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A gas inlet for allowing a cylindrical member having an open lower end to extend downward through the center of an upper portion of a closed container and to allow gas to flow into the upper portion of the cylindrical member tangentially to its inner peripheral surface. A pipe was provided, a filter made of microfiber or the like for capturing oil mist was disposed around the cylindrical member, and a gas outlet was provided at the upper peripheral edge of the closed container and an oil discharge port was provided at the lower portion. An oil separator characterized in that. 2. The oil separator according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the cylindrical member extends to the lower end of the filter. 3. An air compressor, wherein the oil separator according to claim 1 or 2 is provided in a discharge pipe of an air compressor.