Abstract
A device for separating liquid from a volume flow of a gas-liquid mixture may include a separating element and a deflection arrangement for deflecting the volume flow in a direction of the separating element to precipitate liquid on the separating element and thereby separate the liquid. The deflection arrangement may comprise a flow channel that extends axially away from a volume flow inlet and comprises an aperture area that extends axially on the flow channel. The aperture area may be at least partly covered by a covering means that is movable relative to the aperture area. The covering means may be movable to different extents at two axially-spaced locations to influence a magnitude of a part volume flow of the deflected volume flow flowing out of the flow channel through the aperture area at one axial location differently than at another axial location.
Claims
1.-11. (canceled)
12. A device for separating liquid from a volume flow of a gas-liquid mixture, the device comprising: a separating element; a deflection arrangement for deflecting the volume flow in a direction of the separating element to precipitate liquid on the separating element and thereby separate the liquid from the volume flow, wherein the deflection arrangement comprises a flow channel with a volume flow inlet, the flow channel extending axially away from the volume flow inlet and comprising an aperture area that extends axially on the flow channel; and covering means that at least partly covers the aperture area and is movable relative to the aperture area, with the covering means being movable to different extents at two axially-spaced locations to influence a magnitude of a part volume flow of the deflected volume flow such that the magnitude of the part volume flow that flows out of the flow channel through the aperture area is different at a first axial location than at a second axial location.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the flow channel has a cross-sectional area that decreases in an axial direction.
14. The device of claim 12 wherein the flow channel is conical.
15. The device of claim 12 wherein the aperture area consists of an area of a single aperture.
16. The device of claim 12 wherein the aperture area is comprised of a sum of areas of multiple part apertures following one another in an axial direction.
17. The device of claim 12 wherein a first cross section of the aperture area at the first axial location is smaller than a second cross section of the aperture area at the second axial location, wherein the second axial location is farther from the volume flow inlet than the first axial location.
18. The device of claim 12 wherein a first part aperture that is axially closer to the volume flow inlet has a larger part aperture area than a second part aperture that is axially farther from the volume flow inlet.
19. The device of claim 12 wherein an axial extent of a part aperture area is larger than a radial extent of the part aperture area.
20. The device of claim 12 wherein the covering means is configured to influence the part volume flow based on a magnitude of the volume flow.
21. The device of claim 12 wherein the covering means is configured to influence the part volume flow based on a pressure present at an axial location of the flow channel.
22. The device of claim 12 wherein the covering means is configured to influence the part volume flow based on a rotational speed of the flow channel about a longitudinal axis thereof.
23. The device of claim 12 wherein the covering means comprises a lamellar valve.
24. The device of claim 12 wherein the covering means comprises an elastic element.
25. The device of claim 24 wherein the elastic element is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation transversely to a flow direction of the volume flow relative to the aperture area that is covered by the covering means.
26. The device of claim 25 wherein the elastic element is at least one of fixed at a downstream end or rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation parallel to the flow direction.
27. The device of claim 24 wherein a majority of the elastic element is comprised of an elastically-deformable material, wherein the elastic element is deflectably disposed about an axis of rotation transversely to a flow direction of the volume flow.
28. The device of claim 24 wherein a majority of the elastic element is comprised of an elastically-deformable material, wherein the elastic element is deflectably disposed about an axis of rotation parallel to the flow direction of the volume flow.
29. The device of claim 24 wherein a majority of the elastic element is comprised of an elastically-deformable material, wherein the elastic element is deflectably disposed about an axis of rotation transversely to a flow direction of the volume flow and about an axis of rotation parallel to the flow direction of the volume flow.
30. The device of claim 24 wherein the elastic element has an elasticity that varies based on a distance to a fixing point.
Description
[0020] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described by way of example making reference to a drawing, wherein further advantageous details are evident from the figures of the drawing.
[0021] In detail, in the figures:
[0022] FIG. 1: shows a perspective sectional representation of a separating device according to the invention in a first embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 2: shows a vertical axial section to the flow direction through the separating device according to FIG. 1 through the line II-II of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 3: shows a schematic sketch illustrating the mode of operation of the separating device according to the invention as per FIGS. 1 to 2;
[0025] FIG. 4: shows a variation of the first embodiment of the invention;
[0026] FIG. 5: shows a perspective view of a part section through a separating device according to the invention in a further embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 6: shows a schematic sketch illustrating the operating mode of the separating device according to FIG. 5.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows in a perspective and partly sectioned view a first configuration form of a separating device 1 according to the invention. The separating device 1 comprises a flow channel 5 with a circular cross-sectional area which conically tapers in the direction downstream, i.e. to the right, i.e. to a location that is axially more distant from the volume flow inlet 6 in FIGS. 1 to 3. By means of the volume flow inlet 6, the volume flow 2 enters the flow channel 5. This flow channel 5 has an aperture area 7 below the depicted covering means 11 which axially extends over the entire length of the covering means 11 and the width thereof, less a certain edge overlap in this case of 2 mm. Other distances, larger and smaller, are likewise possible according to the invention. The covering means 11 is supported by the wall of the flow channel 5 opened by the aperture area 7, which thereby simultaneously forms the edge of the aperture area 7. In addition, multiple part apertures 14 are provided which likewise extend axially. In other words, all aperture areas are oriented radially with respect to the through-flow direction and accordingly direct the deflected volume flow 2 in the direction of the separating element 3, which in this case is formed as a baffle surface 24 lined with a non-woven fabric 21. The separating element 3 concentrically surrounds the flow channel 5, being substantially configured as a cylindrical internal lateral surface. In this embodiment, the baffle surface 24 is entirely lined with non-woven fabric 21. However, completely or partly omitting the non-woven fabric 21, the latter for example in particular in the regions of the baffle surface 24, onto which the deflected part volume flows are not directly directed, would also be possible according to the invention. Regularly or irregularly alternating regions of baffle surface 24 and baffle surface 24 lined with non-woven fabric 21 are also possible according to the invention. The part apertures 14 with their part aperture areas 13 form additional aperture areas 7 of the device according to the invention. According to the invention, they can also be omitted since in this embodiment they merely ensure that even with the minutest loading of the device with volume flow its deflection and cleaning are ensured in the case that the same is not adequate for sufficiently lifting the covering means 11. The two visible part apertures 14 are located at a first and a second axial location 9, 10 and lie in an axial section of the flow channel 5. They are practically hardly covered by the covering means 11 which is formed as elastic element 17, more precisely as a lamellar valve 18, and mainly covers the aperture area 7 located below the same. The lamellar valve 18 is fastened to the flow channel 5 by means of a fastening means 22 and is thus moveable about an axis transversely to the flow direction. The fastening means 22 could be a screw or a clip connection which penetrates the covering means so as to hold the latter. The cleaned gas mixture leaves the device 1 via an undesignated outlet 23 (see FIG. 2).
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a vertical axial section to the flow direction through the separating device 1 according to the line II-II of FIG. 1. The volume flow 2, which enters from the left the flow channel 5 that is conically tapered and thus has a cross-sectional area 20 that decreases in the axial direction, is mainly deflected in each case by the aperture area 7 (not visible here) below the respective covering means 11, but also exits in a deflected manner through the part openings 14 in the direction of the baffle area 24 and, cleaned, leaves the device 1 at the outlet 23. Clearly evident is the width between baffle surface 24 and flow channel 5 that becomes larger because of the axially conical course of the flow channel 5 so that the part volume flows added up downstream get through the outlet 23 without major stagnation pressure. Two part apertures 14 in each case are arranged radially symmetrically about the flow channel 5 in this embodiment and therefore form a part aperture pair of the same type of part apertures at the respective axial location. Thus, this embodiment comprises two covering means 11 with an axially extending aperture area 7 covered in each case by said covering means 11 and which are not easily detectable in this view, indicated in FIG. 2. It additionally comprises two pairs of part aperture areas 13 which are hardly covered or not at all and which therefore do not primarily count among the combination according to the invention of axially extending aperture area 7 and covering covering means 11. It is evident that the cross section 8 of the part apertures 14 varies with their axial location, namely becomes smaller with increasing axial distance from the volume flow inlet 6. Because of this, the corresponding part aperture area 13 also becomes smaller. The respective covering means 11 is formed by an elastic element 17 of an elastically deformable material such as for example metal or plastic. It is fixed, in each case, at the downstream end of the flow channel 5 by means of a fastening means 22, which is designed as a clip-on element here, which penetrates the respective covering means 11. Between each elastic element 17 and the flow channel 5 a nozzle gap is created at the aperture area 7 in this way. Because of the fixing of the elastic element 17 by means of the fastening element 22 on the flow channel 5 at its downstream end, each elastic element 17 or lamellar valve 18 is bendable about an axis transversely to the flow direction, in order to vary the nozzle gap.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows the mode of operation of the separating device 1 according to the first embodiment. Therein, the two images in the left column show the separating device 1 in a state with a smaller volume flow 2 and the two representations in the right column show the separating device 1 in a state with relatively higher volume flow 2. Here, the volume flow 2 is indicated by arrows which in each case exemplarily symbolize one of the many part volume flows 12. With respect to the perspective, the representations in the top line correspond to FIG. 2 whereas the representations in the bottom line show a representation of the separating device 1 rotated about the longitudinal axis in comparison thereto, in the case of which the aperture area 7 indicated with a dashed line is arranged below the depicted covering means 11 (as in FIG. 1). For the sake of clarity, only some reference numbers are shown. In the state of the separating device 1 shown in the left column, with a through-flow with lower volume flow 2, it is evident that the covering means 11 formed as lamellar valves 18 are not lifted off by the volume flow because of the relatively low pressure in the interior of the flow channel 5 and therefore sealingly cover the aperture area 7 located below. The part volume flows 12 exit through the part apertures 13. The operating state with significantly larger volume flow 2 represented in the right column shows that the part volume flows 12 now mainly exit through the nozzle gap which was created over approximately the entire axial length of the flow channel 5 by lifting the covering means 11 off the aperture area 7 extending therebelow. It is also evident that the respective covering means 11 is deflected to various degrees from its rest position in axially different locations and thus covers the axially more distant parts of the aperture area 7 to a greater extent than the axially nearer parts. The conical course of the flow channel 5 additionally increases the axial pressure differential a little so that in this embodiment larger part apertures are arranged axially nearer, which allow the passing of a larger part volume flow 12. This results in an axially uniform volume flow distribution over the separating medium or the separating element which advantageously comprises at least one baffle surface or a non-woven fabric and consequently an improved separating performance.
[0031] Because of the elastic deformability of the lamellar valve 18 its distance to the aperture area 7 adjusts itself in a self-regulating manner. The self-regulation materializes because the forces acting on the lamellar valve 18 have a longer lever distance to the fastening means 22 than is the case at an axially more distant location.
[0032] The separating device 1 according to the first embodiment can be rotated about its longitudinal axis, for example when it is arranged in the interior of a camshaft. In this case, the lamellar valves 18 are additionally deflected because of centrifugal forces in order to enlarge the distance and thus the nozzle gap at higher rotational speeds. This effect is superimposed on a deflection because of the pressure that is present in the flow channel.
[0033] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention, in which the part openings with rigid cross sections are not present. Otherwise this embodiment does not differ from the one described before.
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment 101 of the invention in a perspective view in a part section. Obscured features are not marked with reference numbers. A volume flow 102 enters the device, is deflected and, cleaned, exits at the outlet 123. Here, in contrast with the first embodiment, the aperture area located below the covering means 111 is formed by a single aperture of the narrowing flow channel, which towards the top, towards the covering means 111, is designed so as to be open and in its height remains the same over its axial course. As depicted, smaller part apertures can also be provided in the wall of the flow channel in this embodiment in order to make possible a certain basic volume flow even without deflection of the covering means 111. Here, in contrast with the first embodiment, the same is moveable about an axis which runs parallel to the volume flow 102 in the flow channel. Just as with the first embodiment, however, the lamellar valve 118 can be moved axially in a different manner. At a given axial location it has a certain distance from its free end 125 to the respective fastening means 122. At another, axially more distant, location, this distance is smaller so that reduced lever lengths also exist there, and therefore despite the higher pressure in the flow channel no further lifting-off of the covering means 111 from the aperture takes place. Here, too, the axially added part volume flows 12 are given a greater width in the direction of the outlet 123.
[0035] The details of this embodiment including their mode of operation are evident in the section representations according to FIG. 5, which show a section along the line III-Ill from FIG. 4 through the separating device 101.
[0036] The flow channel 105 of the separating device 101 is opened with an aperture area 107 towards the top, which aperture area 107 is sealed off with a lamellar valve 118 made of an elastically deformable material. The lamellar valve 118 is fixed on the flow channel 105 on an edge running in the flow direction and, because of the elasticity of said edge, can thus be deflected about an axis that is oriented transversely to the flow direction. The flow channel 105 with covering means 111 is surrounded by a separating element 103 which comprises a baffle surface 126 which is lined with a non-woven fabric 121. Here, the separating element 103 can also be configured as described as variations according to the invention regarding the first embodiment. The described arrangement of the flow channel, of the baffle surface lined with non-woven fabric and of the covering means is surrounded by a hollow cuboid housing 124.
[0037] Shown are two different operating states in the same axial location. The above representation shows a state with relatively low volume flow and the lower representation a state with relatively higher volume flow.
[0038] As is evident in the upper part of FIG. 6 a lower volume flow at a given axial location only results in a very small deflection of the lamellar valve 118 at this location. This is attributable to the fact that because of the relatively low pressure in the interior of the flow channel 105 only comparatively small forces act on the elastically deformable lamellar valve 118 for its deflection. The degree of the deflection and thus concomitantly the magnitude of the opened nozzle gap between aperture area 107 and lamellar valve 118 is dependent, because of the lever principles, on the distance to the fastening means 122 which defines the fixing point and fulcrum. Because of this, a deflection of the free end 125, or expressed in other words of the outer edge, of the lamellar valve 118 is greater axially nearer the volume flow inlet 106 than axially further distant with a given volume flow. This results in that, axially nearer, a larger part volume flow can exit the flow channel 105 than in an axially more distant region. As a result, substantially the same part volume flow will strike the baffle surface 126 lined with non-woven fabric 121 in locations of the flow channel 105 located further downstream as further upstream despite the higher pressure present there.
[0039] The lower part of FIG. 6 shows the separating device 101 in a state of the through-flow with a larger volume flow as compared with the upper part of FIG. 5. This is evident because of the fact that the deflection of the free end 125 of the lamellar valve 118 is larger at this axial location because of the higher pressure. As already mentioned, the deflection of the covering means 111 also varies along the axial extent of the narrowing flow channel 105 at a certain volume flow since the regions of higher pressure are also regions in which the deflection is smaller because of a smaller lever, so that the opened aperture area, viewed axially, decreases, so that the part volume flows remain approximately the same or a uniform volume flow distribution is achieved. Because of this, a particularly homogeneous and efficient separation of the oil is achieved.
[0040] Advantageously, both the separating device 1 according to FIGS. 1 to 3 and also the separating device 101 according to FIGS. 4 and 5 are self-regulatory in any respect. This is because, due to the elastic deformability of the lamellar valve 118, an adaptation of the deflection to variations of the volume flow 2, 102 is achieved on the one hand at a given axial location of the flow channel 5, 105, while on the other hand the deflection of the lamellar valve 118 also adapts to the pressure conditions that are variable over the axial course of the flow channel 5, 105, in order to compensate for these and in each case generate a uniform part volume flow in the direction of the separating element 3, 103.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0041] 1 Separating device, first embodiment [0042] 2 Volume flow [0043] 3 Separating element [0044] 4 Deflection arrangement [0045] 5 Flow channel [0046] 6 Volume flow inlet [0047] 7 Aperture area [0048] 8 Cross section [0049] 9 First axial location [0050] 10 Second axial location [0051] 11 Covering means [0052] 12 Part volume flow [0053] 13 Part aperture area [0054] 14 Part apertures [0055] 15 Axial extent [0056] 16 Radial extent [0057] 17 Elastic element [0058] 18 Lamellar valve [0059] 19 Flow direction [0060] 20 Cross-sectional area flow channel [0061] 21 Non-woven fabric [0062] 22 Fastening means [0063] 23 Outlet [0064] 24 Baffle surface [0065] 101 Separating device, further embodiment [0066] 102 Volume flow [0067] 103 Separating element [0068] 104 Deflection arrangement [0069] 105 Flow channel [0070] 106 Volume flow inlet [0071] 107 Aperture area [0072] 108 Cross section [0073] 109 First axial location [0074] 110 Second axial location [0075] 111 Covering means [0076] 112 Part volume flow [0077] 113 Part aperture area [0078] 114 Part apertures [0079] 115 Axial extent [0080] 116 Radial extent [0081] 117 Elastic element [0082] 118 Lamellar valve [0083] 119 Flow direction [0084] 120 Cross-sectional area flow channel [0085] 121 Non-woven fabric [0086] 122 Fastening means [0087] 123 Outlet [0088] 124 Housing [0089] 125 Free end [0090] 126 Baffle surface
