Fluid handling – Diverse fluid containing pressure systems – Fluid separating traps or vents
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-03-27
Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
Fluid separating traps or vents
C137S392000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206025
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method and to a device for letting off condensate from pressure gas systems, particularly from compressed air systems, that are provided with a receptacle for condensate in which the condensate is accumulating during operation of the pressure gas system and which has at least one outlet.
Many different devices of this type are known, like for example out of EP 391 250. According to this device, condensate accumulating in a receptacle of the already known device for letting off condensate is taken out of the pressure gas system at an outlet, for example at the deepest point of a conduit. At least one electronic sensor is projecting into this receptacle where it gauges the level of the condensate. Two such sensors are preferably provided at different heights. When the receptacle is filled up to the height of the upper sensor, a letting off procedure is starting to take place. The electronic connected with the sensors opens a valve arrangement. This clears the way for the condensate so that it may flow out of the receptacle into a condensate outflow. As soon as the condensate level reaches the height of the lower sensor, the electric triggered valve is closed again.
The valve arrangement has for example a control valve designed as a solenoid valve that controls a main valve being designed as a diaphragm valve. Thus, the operating forces and with them the demands upon the electronic are reduced.
The document FR 2 640 354 discloses a device for letting off condensate that uses only one sensor gauging a maximal level instead of two sensors gauging the level in a condensate receptacle. When this maximal level is reached, an outflow valve is opened for a predetermined period of time, so that condensate may stream out of the receptacle. Once the predetermined period of time is over, the outflow valve is closed again, condensate accumulating again in the receptacle.
The document FR 1 413 218 discloses a device for letting off condensate that has no receptacle for condensate of its own, the condensate being led into a receptacle of a pressure gas system via an opening located quite deep. By means of an electro sensor, the condensate level is gauged and a valve is triggered by means of which condensate may be let off the receptacle via an opening lying quite deep in said receptacle.
The disadvantage of the known devices for letting off condensate is, among others, the separate receptacle. Pressure gas systems usually are having receptacles of their own or may easily be retrofitted with such receptacles. Such receptacles are often big, often much bigger than the receptacles of devices for letting off condensate.
The use of two sensors for the determination of a maximal and a minimal level of condensate in a receptacle in which the device for letting off condensate is inserted, is difficult to build and often requires several accesses to the receptacle, so that the sensors may be arranged on it.
The use of only one sensor for the determination of a maximal level of condensate in a receptacle into which the device for letting off condensate is inserted combined with a predetermined period of time for letting off the condensate involves the problem that such a sensor has to be positioned in the upper part of the receptacle, which requires in most cases a separate access to the receptacle. Therefore, such a sensor can actually not be integrated into the device for letting off condensate.
Additionally, with the devices for letting off condensate with electronic level gaugers working in a capacitive way as they have been disclosed up to now, problems occurred due to dirt accumulation in the sensors, said problems being occasioned by the formation of an electrically conductive film between the electrodes of a capacitive sensor.
That is where the invention is coming to bear. Its object is to simplify and to design devices for letting off condensate of the type mentioned above so that they are less expensive. To this purpose, they have no receptacle of their own, but they are using the receptacle of a pressure gas system and they may be placed onto the container of this receptacle so that the overall function of a device for letting off condensate as it is known from the state of the art may be achieved, capacitive sensors being used as level gaugers, which are protected against dirt accumulation by electrically conductive films between the electrodes.
The use of a device for letting off condensate out of a receptacle of a pressure gas system according to the invention will also be described.
Finally, a method for operating such a device for letting off condensate will be indicated, said method using a simplified sensor arrangement for level gauging, whereas the method makes it possible to let off, in a fully automatic way, condensate out of a receptacle provided with such a condensate trap.
Footing on the device disclosed in the document FR 1 413 218, the solution of this object is provided by means of a device
that comprises a level gauger provided with a pipe element (
32
) whose measurements are meeting those of the outlet (
26
,
34
) and which is prepared for a tight fastening in the outlet (
26
,
34
),
whereas the level gauger is provided with an electronic, preferably with a capacitive sensor (
36
) that is borne by the pipe element (
32
),
whereas the capacitive sensor (
36
) has an inner electrode (
38
) and an outer electrode (
40
) that are only joined by a mechanical connection above a hollow space (
54
) that is airtight toward the top and that is open at the bottom,
that further comprises an electronic (
56
,
62
) connected with the sensor (
36
) whereas either the electronic are arranged outside the receptacle (
24
) or at least part of it (pre-amplifier
62
) is arranged inside the receptacle (
24
) and is borne by the pipe element (
32
), and
that comprises an external valve arrangement (
30
) that is connected with the electronic (
56
,
62
).
Such a device, together with a container of a pressure gas system onto which the device is arranged, has a function similar to the one of the device for letting off condensate according to the state of the art mentioned above. As opposed to it, the device according to the invention however does not require a receptacle of its own. According to the state of the art, the receptacle of a device for letting off condensate has to be designed as a pressure reservoir, having thus to comply with certain requirements, whereas the device according to the invention, having no receptacle of its own, eludes these requirements. Additionally, the receptacle with which the device according to the invention is cooperating may be relatively big and may specifically be adjusted to the needs of the concrete pressure gas system. The device according to the invention may be adapted in the same way to the requirements of the concrete pressure gas system and more particularly of its receptacle. The device according to the invention, that is additionally arranged on a container of the pressure gas system constituting the receptacle, is considerably smaller than a condensate trap according to the state of the art, the receptacle of the condensate trap of the art having usually, of all the component parts of the condensate trap of the art, the biggest need for space.
The electronic sensor is a capacitive sensor with an inner electrode and an outer electrode. In order to avoid the formation of a closed coating between an inner electrode and an outer electrode, a mechanical connection between the inner electrode and the outer electrode is only provided above a hollow space that is airtight toward the top and open toward the bottom.
The electrodes are preferably designed so that the outer electrode is encompassing the inner electrode through 360 degrees and is closing it on the top and on the bottom in such a way that the condenser field is exclusively located, at least as far as possible, inside the outer electrode. Disturbances due to dirt accumulation and coatings are thus further reduced.
It proved to be of particular advantage to keep
Koch Berthold
Warzelberger Rainer
BEKO Technologies GmbH
Michalsky Gerald A.
Senterfitt Akerman
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