US2231501A

US2231501A - Air separator for fluid circulating systems

Info

Publication number: US2231501A
Application number: US187589A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard C Jepertinger
Original assignee: Modine Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Modine Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1938-01-29
Filing date: 1938-01-29
Publication date: 1941-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 1958-02-11

Description

Feb. 11, 1941. R. c. JEPERTINGER AIR SEPARATOR FOR FLUID CIRCULATING SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 29. 19:8

- Patented Feb. 11, 1941 PATENT I OFFICE,

2.231.501 7 AIR snraaa'roa FOR rwm cmcumrmc' SYSTEMS Richard C. Jepertinger, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor Modine Manufacturing Company, Ra

cine,

Win, a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 29, 1938, Serial No. 187,589

This invention relates to air separators, and particularly to devices for separating air from fluid in a circulating system.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement for automatically removing air from fluid of a cir culating system while the system is in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement whereby the removal of the air from the fluid is facilitated by the operation of the system.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means in a fluid circulating system having a heat exchange device operatively related thereto. whereby air is removed from the fluid of the system before entering the heat exchange device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of'novel construction for producing a swirling movement of the fluid in a portion of a fluid circulating system and removing an ac-- cumulation of air from said device.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air separator oi novel construction, which may be readily installed in a fluid circulating system for removing air from the fluid circulating therethrough;

A still further object of the invention is to improve devices of the character described in sundry details hereinafter referred to and par-' ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The present invention is particularly applicable for use in conjunction with thefluid circulating. systems employed for cooling motor vehicle engines, wherein car heating units or heat exchange devices are employed, as it has been found that in modern automobiles, the engines are located,

lower in the chassis and the pumps of the cooling systems are of increased capacity. These features in modern automobile construction cause air to accumulate in the heads of engines, which, with the fluid. is then circulated by sheer force of the pump through the hot water heater,'causing a very objectionable gurgling sound in and adjacent the heater. V

To overcome this objectionable condition, a novel air separator was devisedfor separating the air from the fluid before the fluid was permitted to enter the heater, and in the present instance, this novel air separator will be described in its relation to the cooling system of an automobile engine, and in the arrangement shown in the actcompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. i is a sectional ei'evational view of a. portion of a motor vehicle showing the vehicle englue and associated parts mounted therein, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in section of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2.

As. illustrated in Fig- 1 of the drawing. .the present invention is shown in relation to the cooling system of an automobile engine indicated, as a whole, by the numeral 5, and having a water jacket 6 formed'therein extending into the head of the engine, as indicated at 1, the water Jacket 8-! being connected to the upper portion of a radiator 8 by means of a connection comprising a thermostat housing 9 and hose connection ii operatively related thereto, and with the lower end portion of the radiator by means of a pump 12 and hose connection l3.

The structure shown in Fig. 1 also illustrates a heat exchange device or hot water heater It. positioned within the automobile body and connected to the pump H by means of a hose or other conduit i5, the said heater is being arranged to communicate with the portion l of the water jacket through a hose l6 and through my improved air separator comprising, preferably, a closed receptacle indicated, as a whole, by the numeral i1, and having a middle portion is and substantially cup-shaped upper and lower end portions i8 and 2! "connected thereto. as illustrated in. Fig. 2, the end portion 2! being adapted to be supported, preferably, on the head of the engine by means of a bracket 22 to provide a stable mounting for the separator.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the separator or receptacle I'I' is provided with an inlet pipe 23 communicating at one of its ends with the portion I of the water jacket formed in the head oi the engine block, and at its opposite end with the receptacle I'I adjacent the upper portion thereof and, preferably, at one side thereof ad- Jacent a wall portion of the receptacle, as illustrated in Fig. 3' or, in other words, on a line ofiset from the center of the receptacle ortangential to an arc struck from the center thereof, in a manner to produce a swirling movement of the fluid within the receptacle, the cylindrical inner.

wall portion 24!, (Fig. 3) of the receptacle adjacent the discharge end of the inlet pipe 23 providing means for changing the direction of flow of the fluid as it enters the receptacle.

The receptacle H is also provided with an outlet pipe 25 communicating at one of its ends with the heater l4 through the hose [6, and at its opposite end with the receptacle adjacent a portion thereof below the level of the inlet 23.-

the center thereof, and in a line substantiallycommon to the. directionof movement of the fluid in the receptacle adjacent the receiving end of the outlet pipe.

operatively related to the receptacle IT and system, an air separator comprising a closed re-v ceptacle forming a portion of the connection -70 preferably, adjacent the upper portion of the receptacle, is an air conduit 26, the opposite end of the conduit being adapted to communicate,

preferably, withthe connection between the portion I of the water jacket and radiator 8, as indicated at 21, preferably, adjacent the discharge side of the thermostat housing or casing 9 to remove air from the upper portion of the re ceptacle l'l.

It will be observed from the foregoing de-" scription that by circulating the cooling fluid through the receptacle 11, particularly in a manner to produce a swirling movement of the fluid, the air contained within the fluid may be separated during such movement, and rising to the upper portion of the receptacle H, the air may be removed therefrom through the conduit 25 and returned to the cooling system, preferably on the discharge side of the thermostat housing and thence through the hose connection ll into the radiator 8 where it may escape to the atmosphere through the usual overflow pipe.

It will be observed also that the present invention provides a novel construction and arrangement for separating air from the fluid of the circulating system, as illustrated in the drawing, before the fluid enters the heater ll, thereby eliminating the objectionable gurgling sound within the heater due to the reasons already assigned. I

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described as the same may be variouslymodified. Moreover all the features of the invention need not be used conjointly as the same a may be used to advantage in variously different one of its ends to and communicating with said receptacle and at its opposite end to the connection between said radiator and water jacket.

2. In the fluid circulating system of a motor vehicle engine having a watefjacket, a radiator and car heater operatively connected thereto, and a pump for circulating fluid through said between said water jacket and heater and having inlet and outlet ports operatively connected, re-

spectively, to 'said water jacket and heater, and

' an air conduit connected adjacent one' of its;

ends to and communicating with the upper portion ofsaidreceptacIe and at its opposite end to the connection between said radiator and water jacket,

3. In the fluid circulating system'of a motor vehicle engine'having a water jacket and a thermostat casing associated therewith, a radiator and car heater operatively connectedto said water jacket, and a pump for circulating fluid through said system, a centrifugal air separator comprising a closed receptacle forming a part of the connection between said water jacket and heater, an inlet pipe communicating with thepipe extending outwardly from the receptacle on a line offset from the center thereof and ad- Jacent the wall portion of the receptacle, and an air conduit connected adjacent one of its ends to and communicating with the upper portion of said receptacle and at its opposite end to the connection between said radiator and water jacket at the discharge side of said thermostat casing.

4. In the fluid circulating system of a motor vehicle engine having a water jacket and a thermostat casing associated therewith, a radiator and car heater operatively connected to said water Jacket,. and a pump for circulating fluid through said system, a centrifugal air separator comprising a closed cylindrical receptacle forniing a part of the connection between said water jacket and heater, an inlet pipe communicating with the water jacket and said receptacle and extending into the receptacle on a line ofiset from the center and adjacentthe wall portion thereof, an outlet pipe communicating with said heater and with the receptacle at a level below the level of said inlet, said outlet pipe extending outwardly from the receptacle on a line offset from the center thereof and adjacent the wall portion of the receptacle, and an air conduit connectedadjacent one of its ends to and communicating with the upper portion of said receptacle and at its opposite end to the connection between said radiator and water jacket at the discharge side of said thermostat casing.

5. In a fluid cooling and circulating system of an internal combustion engine'having a water jacket, a radiator and heater operatively connected to said water jacket, and a pump for circulating the fluid through said system, the combination of a centrifugal air separator comprising a closed receptacle forming a part of the connection between said water jacket and heater, an inlet pipe communicating with the water jacket and with said receptacle adjacent the upper portion thereof and extending on a line 'ofiset from the center of said receptacle, an outlet port communicating with said heater and with the receptacle at a level below the level of said inlet and on a line oflset from the center of the receptacle, and an air conduit connected adjacent one of its ends to and communicating with the upper portion of said receptacle and at its opposite end to the connection between said radiator and water jacket.

6. In an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a water circulating sysoutlet pipe tangentially joined to the outer pcair by-pass tubeportion of said ends to and communicating with said receptacle and at its-opposite end with a portion of said system between said jacket and the intake side of said pump. u

8. In the fluid circulating system of a motor vehicle engine having a water'jacket, radiator,

car heater and pump forming parts of said system, an air separator comprising a receptacle havinginlet andvoutlet ports operatively connected, respectively, to said water jacket and heater, and an air conduit communicating with said receptacle and with said system between said jacket and the intake side of said pump. RICHARD C. JEPERTINGER.