Gas separation: apparatus – Degasifying means for liquid – With control means responsive to sensed condition
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-04-10
Simmons, David A. (Department: 1724)
Gas separation: apparatus
Degasifying means for liquid
With control means responsive to sensed condition
C096S206000, C096S220000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06214096
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air separation apparatus having an air vent assembly, which is capable of separating gas from circulating cooling and/or heating water in cooling and/or heating systems and expelling the separated gas into the atmosphere.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
In general, residential buildings, factories and large-sized buildings adopt a cooling or heating system for control the indoor temperature, in such a manner that liquid such as water flowing in the pipes is cooled or heated, and forcedly circulates through the pipes by means of circulating pumps so as to exchange its chill or heat with the pipes. In the cooling and/or heating system, continuous and smooth circulation of the liquid is decisive of the efficiency of the cooling and/or heating system.
However, gas is dissolved or entrained in the liquid and/or present in the liquid in the form of gas bubbles. The gas tends to separate from the water in response to changes of external temperature or pressure.
When the gas separates from the liquid, the gas, which circulates with the liquid through the pipes in the form of gas bubble like a small drop, becomes an obstacle to the smooth circulation of the water. Further, oxygen dissolved in the liquid corrodes inner walls of the pipes and contaminates the water.
Therefore, it has become a serious problem to thoroughly expel the gas separated from the water into the atmosphere, without any residual gas.
In order to resolve the disadvantages, in view of that the oxygen and air separated from the water have small gravity and the air goes upwards, an additional air separation apparatus having an air-vent has been suggested to be installed in the middle of the pipes for separating oxygen and air dissolved in the water to expel the separated air to the atmosphere.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, as an example, in a conventional air separation apparatus, an inlet pipe
110
and an outlet pipe
120
are respectively connected with pipes H, H′. The inlet
110
is extended inward to a pressure pipe
130
, which have a plurality of holes
140
to circulates water into the air separation apparatus
100
. The air separation apparatus
100
is provided with an air vent
200
to collect air which is separated by the pressure pipe
130
.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, in the air vent
200
, an opening lid
210
includes an air outlet
220
and is provided with a link
230
. The link
230
is mounted in a main body
240
and includes an end part, which is fixed at a lower part of the outlet
210
, and the other end part, which moves up and down in response to up/down movement of a float according to change of water level, thereby opening/closing the air outlet
220
.
According to the conventional air separation apparatus as described above, water is introduced through the inlet
110
and passes through the holes
140
of the pressure pipe
130
and guided inside the air separation apparatus
100
. At this time, pressure change of the water passing through the holes
140
of the pressure pipe
130
, that is, the pressure difference of the water between before and after passing through the pressure pipe
130
, makes it possible to separate air from the passing water. The separated air combines together to make a bubble
9
(airdrop) and rises upward in the air separation apparatus
100
, thereby entering into the air vent
200
.
If the pressure difference in the air vent
200
, that is, if the pressure of the water is lower than that of the air, level of the water becomes higher and raises the float
250
up so that the float
250
lifts the link
230
upward, thereby closing the air outlet
220
. Conclusionally, the air, which is separated from the water by the air separation apparatus
100
and enters into the air vent
200
, can not be discharged into the atmosphere.
If the air escapes into the atmosphere, lowering the air pressure in the air vent
200
, water is introduced inside the air vent
200
again. Then, in response to the increase of the water level, the float
250
is lifted upward again so that the air outlet
220
is closed. The above-described operation is repetitively performed and the air separated from the water may escape the air vent
200
into the atmosphere.
However, the conventional apparatus has disadvantages that it is impossible to completely separate the air from the water by the pressure difference of the water which passes through the holes of the pressure pipe and the flow of the water becomes slow suddenly since size of the holes of the pressure pipe is small.
The conventional apparatus has further disadvantages that the opening/closing structure of the air outlet is complicated since the air outlet is opened/closed in response to the up/down movement of the link by means of the float which moves up and down in inverse proportion to amount of air, that is, pressure of the air which is introduced into the air vent.
Further, the link comes into contact with the float at one point, so that the lifetime of both link and the float becomes decreased. Furthermore, since the main body and the opening lid are made by metal casting, the manufacturing cost thereof may be increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is derived to resolve the disadvantages of the conventional techniques and it is an object of the present invention to provide an air separation apparatus having an air vent assembly, in which the air may be efficiently separated from circulating water in the pipe systems of cooling/heating systems by improving structure as well as manufacturing cost may be decreased by making the air vent by plastic molding.
In order to achieve the above objects of the present invention, an air separation apparatus having an air vent assembly is characterized in that an air separator has a plurality of standing metal plates and the metal plates are fixed with a certain interval from each other in the air separator, so that air is separated from circulating water while flowing in the intervals between the metal plates and the separated air escape therefrom through the air vent into the atmosphere.
According to the air separation apparatus having an air vent assembly, the air separator is formed in the same structure with conventional well known radiant plates, and installed in air-conditioners, refrigerators, coolers, and heaters by fixing metal plates surrounding peripheries of heating/cooling pipes for increasing heat conduction area so as to emit the heat which is transmitted by the metal plates through the pipes. The air separator causes to change the flow of water circulating in the pipes to separate air from the water.
The air vent is formed by plastic molding and includes a body and a housing, which are detachable. The air vent accommodates a float inside and the float is provided with a valve member in the shape of reversed “U” which is fixed on a top of the float. When the float moves up and down in reverse proportion to water level and pressure difference of air, the valve member moves up and down in response to the up/down movement of the float, closing/opening an air outlet thereby discharging the air which is separated by the air separator into the atmosphere.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3488926 (1970-01-01), Gilman
patent: 3517486 (1970-06-01), Golden
patent: 3587211 (1971-06-01), Gagliardi
patent: 5123938 (1992-06-01), Nobel
Coleman Henry D.
Hopkins Robert A.
Sapone William J.
Simmons David A.
Sudol R. Neil
LandOfFree
Air separation apparatus having air vent assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Air separation apparatus having air vent assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Air separation apparatus having air vent assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2449991