TUBULAR FILTER ARRANGEMENT, A FILTER ELEMENT AND USE OF SUCH TUBULAR FILTER ARRANGEMENT
20220347615 · 2022-11-03
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
B01D2265/06
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B01D46/71
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B01D46/521
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B01D46/0049
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B01D46/0005
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
B01D46/24
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B01D46/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
A tubular filter arrangement (1000) comprising a tubular filter element (100) and a tubular air pulse distributor (300) is provided. The filter element comprises a tubular pleated filter media (106) having an initially circular cross section, and a cage structure (120) and which along an exterior envelope surface thereof is arranged to support the pleated filter media. The exterior envelope surface of the cage structure, defines a first and a second set of two opposing wall portions (123, 124). In a condition when the pleated filter media is arranged to encircle the exterior envelope surface of the cage structure, an inner wall (107) of the pleated filter media is elastically deformed to conform to the exterior envelope surface of the cage structure (120). The tubular air pulse distributor comprises a locking member (303) configured to allow the tubular air pulse distributor to lockingly engage the tubular filter element.
Claims
1. A tubular filter arrangement comprising a tubular filter element and a tubular air pulse distributor, the tubular filter element comprising a tubular pleated filter media having an initially circular cross section, and a cage structure having a longitudinal extension and which along an exterior envelope surface thereof is arranged to support the pleated filter media, wherein the cage structure as seen in a cross-section transverse to the longitudinal extension thereof comprises an inner envelope surface which defines an inner flow channel of the tubular filter element; and wherein the exterior envelope surface of the cage structure, as seen in a cross-section transverse to the longitudinal extension, defines a first set of two opposing wall portions and a second set of two opposing wall portions, and wherein a first wall portion of the first set of two opposing wall portions merges with the two wall portions of the second set of two opposing wall portions via a respective corner portion, wherein a second wall portion of the first set of two opposing wall portions merges with the two wall portions of the second set of two opposing wall portions via a respective corner portion, wherein each wall portion in the first and second sets of two opposing wall portions has a radius exceeding a radius of the respective corner portions, or has a substantially flat extension, and wherein in a condition when the pleated filter media is arranged to encircle the exterior envelope surface of the cage structure, an inner wall of the pleated filter media is elastically deformed to conform to the exterior envelope surface of the cage structure, whereby the inner wall of the pleated filter media abuts the opposing wall portions of the first and second sets of two opposing wall portions of the cage structure; and the tubular air pulse distributor comprising a locking member and a tube having an exterior longitudinal wall portion extending between a first end of the tube defining an inlet opening and a second end of the tube defining an outlet opening, wherein the locking member is configured to allow the tubular air pulse distributor to lockingly engage the tubular filter element with the tube being received inside the inner flow channel of the tubular filter element.
2. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each wall portion in the first and second sets of two opposing wall portions of the cage structure have a radius exceeding a radius of the pleated filter media as seen in a condition before elastic deformation of the pleated filter media.
3. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, in a condition when the tube of the air pulse distributor is received inside the cage structure, a gap is formed along the corner portions of the cage structure, as seen in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension, between the exterior wall of the tube of the air pulse distributor and the corner portions of the cage structure, said gaps extending as longitudinally extending interspaces along the full length of the tube of the air pulse distributor.
4. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, in a condition when the tube of the tubular air pulse distributor (300) is inserted into the inner flow channel (101) of the tubular filter element, a gap is formed, as seen in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension, between the exterior wall of the tube of the air pulse distributor and the inner walls of the first set of two opposing wall portions and the second set of two opposing wall portions of the cage structure.
5. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tubular filter element adjacent an inlet opening thereof comprises a radially extending support member, and wherein the locking member of the tubular air pulse distributor is configured to lockingly engage the support member of the tubular filter element.
6. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the support member comprises a longitudinally extending neck portion comprising a locking means configured to lockingly engage a complementary locking means arranged on the tubular air pulse distributor.
7. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is integral with the tubular air pulse distributor.
8. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the tubular filter arrangement is configured to be mounted to a filter support in a filter box by the filter support being clamped between the support member of the tubular filter element and a shoulder of the tubular air pulse distributor.
9. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the support member of the tubular filter element comprises a neck portion having a non-rotational symmetric longitudinal extension configured to extend through a complementary through-going hole in a filter support in a filter box.
10. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 5, further comprising a sealing member configured to be arranged in an interface between the support member of the tubular filter element and the filter support.
11. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tubular filter arrangement is configured to be mounted to a filter element in a filter box by the support member of the tubular filter element being clamped between the filter support and a frame element.
12. A tubular filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pleated filter media has a uniform pleat height.
13. A filter element to be used in a tubular filter arrangement, the filter element comprising a pleated filter media and a cage structure having a longitudinal extension and which along an exterior envelope surface thereof is arranged to support the pleated filter media, wherein the cage structure as seen in a cross-section transverse to the longitudinal extension thereof comprises an inner envelope surface which defines an inner flow channel; and wherein the exterior envelope surface of the cage structure, as seen in a cross-section transverse to the longitudinal extension, defines a first set of two opposing wall portions and a second set of two opposing wall portions, and wherein a first wall portion of the first set of two opposing wall portions merges with the two wall portions of the second set of two opposing wall portions via a respective corner portion, wherein a second wall portion of the first set of two opposing wall portions merges with the two wall portions of the second set of two opposing wall portions via a respective corner portion, wherein each wall portion in the first and second sets of two opposing wall portions has a radius exceeding the radius of the respective corner portions, or has a substantially flat extension, wherein in a condition when the pleated filter media is arranged to encircle the exterior envelope surface of the cage structure, an inner wall of the pleated filter media is elastically deformed to conform to the exterior envelope surface of the cage structure, whereby the inner wall of the pleated filter media abuts the opposing wall portions of the first and second sets of two opposing wall portions of the cage structure, and wherein each wall portion in the first and second sets of two opposing wall portions have a radius exceeding a radius of the pleated filter media as seen in a condition before elastic deformation of the pleated filter media.
14. Use of a tubular filter arrangement according to claim 1 in a filter box.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0056] The invention will be described in detail with reference to the schematic drawings.
[0057]
[0058]
[0059]
[0060]
[0061]
[0062]
[0063]
[0064]
[0065]
[0066]
[0067]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0068] Now turning to
[0069] The filter box 1 comprises a housing 2 having an inlet 3 and an outlet 4. The inlet 3 is arranged on a rear side wall of the housing 2 whereas the outlet 4 is arranged on the top wall 5. It is to be understood that other positions of the inlet 3 and outlet 4 are possible within the scope of the invention. A suction source 6 in the form of a fan 7 with an accompanying motor 8 is arranged adjacent the outlet 4. The lower part of the housing 2 merges via a funnel 9 with a dust collection device 10. In the disclosed embodiment one of the vertical side walls of the housing 2 comprises two openable doors 11 allowing access to the interior of the housing 2.
[0070] As is highly schematically disclosed, the housing 2 is configured to support at least one, and preferably a plurality of tubular filter elements 100. In the disclosed embodiment the tubular filter elements 100 are vertically arranged by means of a support arrangement 200 in the form of a tray-like filter support 201 which is suspended on horizontal rails 202. Thereby the filter support 201 may easily be pulled out from the housing 2 to allow inspection or change of the tubular filter elements 100. One of the filter supports 201 is shown in its pulled out position.
[0071] In the disclosed embodiment, each filter support 201 supports four tubular filter elements 100 which are arranged side by side. Each tubular filter element 100 has an inner flow channel 101. Each filter support 201 may support one or more tubular filter elements 100. It is to be understood that the number of tubular filter elements 100 may be altered within the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the support arrangement 200 with remained function may be arranged to suspend the tubular filter elements 100 in other directions, such as in a horizontal direction.
[0072] In operation, see
[0073] The tubular filter elements 100 may be cleaned on a regular basis, e.g. by a non-disclosed cleaning system using jet pulses of pressurized air. Pulses of pressurized air are directed from the interior of the tubular filter elements 100 whereby dust cakes accumulated over time on the exterior surfaces 102 of the tubular filter elements 100 will be removed and fall by gravity into the dust collecting device 10.
[0074] Now turning to
[0075] The tubular filter element 100 has a longitudinal inner wall 107 and outer wall 108 which are formed by apexes of a pleated filter media 106. The inner wall 107 defines at least partly the inner flow channel 101 of the tubular filter element 100. The pleated filter media 106 may be made of a permeable filter substance such as a filter membrane or a filter fleece. As is best seen in
[0076] Now turning to
[0077] The radially extending support member 110 comprises a through-going opening 112 extending concentrically with the longitudinal extension L of the tubular filter element 100. The opening 112 is configured to receive a tube 301 of a tubular air pulse distributor 300 to be described below.
[0078] As is best seen in
[0079] The envelope surface 121 of the cage structure 120, see
[0080] Each wall portion 123A; 123B; 124A, 124B in the first and second sets of opposing wall portions 123, 124 have a radius R2 exceeding a radius R1 of the respective corner portions 125. Accordingly, broadly speaking, the cross section of the cage structure can be seen as a quadrangular geometry with rounded corners and convex, single curved opposing wall portions.
[0081] The radius R2 of each wall portion 123A; 123B; 124A, 124B in the first and second sets of opposing wall portions123, 124 exceeds a radius R3 of the pleated filter media 106 as seen in a condition before elastic deformation of the pleated filter media 106.
[0082] The wall portions 123A; 123B; 124A, 124B; 125 of the cage structure 120 are provided as a net-like structure to provide as low fluid resistance as possible in a direction transverse the longitudinal extension L. The pattern of the net-like structure may be varied. The purpose of the cage structure 120 is to provide rigidity to the tubular filter element 100 during handling. The cage structure 120 may by way of example be formed by plastic or metal.
[0083] As is best seen in
[0084] Turning to
[0085] As a consequence of the tube 301 of the air pulse distributor 300 having a circular cross section being received inside the cage structure 120 having a non-circular cross section, a gap G1 is formed adjacent the corner portions 125 of the cage structure 120, as seen in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension. The gap G1 is formed between the exterior wall of the tube 301 of the air pulse distributor 300 and the corner portions 125 of the cage structure 120. The gaps G1 extend as longitudinally extending interspaces along the respective corner portions 125 and along the full length of the air pulse distributor 301.
[0086] The gap G1 is substantially larger than any gap G2 that may be formed between the tube 301 and the cage structure 120 along the two sets of opposing wall portions 123, 124. The effect of the gap G1 will be discussed below.
[0087] Now turning to
[0088] The support member 110 comprises a lower surface 130 facing the pleated filter media 106 and an upper surface 131 facing away from the pleated filter media 106. The support member 110 comprises a first sealing member 132 extending along an edge portion of the upper surface 131 of the support member 110. The support member 110 further comprises a second sealing member 133 extending along an edge portion of the lower surface 130 of the support member 110. The first and second sealing members 132, 133 may be integral with the support member 110 or be provided as standalone sealing members.
[0089] A longitudinally extending neck portion 134 is arranged on the upper surface 131. The neck portion 134 delimits a through-going opening 135 that is concentric with the inner flow channel 101.
[0090] The longitudinally extending neck portion 134 comprises a locking means 136 configured to lockingly engage a complementary locking means 302 arranged on a locking member 303 of a tubular air pulse distributor 300 to be described below. The embodiment disclosed in
[0091] The neck portion 134 is provided with a non-circular cross section. The non-circular cross section is configured to ensure that the tubular filter element 100 is arranged in a pre-determined position when mounted to the filter support 201.
[0092]
[0093] To better understand the arrangement,
[0094] As is schematically illustrated in
[0095] In order to clean the pleated filter media 106, an inflow of pressurized air (arrow A) is directed in the longitudinal direction L into the tubular air pulse distributor 300 via its inlet opening. The pressurized air may be provided as a pulsating flow. The pressurized air is provided via a non-disclosed pressure source. The pressurized air will cause an overall vibration of the tubular filter arrangement 1000 which will contribute to removal of dust that has been accumulated on the pleated filter media 106 over time. As the flow of pressurized air meets the bottom member 111 which forms a closed end, the air will change direction and form a return flow (arrows B) in the opposite direction.
[0096] The return flow B will however have slightly less energy than the inflow A, whereby the return flow B to a substantial degree will escape into the longitudinally extending interspace between the exterior wall of the tube 301 of the tubular air pulse distributor 300 and the inner wall of the cage structure 120. From there, it will escape in the radial direction through the through-going openings 126 in the wall of the cage structure 120 and further through the fluid permeable wall of the pleated filter media 106. The air in the interspace may basically take two main routes through the pleated filter media 106. The two main routes will be described below with reference to cross sections A-A and B-B respectively.
[0097] Cross section A-A in
[0098] This should be compared to cross section B-B taken between two wall portions 123A; 123B; 124A; 124B in a set of two opposing wall portions 123; 124 of the cage structure 120. In this cross section, the gap G2 between the exterior wall of the tube 301 of the air pulse distributor 300 and the inner wall of the cage structure 120 is substantially smaller than the gap G1 in the corner portion 125 which is referred to in cross section A-A. In fact, the gap G2 may not even exist if the radius of the tube 301 corresponds to the radius R2 of the cage structure 120. This will result in a cleaning of the pleated filter media 106, but the level of vibration of the pleated filter media 106 will be lower than in cross section A-A.
[0099] Accordingly, by the present invention, the cleaning effect is improved by the return flow B being allowed to escape in and along the enlarged interspace that is formed between the exterior wall of the tube 301 of the air pulse distributor 300 and the inner wall of the corner portions 125 of the cage structure 120. Thereby an improved cleaning of the pleated filter media 106 along its full longitudinal extension is provided for.
[0100] Now turning to
[0101] During mounting, the tubular filter element 100 is arranged in a vertical position resting on e.g. the floor. The filter support 201 is arranged on top of the support member 110 with the neck portion 134 extending through the through-going opening 250 in the filter support 201. The filter support 201 will thereby rest on the first sealing member 132 on the upper surface 131 of the support member 110.
[0102] It is preferred that the through-going hole 250 in the filter support 201 is non-circular. It is also to be preferred that the neck portion 134 of the support member 110 at least along a longitudinal portion thereof has the complementary geometry. A non-circular cross section results in that the plurality of filter arrangements 1000 will be arranged side by side in a determined pattern in the filter box 1.
[0103] To lock the tubular filter element 100 to the filter support 201, the tube 301 of the tubular air pulse distributor 300 is inserted from above, see
[0104] One advantage with this embodiment is that the filter support 201 will not come in contact with the pleated filter media 106, neither during mounting, nor during exchange. Thereby there is no risk of damaging the pleated filter media 106 or that the filter support 201 comes in contact with dust cakes which over time accumulate on the exterior surface of the pleated filter media 106. This should be compared to prior art solutions where the tubular filter element typically is inserted into and passed through the hole 250 in the filter support 201 both during mounting and during exchange.
[0105] It is to be understood that the sealing member may be a separate member or integral with the support member 110 and that also the tubular air pulse distributor may be provided with a sealing member.
[0106] It is further to be understood that the locking member may be configured to lockingly engage the support element in a number of ways. The locking engagement may by way of example be configured to be provided by screwing, clamping or a snap-fit. It is preferred that the locking engagement is releasable to allow exchange of the filter element when necessary. It is further preferred that the locking means may be operated without the need for any tooling.
[0107]
[0108] Now turning to
[0109] As a major difference to the first embodiment, the locking member 303 of the tubular air pulse distributor 300 is not used to mount the tubular filter arrangement 1000 to the filter support 201′. Instead, the locking member 303 is only used to connect the tubular air pulse distributor 300 to the tubular filter element 100. The resulting tubular filter arrangement 1000 is configured to be mounted to the filter support 201′ in a manner to be described below.
[0110] During mounting the tubular filter element 100 is arranged in a vertical position resting on e.g. the floor on top of the filter support 201′. The filter support 201′ is then moved along the tubular filter element 100 into abutment with the lower surface 130 of the support member 110 and the second sealing member 133 supported thereby. The sealing member 133 may be integral with either the support member 110 or the filter support 201′, or even be a separate member. The through going hole 250′ in the filter support 201′ hence has a cross section that exceeds the cross section of the tubular filer element 100. It is however to be understood that the cross sections must not be complementary.
[0111] To fixate the filter support 201′ in view of the tubular filter element 100, a frame element 400′ is mounted from above and bolted to the filter support 201′. The frame element 400′ comprises a through-going opening 401′ with a cross section corresponding to or exceeding the cross section of the tube 301 of the tubular air pulse distributor 300. The frame element 400′ may abut either the upper surface of the support member 110 or the shoulder 310 and/or the locking member 303 of the tubular air pulse distributor 300. In its mounted position, the tubular filter arrangement 1000 will be suspended by being fixedly mounted to the filter support 201′.
[0112] It is to be understood that the tubular filter arrangement 1000 may be fixated to the filter support 201′ in a number of ways with remained function. In a non-disclosed embodiment, the frame element 400′ may by way of example be replaced by one or more clamps configured to act between the filter support and a portion of the tubular filter arrangement which extends through the opening in the filter support. In yet another non-disclosed embodiment, the tubular filter arranged may be bolted to the filter support 201′ by bolts extending through the support member 110 and the filter support 201.
[0113]
[0114] Although not explicitly disclosed in the application, the skilled person will understand that each wall portion in the first and second sets of two opposing wall portions, with remained function may have a substantially flat extension. The substantially flat extension may be provided by each wall portion having an infinitely large radius R2.