Multi-cyclone separator of a multi-stage fluid filter for cleaning gaseous fluid and multi-stage fluid filter

Abstract

A multi-cyclone separator of a multi-stage fluid filter for cleaning gaseous fluid is provided with a plurality of cyclone cells for separating particles and/or liquid from the gaseous fluid. The cyclone cells each have an inlet for the gaseous fluid to be purified, an outlet for the gaseous fluid freed of particles and liquid, and at least one discharge window discharging the separated particles and liquid. At least one discharge chamber is provided, and the discharge windows of the cyclone cells open into the at least one discharge chamber. At least one discharge opening leads out of the at least one discharge chamber. The at least one discharge chamber tapers in a funnel shape toward the at least one discharge opening. A multi-stage fluid filter is provided with the multi-cyclone separator that is arranged upstream of a main filter of the multi-stage fluid filter.

Claims

1. A multi-cyclone separator of a multi-stage fluid filter for purifying a gaseous fluid, the multi-cyclone separator comprising: a circumferential outer wall; a plurality of cyclone cells for separating particles and/or liquid from the gaseous fluid, plurality of cyclone cells extending axially is direction of a flow axis and arranged at an interior side of the circumferential outer wall, the cyclone cells each comprising: an inlet for the gaseous fluid to be purified, an outlet for the gaseous fluid freed of particles and liquid, and at least one discharge window configured to discharge the separated particles and liquid from the cyclone cell; at least one discharge chamber arranged at the interior side of the circumferential outer wall, wherein the discharge windows of the cyclone cells open into the at least one discharge chamber; at least one discharge opening extending through the circumferential outer wall and leads out of the at least one discharge chamber; wherein the at least one discharge chamber tapers in a funnel shape toward the at least one discharge opening, wherein the funnel shape is at least partially formed by at least one discharge surface arranged at an interior side of the circumferential outer wall and in the at least one discharge chamber, the at least one discharge surface extending axially and at least partially forms the funnel shape of the at least one discharge chamber tapering toward the at least one discharge opening, wherein the at least one discharge surface had a lower end which terminates at or on the at least one discharge opening.

2. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one discharge surface is slanted at an angle of maximally approximately 40 degrees relative to the imaginary discharge axis extending through the at least one discharge opening.

3. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one discharge surface is slanted at an angle of maximally approximately 45 relative to the imaginary discharge axis extending through the at least one discharge opening.

4. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 1, wherein two of the at least one discharge surface are arranged opposite each other relative to the imaginary discharge axis extending through the at least one discharge opening.

5. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 1, wherein, in an operation-ready arrangement of the multi-cyclone separator, the at least one discharge opening is arranged spatially at a bottom of the multi-cyclone separator.

6. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 1, wherein the multi-cyclone separator comprises two or more of the at least one discharge chamber, wherein said two or more discharge chambers each comprise one or more of the at least one discharge opening.

7. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 6, further comprising at least one separation wall arranged between said two or more discharge chambers.

8. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 6, wherein said two or more discharge chambers, viewed in a direction of the flow axis of the gaseous fluid to be purified through the multi-cyclone separator, are arranged adjacent to each other.

9. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 6, wherein said two or more discharge chambers, viewed in a direction of the flow axis of the gaseous fluid to be purified through the multi-cyclone separator, are arranged atop each other.

10. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one discharge opening, outside of the at least one discharge chamber, is connected to a discharge valve.

11. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one discharge opening, outside of the at least one discharge chamber, is connected to a discharge connector.

12. The multi-cyclone separator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one discharge opening, outside of the at least one discharge chamber, is connected to a discharge valve and a discharge connector.

13. A multi-stage fluid filter for purifying a gaseous fluid, the multi-stage fluid filter comprising: a main filter configured to purify the gaseous fluid; at least one multi-cyclone separator arranged upstream of the main filter, wherein the multi-cyclone separator comprises: a plurality of cyclone cells for separating particles and/or liquid from the gaseous fluid, the plurality of cyclone cells extending axially is direction of a flow axis and arranged at an interior side of the circumferential outer wall, the cyclone cells each comprising: an inlet for the gaseous fluid to be purified, an outlet for the gaseous fluid freed of particles and liquid, and at least one discharge window configured to discharge the separated particles and liquid from the cyclone cell; at least one discharge chamber arranged at the interior side of the circumferential outer wall, wherein the discharge windows of the cyclone cells open into the at least one discharge chamber; at least one discharge opening that leads out of the at least one discharge chamber; wherein the at least one discharge chamber tapers in a funnel shape toward the at least one discharge opening, wherein the funnel shape is at least partially formed by at least one discharge surface arranged at an interior side of the circumferential outer wall and in the at least one discharge chamber, the at least one discharge surface extending axially and at least partially forms the funnel shape of the at least one discharge chamber tapering toward the at least one discharge opening, wherein the at least one discharge surface had a lower end which terminates at or on the at least one discharge opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages, features, and details of the invention result from the following description in which embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of the drawing. A person of skill in the art will consider the features disclosed in the drawing, the description, and the claims in combination expediently also individually and combine them to expedient further combinations.

(2) FIG. 1 shows an isometric illustration of a two-stage air filter of an internal combustion engine in upright arrangement, with a multi-cyclone separator according to a first embodiment.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the air filter of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a first partial section of the air filter of FIGS. 1 and 2.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a second partial section of the air filter of FIGS. 1 to 3.

(6) FIG. 5 shows the multi-cyclone separator of FIGS. 1 to 4 without immersion tube plate in a view of the outlet side.

(7) FIG. 6 shows the multi-cyclone separator of FIGS. 1 to 5 without front wall in a view of the inlet side.

(8) FIG. 7 shows an isometric illustration of a two-stage air filter in lying arrangement, with a multi-cyclone separator according to a second embodiment.

(9) FIG. 8 shows the multi-cyclone separator of FIG. 7 without immersion tube plate in a view of the outlet side.

(10) FIG. 9 shows the multi-cyclone separator of FIGS. 7 and 8 without front wall in a view of the inlet side.

(11) In the Figures, same components are provided with same reference characters.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) In FIGS. 1 to 4, a two-stage air filter 10 according to a first embodiment is shown in different perspective views and sections. The air filter 10 can be used, for example, in an air intake manifold of a construction or agricultural machine for purifying air.

(13) The air filter 10 comprises a main filter 12 having arranged upstream thereof a multi-cyclone separator 14. The air filter 10 as a whole is configured as a so-called inline filter. Correspondingly, the multi-cyclone separator 14 is configured as a so-called inline separator. A flow axis 16 of the air to be purified through the air filter 10 extends through the multi-cyclone separator 14 and the main filter 12. By means of the multi-cyclone separator 14, the air to be purified is coarsely freed of particles and liquid, for example, water or water droplets, and subsequently supplied to the main filter 12. By means of the main filter 12, the air which has been freed of particles and liquid is filtered.

(14) The multi-cyclone separator 14 is configured as a cyclone block. The multi-cyclone separator 14 as a whole is approximately parallelepipedal. In the normal installation state, the air filter 10 and thus also the multi-cyclone separator 14, as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 1, is arranged upright, with its longitudinal direction vertical in space.

(15) In the multi-cyclone separator 14, a plurality of generally known cyclone cells 18 are parallel connected in regard to flow. Each cyclone cell 18 comprises a circular cylindrical immersion tube 20 with an inlet 22 for air to be purified and an outlet 24 for air that has been freed of particles and liquid.

(16) The inlet 22 and the outlet 24 are located relative to the respective immersion tube axis on axially oppositely positioned sides. The inlets 22 are arranged at the inlet side 26 of the multi-cyclone separator 14. The immersion tube axes of the immersion tubes 20 extend parallel and parallel to the flow axis 16.

(17) Moreover, each cyclone cell 12 comprises a guide vane 28 which is arranged within the immersion tube 20. The swirl directions of the guide vanes 28 can be identical or different.

(18) At the end face which is facing the outlet 24, each immersion tube 20 comprises at its circumferential side an outlet window 30 for discharging separated particles and liquid. The outlet window 30 is located, for example, at the circumferential side of the immersion tube 20 that is spatially at the bottom in the normal installation state of the multi-cyclone separator 14. In this way, the separated particles and the liquid can exit in downward direction from the immersion tube 20, following the force of gravity.

(19) The immersion tubes 20 penetrate a front wall 32 of the multi-cyclone separator 14 which is facing the inlet side 26. At the outlet side 34 of the multi-cyclone separator 14 facing away from the inlet side 26, an immersion tube plate 36, which is shown, for example, in FIG. 3, is arranged detachably. The immersion tube plate 36 extends across the entire extension of the outlet side 34. It has a plurality of immersion tube openings 38 which are aligned with the immersion tubes 20, respectively, the corresponding outlets 24.

(20) The immersion tube plate 36, the front wall 32, and a circumferential wall 40 of the multi-cyclone separator 14 delimit a discharge chamber 42 for separated particles and liquid. The outlet windows 30 of the cyclone cells 18 are open toward the discharge chamber 42. The immersion tube plate 36, the front wall 32, and the circumferential wall 40 form essentially a housing of the multi-cyclone separator 14.

(21) At the bottom transverse side of the circumferential wall 40, a discharge opening 44 leads out of the discharge chamber 42. At the exterior side, a discharge valve 46 in the form of a duckbill valve is connected to the discharge opening 44. The discharge chamber 42 with the cyclone cells 18 and the discharge opening 44 with the discharge valve 46 form a separator segment 55 of the multi-cyclone separator 14.

(22) At the side which is facing the discharge opening 44, two discharge surfaces 50 are provided in the discharge chamber 42. The discharge surfaces 50 are arranged in an exemplary fashion like a funnel symmetrically on opposite sides relative to a discharge axis 48 through the discharge opening 44, respectively, relative to an imaginary plane containing the discharge axis 48 and the flow axis 16. The discharge chamber 42 tapers toward the discharge opening 44 like a funnel. The region of the discharge chamber 42 with the funnel-type tapering (funnel shape) can be referred to as funnel chamber.

(23) The discharge surfaces 50 each are slanted relative to the discharge axis 48 about an angle 52 illustrated in FIG. 6. The angles 52 are preferably each smaller than 45°. The illustration in FIG. 6 is not true to the angle. As a whole, the two discharge surfaces 50 are slanted relative to each other by an opening angle that is smaller than 90°.

(24) Viewed in flow direction 54 of the air to be purified through the multi-cyclone separator 14, a main filter inlet side 64 of the main filter 12 adjoins downstream the outlet side 34. The main filter 12 comprises an approximately parallelepipedal openable filter housing 56 in which a prism-shaped main filter element 58 and a flat secondary filter element 60 are each arranged to be exchangeable.

(25) The multi-cyclone separator 14 is fastened by means of quick connect devices 62 in the form of screws in a detachable way to the filter housing 56. The side of the filter housing 56 which is facing the multi-cyclone separator 14 is open areally and forms the main filter inlet side 64.

(26) At the side which is axially facing away from the main filter inlet side 64 relative to the flow axis 16, the filter housing 56 comprises an outlet socket 66 for purified air located obliquely at the bottom.

(27) In operation of the air filter 10, air to be purified is sucked in through the inlets 22 into the immersion tubes 20 of the cyclone cell 18 and by means of the respective guide vanes 28 is imparted with a swirl. In this way, as is generally known, coarse particles and liquid contained in the air that is sucked in are separated at the inner sides of the immersion tubes 20 and reach through the respective outlet windows 30, following the force of gravity, the discharge chamber 42.

(28) The separated particles and the separated liquid sink, following the force of gravity, in the discharge chamber 42 downwardly and are guided by the funnel-type arrangement of the discharge surfaces 50 to the discharge opening 44. The separated particles and the separated liquid exit from the discharge chamber 42 through the discharge valve 46. The multi-cyclone separator 14 can be referred to as a Aself-discharging multi-cyclone separator@ because no additional suction action at the discharge opening 44 is required for discharging the particles and the liquid.

(29) The air that has been freed of coarse particles and liquid exits from the immersion tubes 20 through the respective outlets 24 and flows toward the main filter inlet side 64 of the main filter 12. The pre-purified air flows through a filter medium of the main filter element 58 and is filtered.

(30) The filtered air exits from the main filter element 58 and flows through the secondary filter element 60 where the air is further freed of still contained particles. The filtered air exits from the main filter 12 through the outlet socket 66.

(31) In FIGS. 7 to 9, the two-stage air filter 10 with a multi-cyclone separator 14 is illustrated according to a second embodiment. Those elements that are similar to those of the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 6 are provided with the same reference characters. The air filter 10 of the first embodiment and of the second embodiment comprise the same main filter 12 and different multi-cyclone separators 14 wherein the connecting sides of the multi-cyclone separators 14 of the two embodiments relative to the filter housing 56 are identical.

(32) In contrast to the first embodiment, the entire air filter 10 in the second embodiment is arranged lying in contrast to being upright in the first embodiment. This means that the longitudinal sides of the parallelepipedal multi-cyclone separator 14 and of the filter housing 56 extend horizontally.

(33) The multi-cyclone separator 14 according to the second embodiment comprises two separator segments 55. The two separator segments 55 are arranged adjacent to each other, viewed in the direction of the flow axis 16. Each separator segment 55 comprises a plurality of cyclone cells 18 and a discharge chamber 42 which tapers toward a respective discharge opening 44 like a funnel. The two discharge chambers 42 are separated from each other by a separation wall 68 which is shown in FIG. 9, for example. In FIG. 8, the separation wall 68 is not illustrated for better clarity. The discharge valves 46 of the separator segments 55 are located spatially at the bottom at the longitudinal side of the multi-cyclone separator 14.

(34) Depending on whether the air filter 10 is to be arranged upright as in the first embodiment or lying as in the second embodiment, the corresponding multi-cyclone separator 14 according to the first embodiment or according to the second embodiment can be combined with a same main filter 12.