Water separator and water separating system with integrated water discharge device

Abstract

A water separator for water contained in fuel or oil, including: a water outlet for the water separated from the fuel or oil; and a water discharge device having an inlet opening; and an outlet opening for the water conveyed out of the water separator; wherein the inlet opening is eccentric to a longitudinal axis of the water separator; wherein an axial direction is a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis and a radial direction is a direction traverse to the longitudinal axis; wherein the inlet opening is arranged on the water separator and spaced axially away from the water outlet; and wherein the outlet opening is arranged on the water separator coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the water separator.

Claims

1. A water separator for water contained in fuel or oil, comprising: a water outlet for the water separated from the fuel or oil; and a water discharge device having an inlet opening; and an outlet opening for the water conveyed out of the water separator; wherein the inlet opening is eccentric to a longitudinal axis of the water separator; wherein an axial direction is a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis and a radial direction is a direction traverse to the longitudinal axis; wherein the inlet opening is arranged on the water separator and spaced axially away from the water outlet; and wherein the outlet opening is arranged on the water separator coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the water separator; wherein the water separator includes: a support tube; a screen tube arranged inside of the support tube; and wherein the support tube is spaced apart radially outwardly away from the screen tube, such that annular space between the support tube and the screen tube forms an annular water separating gap positioned radially between the support tube and the screen tube; wherein the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the water discharge device are fluidically connected to each other by, in combination: a first water discharge pipe, which is arranged centrally in the water separator, the first water discharge pipe arranged within a radial interior of the screen tube and within a radial interior of the support tube; wherein the first water discharge pipe extends in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the water separator; a second water discharge pipe forming the inlet opening of the water discharge device, wherein the second water discharge pipe is arranged on the water separator and offset in the radial direction from the longitudinal axis of the water separator; a base plate forming a connection channel arranged running in a radial direction, the connection channel fludicially connecting the first water discharge pipe (38) to the second water discharge pipe.

2. The water separator according to claim 1, wherein the first water discharge pipe is arranged running coaxially to and arranged directly on the longitudinal axis of the separator, wherein the first water discharge pipe forms the outlet opening.

3. The water separator according to claim 1, wherein the water outlet of the water separator is delimited at least in sections by a lower end plate of the water separator.

4. The water separator according to claim 1, wherein the water separating gap is fluidically connected at one end to the water outlet of the water separator.

5. The water separator according to claim 4, wherein a coalescing medium and/or a filter medium are arranged annularly encircling the support tube and are supported on the support tube.

6. The water separator according to claim 4, wherein an ascension pipe for the fluid is arranged between the screen tube and the first water discharge pipe; wherein the ascension pipe is fluidically connected to a fluid outlet of the water separator.

7. The water separator according to claim 1, wherein the base plate is formed onto the second water discharge pipe; wherein the connection channel is sealed axially in the direction of the inlet opening of the water discharge device by the base plate.

8. The water separator according to claim 4, wherein the first water discharge pipe and the screen tube are formed together as a unitary, monolithic, one-piece component as in an injection molded plastic part.

9. The water separator according to claim 4, wherein the support tube, a first end plate and a second end plate of the water separator are formed together as a unitary, monolithic, one-piece component as in an injection molded plastic part.

10. The water separator according to claim 1, wherein the water separator is provided with an end plate at both ends, wherein the two end plates each comprise a sealing element for circumferential sealing contact of the water separator on a separator housing of a water separating system.

11. The water separator according to claim 10, wherein the sealing element is arranged in an annular groove of the first or second end plate; wherein the annular groove is arranged on an inner circumferential side or an outer circumferential side of the respective end plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in the following on the basis of an exemplary embodiment depicted in the drawing. The drawing shows:

(2) FIG. 1 A longitudinal section of a water separator with a particle filter medium and with a water separating device that is fluidically downstream from the particle filter medium, which water separating device includes a coalescing medium and a screen tube serving as a final separator, wherein the water separator has a water discharge device with a water discharge pipe arranged in sections inside the screen tube;

(3) FIG. 3 A longitudinal section of another exemplary embodiment of a water separator with a simplified design as compared to the water separator according to FIG. 1, and

(4) FIG. 2 A longitudinal section of a water separating system having a separator housing and a water separator according to FIG. 1 arranged in the separator housing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a water separator 10 with a support tube 12, which is provided at both ends with a respective end plate 14, 16. In the installed state of the water separator 10, a first end plate 14 is arranged at the top in the direction of gravity, while a second end plate 16 is arranged at the bottom or pointing downward.

(6) The water separator 10 includes a filter medium 18, which is arranged between the two end plates 14, 16 annularly around the support tube 12. The filter medium 18 is supported on the inside on a support tube 12 configured in a grid-like manner in a direction radial to the longitudinal axis 20 of the water separator 10. The filter medium 18 can be fused on one side to the two end plates 14, 16 or be sealingly embedded in the material of the two end plates 14, 16. The filter medium 18 is configured in the present case as a star-shaped folded bellows and the to-be-filtered fuel or oil can flow through it from the outside inwardly in a direction radial to the longitudinal axis 20 of the water separator 10.

(7) The water separator 10 includes a water separating device having a coalescing medium 24, a screen tube 26 serving as a final separator and a water separating gap 28 formed between the screen tube 26 and the support tube 20. The coalescing medium 24 is fluidically downstream from the particle filter medium (clean side) and arranged annularly around the support tube 12 in a manner corresponding to the particle filter medium 18. The coalescing medium 24 lies directly against the support tube 24 and is supported thereon. It is understood that the coalescing medium 24 may be formed of a plurality of coalescing layers, which can differ from one another in particular in terms of the material properties or thicknesses thereof (e.g., coarse coalescing layer/fine coalescing layer).

(8) The water separator 10 includes a water outlet 30, which is fluidically connected to the water separating gap 28. The water separating gap 28 is therefore configured to be downwardly open. The water outlet 30 is delimited in a direction radial to the longitudinal axis 20 of the water separator 10 on the outside by the lower second end plate 16.

(9) The water separator 10 includes a water discharge device 32 integrated into the water separator for the discharge of water from a water collection chamber of a separator housing (depicted in more detail in FIG. 3) of a water separating system, which chamber is arranged beneath the water separator 10. The water discharge device 32 includes a suction or inlet opening 34 pointing downward when the water separator is in operational use and an upper outlet opening 36.

(10) The outlet opening 36 is arranged coaxial to the longitudinal axis 20 of the water separator 10 and formed by a first water discharge pipe 38. The first water discharge pipe 38 is inside the screen tube 26 and arranged running coaxially to the longitudinal axis 20 of the water separator 10.

(11) The inlet opening 34 of the water discharge device 32 is formed by a second water discharge pipe 40, which extends away in the axial direction from the second end plate 16 having the water outlet 30. The second water discharge pipe 40 is arranged on the water separator 10 offset in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis 20 and can be arranged, as shown in FIG. 1, running oblique to the longitudinal axis 20 of the water separator 10.

(12) The first and the second water discharge pipes 38, 40 are fluidically connected to each other via a radially running connection channel 42. The connection channel 42 is sealed downwardly by a base plate 44.

(13) Configured between the screen tube 26 and the first water discharge pipe 38 is an ascension pipe 46 for the fuel or the oil flowing through the screen tube. The ascension pipe 46 is fluidically connected on the outlet side to a fluid outlet 48 of the water separator 10 for the fuel or the oil flowing out of the water separator. The ascension pipe 46 is sealed downwardly, in this case in the region of the second end plate 16.

(14) The first water discharge pipe 38 and the screen tube 26 are configured as one piece as a single plastic injection molded part and connected to each other via rib-like or wing-like spacer elements 50. The spacer elements are used for an internal reinforcement of the screen tube 26.

(15) The spacer elements 50 also serve as a fastening of the screen tube 26 and of the first water discharge pipe 38 on the first end plate 14. The spacer elements 50 can be clipped into the upper end plate 14 for this purpose, as shown in FIG. 1. The base plate 44 is clipped into the lower end plate 16 of the water separator 10 together with the water discharge pipe 40 formed onto the base plate 44.

(16) The two end plates 14, 16 each include a (radial) sealing element 52 for the sealing contact of the water separator 10 on a separator housing of a water separating system. The sealing elements 52 are each arranged in an annular groove (not designated in more detail) of the respective end plate 14, 16.

(17) FIG. 2 shows another exemplary embodiment of the water separator 10. The water separator 10 differs substantially from the water separator shown in FIG. 1 in that it does not include a filter medium. In addition, both end plates 14, 16 are designed as one piece with the support tube 12 as a single plastic injection molded part. The first water discharge pipe 38 is designed to be shorter and does not extend completely through the water separator 10. The outlet opening 36 of the first water discharge pipe 38 is thereby arranged in the axial direction between the two end plates 14, 16.

(18) FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of a water separating system 100. The water separating system 100 has a separator housing 102 with a housing trough 104 and with a housing cover 106. The separator housing 102 can be made both of plastic as well as metal. Arranged in the separator housing 100 is a water separator 10 explained in the foregoing in conjunction with FIG. 1. The housing cover 104 includes a fluid inlet (not shown in more detail) for the fuel being conveyed to the water separator 10 or the oil being conveyed to the water separator and a fluid outlet 108 for the fuel or the oil flowing out of the water separator. A water discharge connecting piece 110 of the separator housing 102 is sealingly inserted into the outlet opening 36 of the first water discharge pipe 40 of the water separator 10. The water outlet connecting piece is sealed on the circumferential side against the first water discharge pipe 38 by means of sealing ring 112.

(19) The water separating system 100 includes a water collection chamber 114 for receiving the water separated from the fuel or the oil. The water collection chamber 114 is arranged, in the operating state of the water separating system 100, beneath the water separator 10 so that water separated in the water separator 10 reaches the water collection chamber 114, due to gravity, via the water outlet 30 of the water separator 10.

(20) The water collection chamber 114 includes a recess 118 on the housing base 116, which recess is arranged laterally offset from the longitudinal axis 20 of the water separator 10. The recess 118 can be configured to be annular, as shown in FIG. 3, and therefore annularly encompass the longitudinal axis 20 of the water separator 10. The inlet opening 34 of the water discharge device 32 of the water separator 10 is arranged inside the recess 118 and near to the housing base 116 due to the second water discharge pipe 40 of the water separator 10 extending into the recess 118. As a result, as needed, a complete or almost complete water discharge of the water accumulated in the water collection chamber 114 is made possible via the water separator 10 in an upward direction. Mounted on the housing base 116 of the separator housing 102 is a water level sensor 120, by means of which a maximum permissible water fill level in the water collection chamber 114 can be detected. The water level sensor is mounted on the longitudinal axis of the water separator 10.

(21) The water separator 10 fits sealingly on the inside on the separator housing via the sealing elements 52 of the two end plates 14, 16 thereof. Because of the sealing elements 14, 16, a raw side 122 that is fluidically upstream from the filter medium 18 of the water separator 10 and a clean side 124 of the water separator 10 or of the separating system 100 that is fluidically downstream from the filter medium are sealed against each other.