FILTER DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING AND DISASSEMBLING SUCH A FILTER DEVICE

Abstract

A filter device for separating a liquid mixture, including a vessel with first filter element. The vessel comprises a flat vessel base surface and vessel mantle surface. , including a housing with a second filter element. The housing comprises flat housing base surface and housing mantle surface. The vessel mantle surface comprises re-entrant section forming recess. A mating side of the housing mantle surface is configured to fit into the recess, whereby the re-entrant section and the mating side are provided with connection means to fluidly connect the first filter element with the second filter element. The re-entrant section extends from the vessel base surface, and the vessel base surface and the housing base surface are parallel and level in the same plane when the mating side of the housing mantle surface is fitted into the recess formed by the re-entrant section.

Claims

1. A filter device for separating a liquid mixture, whereby the filter device (1) comprises a vessel (2) which is configured to contain at least one first filter element (14), whereby the vessel (2) comprises an entry port (4) for introducing the liquid mixture into the first filter element (14), whereby the vessel (2) further comprises a flat vessel base surface (6) configured to allow the vessel (2) to stably stand on a horizontal flat ground surface when the vessel base surface (6) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, whereby the vessel (2) further comprises a vessel mantle surface (7) extending from a periphery of the vessel base surface (6) in a direction opposite to the vessel base surface (6), whereby the filter device (1) comprises at least one housing (3, 3a, 3b) which is configured to contain at least one second filter element, whereby the housing (3, 3a, 3b) comprises a flat housing base surface (11) configured to allow the housing to stably stand on a horizontal flat ground surface when the housing base surface (11) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, whereby the housing (3, 3a, 3b) further comprises a housing mantle surface (12) extending from a periphery of the housing base surface (11) in a direction opposite to the housing base surface (11), whereby the vessel mantle surface (7) comprises a re-entrant section (15) forming a recess configured to accommodate the housing (3, 3a, 3b), whereby a mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is configured to fit into the recess formed by the re-entrant section (15) , whereby the re-entrant section (15) and the mating side are provided with connection means (16) to fluidly connect an outlet of the first filter element (14) with an inlet of the second filter element in a detachable way when the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is fitted into the recess formed by the re-entrant section (15), characterised in that the re-entrant section (15) is extending from the vessel base surface (6), and that the vessel base surface (6) and the housing base surface (11) are parallel and level in the same plane when the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is fitted into the recess formed by the re-entrant section (15) such that the outlet of the first filter element (14) is fluidly connected with the inlet of the second filter element.

2. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the housing (3, 3a, 3b) comprises a housing top surface (19) opposite to the housing base surface (11), whereby the housing mantle surface (12) is in between the housing base surface (11) and the housing top surface (19), which housing top surface (19) is slanting towards the housing base surface (11) in a direction towards the recess formed by the re-entrant section (15) when the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is fitted into the recess.

3. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that, at a side of the housing mantle surface (12) opposite to the mating side, the housing (3, 3a, 3b) is provided with one or more wheels (20), whereby a circumference of the one or more wheels (20) is tangent with an extension of the housing base surface (11).

4. The filter device according to claim 3, characterised in that the one or more wheels (20) are partially recessed in the side of the housing mantle surface (12) opposite to the mating side.

5. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that, at a side of the housing mantle surface (12) opposite to the mating side, the housing (3, 3a, 3b) is provided with a grip portion (22).

6. The filter device according to claim 5, characterised in that the grip portion (22) is a re-entrant grip portion (23).

7. The filter device according to claim 2 , characterised in that the position of the grip portion (22) is closer to the housing top surface (19) than to the housing base surface (11).

8. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the filter device (1) comprises two or more housings (3a, 3b).

9. The filter device according to claim 8, characterised in that the two or more housings (3a, 3b) are provided with one or more connection conduits (21) configured to allow the liquid mixture to flow from the at least one second filter element contained in one of the two or more housings (3a, 3b) to the at least one second filter element contained in another one of the two or more housings (3a, 3b).

10. The filter device according to claim 9, characterised in that the one or more connection conduits (21) are flexible and detachably connected to the two or more housings (3a, 3b) .

11. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the first filter element (14) is a coalescing filter element.

12. The filter device according to claim 11, characterised in that the coalescing filter element is made of a plastics foam, preferably comprising unwoven polypropylene fibres or boro-silicate glass microfibres.

13. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the second filter element is a sorbent bed filter element.

14. The filter device according to claim 13, characterised in that the sorbent bed filter element is selected from a group consisting of an activated carbon filter element, an organoclay filter element, an activated alumina filter element, a zeolite filter element or a hydrophobic polyurethane foam filter element.

15. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the vessel (2) is provided with a detachable cover (8).

16. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the connection means (16) comprise an outlet conduit (17) of the vessel (2), which outlet conduit (17) has an outlet end which is secured to the re-entrant section (15) and which is facing the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) when the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is fitted into the recess; and an inlet conduit (24) of the housing (3, 3a, 3b), which inlet conduit (24) has an inlet end (25) which is secured to and protruding from the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) and which is facing the outlet end (18) of the outlet conduit (17) of the vessel (2) when the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is fitted into the recess, whereby the outlet end (18) and the inlet end (25) are configured to be sealingly connected when the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is fitted into the recess.

17. The filter device according to claim 16, characterised in that an inner channel (27) of the outlet conduit (17) has an inwardly convergently tapered portion at the outlet end (18).

18. The filter device according to claim 16 ,characterised in that an O-ring (26) is provided around the inlet end (25).

19. The filter device according to claim 18, characterised in that the inlet end (25) is provided with a stepped portion (28) configured to accommodate the O-ring (26).

20. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the vessel (2) and/or the housing (3, 3a, 3b) are made of a thermoplastic material, preferably low-density polyethylene.

21. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the vessel (2) and/or the housing (3, 3a, 3b) are made by means of a rotational moulding process.

22. The filter device according to claim 1, characterised in that the vessel (2) is provided with a drain valve (29).

23. The filter device according to claim 22, characterised in that the drain valve (29) is provided at a side of the vessel mantle surface (7) opposite to the re-entrant section (15).

24. A method for assembling a filter device, whereby the filter device (1) comprises a vessel (2) which is configured to contain at least one first filter element (14), whereby the vessel (2) comprises an entry port (4) for introducing the liquid mixture into the first filter element (14), whereby the vessel (2) further comprises a flat vessel base surface (6) configured to allow the vessel (2) to stably stand on a horizontal flat ground surface when the vessel base surface (6) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, whereby the vessel (2) further comprises a vessel mantle surface (7) extending from a periphery of the vessel base surface (6) in a direction opposite to the vessel base surface (6), whereby the filter device (1) comprises at least one housing (3, 3a, 3b) which is configured to contain at least one second filter element, whereby the housing (3, 3a, 3b) comprises a flat housing base surface (11) configured to allow the housing (3, 3a, 3b) to stably stand on a horizontal flat ground surface when the housing base surface (11) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, whereby the housing (3, 3a, 3b) further comprises a housing mantle surface (12) extending from a periphery of the housing base surface (11) in a direction opposite to the housing base surface (11), whereby the vessel mantle surface (7) is provided with a re-entrant section (15) forming a recess configured to accommodate the housing (3, 3a, 3b), whereby a mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is configured to fit into the recess formed by the re-entrant section (15) , whereby the re-entrant section (15) and the mating side are provided with connection means (16) to fluidly connect an outlet of the first filter element (14) with an inlet of the second filter element in a detachable way when the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is fitted into the recess formed by the re-entrant section (15), characterised in that, in order to connect the outlet of the first filter element (14) with the inlet of the second filter element, the method comprises the step of moving the mating side into the recess in such a way that the vessel base surface (6) and the housing base surface (11) are parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterised in that the method further comprises the step of first moving the mating side to the recess in such a way that the housing (3, 3a, 3b) is in a position whereby the mating side and the housing base surface (11) are tilted away from the horizontal flat ground surface and the vessel base surface (6) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, before moving the mating side into the recess in such a way that the housing base surface (11) and vessel base surface (6) are both parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface.

26. The method according to claim 25, characterised in that during the step of first moving the mating side to the recess in such a way that the housing (3, 3a, 3b) is in a position whereby the mating side and the housing base surface (11) are tilted away from the horizontal flat ground surface and the vessel base surface (6) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, the housing (3, 3a, 3b) is rolled along the horizontal flat ground surface towards the vessel (2).

27. A method for disassembling a filter device, whereby the filter device (1) comprises a vessel (2) which is configured to contain at least one first filter element (14), whereby the vessel (2) comprises an entry port (4) for introducing the liquid mixture into the first filter element (14), whereby the vessel (2) further comprises a flat vessel base surface (6) configured to allow the vessel (2) to stably stand on a horizontal flat ground surface when the vessel base surface (6) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, whereby the vessel (2) further comprises a vessel mantle surface (7) extending from a periphery of the vessel base surface (6) in a direction opposite to the vessel base surface (6), whereby the filter device (1) comprises at least one housing (3, 3a, 3b) which is configured to contain at least one second filter element, whereby the housing (3, 3a, 3b) comprises a flat housing base surface (11) configured to allow the housing (3, 3a, 3b) to stably stand on a horizontal flat ground surface when the housing base surface (11) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, whereby the housing (3, 3a, 3b) further comprises a housing mantle surface (12) extending from a periphery of the housing base surface (11) in a direction opposite to the housing base surface (11), whereby the vessel mantle surface (7) comprises a re-entrant section (15) forming a recess configured to accommodate the housing (3, 3a, 3b), whereby a mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is configured to fit into the recess formed by the re-entrant section (15) , whereby the re-entrant section (15) and the mating side are provided with connection means (16) to fluidly connect an outlet of the first filter element (14) with an inlet of the second filter element in a detachable way when the mating side of the housing mantle surface (12) is fitted into the recess formed by the re-entrant section (15), characterised in that, in order to disconnect the outlet of the first filter element (14) from the inlet of the second filter element, the method comprises the step of removing the mating side from the recess in such a way that the vessel base surface (6) and the housing base surface (11) are parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface.

28. The method according to claim 27, characterised in that, after removing the mating side from the recess in such a way that the vessel base surface (6) and the housing base surface (11) are parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, the method further comprises the step of removing the mating side from the recess in such a way that the housing (3, 3a, 3b) is in a position whereby the mating side and the housing base surface (11) are tilted away from the horizontal flat ground surface and the vessel base surface (6) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface.

29. The method according to claim 28, characterised in that during the step of removing the mating side from the recess in such a way that the housing (3, 3a, 3b) is in a position whereby the mating side and the housing base surface (11) are tilted away from the horizontal flat ground surface and the vessel base surface (6) is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface, the housing (3, 3a, 3b) is rolled along the horizontal flat ground surface away from the vessel (2).

30. Use of the filter device according to 23 claim 1 for separating a liquid mixture of oil and water separated from air compressed in a compressor device.

Description

[0110] With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a few preferred embodiments of a filter device according to the invention are described hereinafter by way of example, without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0111] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a filter device according to the invention;

[0112] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the filter device of FIG. 1;

[0113] FIG. 3 shows an alternative variant of a filter device according to the invention;

[0114] FIG. 4 shows another alternative variant of a filter device according to the invention;

[0115] FIG. 5 shows a top view of the filter device of FIG. 1;

[0116] FIG. 6 shows a partial cutaway view of the filter device in FIG. 1 according to line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

[0117] FIG. 7 shows more in detail the part that has been indicated by F7 in FIG. 6;

[0118] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the filter device in FIG. 1.

[0119] FIG. 1 comprises a filter device 1 for separating a liquid mixture according to the invention. The filter device 1 comprises a vessel 2 containing at least one first filter element and a housing 3 containing at least one second filter element.

[0120] The vessel 2 is provided with an entry port 4 for introducing the liquid mixture into the first filter element. The housing 3 is provided with an outlet port 5 for the liquid mixture separated from liquid contaminants which are retained by the first filter element and second filter element.

[0121] The vessel 2 comprises a flat vessel base surface 6 allowing the vessel 2 to stably stand on a horizontal flat ground surface when the vessel base surface 6 is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface.

[0122] The vessel 2 further comprises a vessel mantle surface 7 extending from a periphery of the vessel base surface 6 in a direction opposite to the vessel base surface 6.

[0123] The vessel 2 is further provided with a detachable cover 8. The detachable cover may be provided with [0124] a cavity 9 configured to accommodate a testing capsule for visual inspection of a turbidity level of the liquid mixture leaving the filter device (1); and [0125] indicator bars 10, of which at least one is a saturation indicator bar configured to indicate a saturation level of the first filter element and at least another one is an overflow indicator bar configured to indicate a level of liquid contained in the vessel 2.

[0126] The housing 3 comprises a flat housing base surface 11 allowing the housing 3 to stably stand on a horizontal flat ground surface when the housing base surface 11 is parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface.

[0127] When the housing 3 is fitted into the vessel 2, the housing base surface 11 is parallel to and level with the vessel base surface 6.

[0128] When the housing 3 is fitted into the vessel 2, the housing base surface 11 and the vessel base surface 6 are normally positioned such that they are parallel to and level with a horizontal flat ground surface.

[0129] The housing 3 further comprises a housing mantle surface 12 extending from a periphery of the housing base surface 11 in a direction opposite to the housing base surface 11.

[0130] The housing 3 is further provided with a sample tap 13 which can be used to draw a sample of the liquid mixture from the second filter element for analysis.

[0131] FIG. 2 displays an exploded view of the filter device 1 according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1. A first filter element 14 is contained within the vessel 2.

[0132] The vessel mantle surface 7 of the vessel 2 comprises a re-entrant section 15 forming a recess that is configured to accommodate the housing 3.

[0133] A mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 is configured to fit into the recess formed by the re-entrant section 15.

[0134] The re-entrant section 15 of the vessel mantle surface 7 and the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 are provided with connection means 16 to fluidly connect an outlet of the first filter element 14 with an inlet of the second filter element in a detachable way when the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 is fitted into the recess formed by the re-entrant section 15.

[0135] The vessel 2 is provided with an outlet conduit 17, which outlet conduit 17 has an outlet end 18 which is secured to the re-entrant section 15 and which is facing the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 when the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 is fitted into the recess.

[0136] The housing 3 is provided with a housing top surface 19, which housing top surface 19 is slanting towards the housing base surface 11 in a direction towards the recess formed by the re-entrant section 15 when the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 is fitted into the recess.

[0137] This slanting housing top surface 19 enables the removal of the housing 3 from the vessel 2 in such a way that the housing 3 is in a position whereby the mating side and the housing base surface 11 are tilted away from the horizontal flat ground surface, while the vessel base surface 6 stays parallel to and level with the horizontal flat ground surface and while the housing base surface 11 can still be supported by the horizontal flat ground surface at the side of the housing mantle surface 12 opposite to the mating side.

[0138] Therefore, neither the vessel 2 nor the housing 3 need to be completely lifted from the horizontal flat ground surface to bring the housing 3 in this tilted position upon removal of the housing 3 from the vessel 2.

[0139] FIG. 3 shows a variant filter device 1 according to the invention.

[0140] In this variant, the housing 3 is provided with one or more wheels 20, at a side of the housing mantle surface 12 opposite to the mating side.

[0141] A circumference of the one or more wheels 20 is tangent with the housing base surface 11.

[0142] The one or more wheels 20 are also partially recessed in the side of the housing mantle surface 12 opposite to the mating side.

[0143] FIG. 4 shows another variant filter device 1 according to the invention.

[0144] In this case, the variant filter device 1 comprises two housings 3a, 3b. Each of these two housings 3a, 3b contains at least one second filter element.

[0145] The second filter element contained in a first housing 3a may be made of a filter material similar to or different from a filter material which the second filter element contained in a second housing 3b is made of.

[0146] The two housings 3a, 3b are provided with a connection conduit 21 configured to allow the liquid mixture to flow from the second filter element contained in the first housing 3a to the other second filter element contained in the second housing 3b.

[0147] In this case, the connection conduit 21 is flexible and detachably connected to both the two housings 3a, 3b.

[0148] In addition, at a side of the housing mantle surface 12 opposite to the mating side, the housing 3a, 3b is provided with a grip portion 22.

[0149] The grip portion 22 may be a re-entrant grip portion 23. Such a re-entrant grip portion 23 may be positioned closer to the housing top surface 19 than to the housing base surface 11. In this way, the housing 3 can be easily tilted onto its one or more wheels 20 by pulling the housing 3a, 3b away from the vessel 2 by the re-entrant grip portion 23.

[0150] It is not excluded within the context of the present invention that the grip portion 22 is a protruding grip portion.

[0151] FIG. 5 shows a top view of the filter device 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows a partial cutaway view of the filter device 1 in FIG. 1 according to line VI-VI in FIG. 5.

[0152] In FIG. 6, the connection means 16 to fluidly connect an outlet of the first filter element 14 with an inlet of the second filter element in a detachable way are shown when the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 is fitted into the recess formed by the re-entrant section 15.

[0153] These connection means 16 comprise [0154] an outlet conduit 17 of the vessel 2, which outlet conduit 17 has an outlet end 18 which is secured to the re-entrant section 15 and which is facing the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 when the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 is fitted into the recess; and [0155] an inlet conduit 24 of the housing 3, which inlet conduit 24 has an inlet end 25 which is secured to and protruding from the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 and which is facing the outlet end 18 of the outlet conduit 17 of the vessel 2 when the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 is fitted into the recess, whereby the outlet end 18 and the inlet end 25 are configured to be sealingly connected when the mating side of the housing mantle surface 12 is fitted into the recess.

[0156] FIG. 7 shows more in detail the part that has been indicated by frame F7 in FIG. 6.

[0157] An O-ring 26 is provided around the inlet end 25 of the inlet conduit 24 in order to provide a seal between the inlet conduit 24 and an inner channel 27 of the outlet conduit 17 at the outlet end 18.

[0158] The inlet end 25 is provided with a stepped portion 28 configured to accommodate the O-ring 26. As the O-ring 26 is accommodated in the stepped portion 28 of the inlet end 25, the O-ring 26 cannot be wrongly displaced with respect to the inlet end 25 when the inlet end 25 is pushed and fitted within the inner channel 27 of the outlet conduit 17 when the housing 3 is fitted into the vessel 2, such that the inlet end 25 is correctly sealingly connected with the inner channel 27 of the outlet conduit 17 and that the outlet of the first filter element 14 is fluidly connected with the inlet of the second filter element.

[0159] In FIG. 7, it can also be seen that the inner channel 27 of the outlet conduit 17 has an inwardly convergently tapered portion at the outlet end 18.

[0160] FIG. 8 shows a view of the filter device 1 illustrating a side of the vessel mantle surface 7 opposite to the recess formed by the re-entrant section 15. In other words, the housing 3 is turned away from the viewer’s perspective.

[0161] In this case, the vessel 2 is provided with a drain valve 29 at the side of the vessel mantle surface 7 opposite to the recess formed by the re-entrant section 15 and close to the vessel base surface 6.

[0162] The drain valve 29 allows to empty the liquid mixture from the vessel 2 during operation of the filter device 1 without having to lift or tilt the possible heavy vessel 2.

[0163] The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a filter device according to the invention can be realised in all kinds of forms or dimensions without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.