Gas separation – Mounted or supported for continuous motion – Moved by system fluid in confined flow path
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-10
2002-09-17
Smith, Duane S. (Department: 1724)
Gas separation
Mounted or supported for continuous motion
Moved by system fluid in confined flow path
C055S406000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06451080
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to air cleaners. More particularly, the present invention relates to inertial separation devices for removing particles or droplets from a fluid stream.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Air pre-cleaners are commonly used to remove contaminants (e.g., dust or other particulate matter) from the intake streams of internal combustion engines. U.S. Pat. No. 1,641,746 discloses an air cleaner that uses an inertial separation process to remove particles from an air stream. The cleaner disclosed in the '746 patent includes a housing
7
having an annular intake passage
14
and an outlet tube
10
. A plurality of oblique vanes
12
are positioned within the intake passage
14
. The vanes
12
cause the intake air passing through the intake passage
14
to swirl in a spiral motion as the intake air enters the housing
7
. The swirling action of the intake air causes particulate matter within the air to be centrifugally thrown against the side wall of the housing
7
and collected in a dust chamber
15
. Clean air exits the housing
7
through the outlet tube
10
.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,937 discloses another type of inertial air cleaner for removing particulate matter from the intake air stream of an internal combustion engine. The '937 patent discloses an air pre-cleaner having a housing
113
including an annular air inlet passageway
122
and a tubular outlet passage
119
. A plurality of swirling vanes
126
are positioned within the inlet passageway
122
, and spinner assembly
133
is located within the housing
113
. In use, air flows through the air inlet passage
122
and is caused to swirl within the housing
113
. Particulate material within the swirling air stream is centrifugally thrown against a side wall of the housing
113
and discharged to atmosphere through a discharge opening formed in the side wall of the housing
113
. The spinner assembly
133
assists in sweeping particles out of the discharge opening. Clean air exits the housing
113
through the outlet passage
119
.
In designing an inertial air cleaner, it is desirable to provide a device having a high particulate removal efficiency and a relatively low pressure drop.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention relates to an air cleaner for removing particles from an air stream. The air cleaner includes a housing defining a separation chamber at which at least some of the particles are removed from the air stream. The housing includes an inlet passage for allowing the air stream to enter the separation chamber, and an outlet passage for allowing the air stream to exit the separation chamber. The outlet passage includes an air entrance end positioned opposite from an air exit end. The air entrance end of the outlet passage is positioned to receive the air stream from the separation chamber. Adjacent its air entrance end, the outlet passage has a cross-sectional passage area A
1
. The inlet passage also includes an air entrance end positioned opposite from an air exit end. The air exit end of the inlet passage has a cross-sectional passage area A
2
. The cross-sectional passage areas A
1
and A
2
are relatively sized such that A
1
/A
2
is in the range of 0.7-1.9. The air cleaner further includes a plurality of vanes for causing the air stream to swirl as the air stream flows through the inlet passage and enters the separation chamber. A spinner assembly is positioned within the separation chamber for transferring rotational energy from a mid-region of the separation chamber to an outer region of the separation chamber.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to an air cleaner including a housing defining a separation chamber at which at least some of the particles are removed from the air stream. The air cleaner also includes an inlet passage for allowing the air stream to enter the separation chamber, and an outlet tube defining an outlet passage for allowing the air stream to exit the separation chamber. The outlet tube includes: (a) an air entrance end positioned opposite from an air exit end; and (b) a tapered portion positioned adjacent the air entrance end of the outlet tube. The tapered portion of the outlet tube tapers radially outward such that a cross-sectional passage area of the outlet tube increases as the outlet tube extends in a direction toward the air entrance end of the outlet tube. The tapered portion is aligned along an angle &thgr; in the range of 15-45 degrees relative to a central axis of the outlet tube. The inlet passage of the air cleaner is at least partially defined by an outer surface of the outlet tube. The inlet passage includes: (a) an air entrance end positioned opposite from an air exit end; and (b) a transition region provided by the tapered portion of the outlet tube that reduces a cross-sectional passage area of the inlet passage as the inlet passage extends toward the air exit end of the inlet passage. The air cleaner further includes a plurality of vanes for causing the air stream to swirl as the air stream flows through the inlet passage and enters the separation chamber. A spinner assembly is positioned within the separation chamber for transferring rotational energy from a mid-region of the separation chamber to an outer region of the separation chamber.
Still another aspect of the present invention relates to an air cleaner for removing particles from an air stream. The air cleaner includes a housing defining a separation chamber at which at least some of the particles are removed from the air stream. The housing includes a side wall structure surrounding a central axis of the housing. The air cleaner also includes an annular inlet passage for allowing the air stream to enter the separation chamber, an outlet passage for allowing the air stream to exit the separation chamber, and a plurality of vanes for causing the air stream to swirl as the air stream flows through the inlet passage and enters the separation chamber. The annular inlet passage is defined by inner and outer walls. The inner wall includes a transition region that reduces a cross-sectional passage area of the inlet passage as the inlet passage extends toward an air exit end of the inlet passage. The transition region is configured such that no portion of the transition region is aligned at an angle outside a range of 15-45 degrees relative to a central axis of the housing. A spinner assembly is positioned within the separation chamber for transferring rotational energy from a mid-region of the separation chamber to an outer region of the separation chamber.
A variety of advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
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Gieseke Steven S.
Liu Junhui
Monson Donald
Murray Peter J.
Rocklitz Gary J.
Donaldson & Company, Inc.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Smith Duane S.
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