Lubrication – Systems – With mist or fog means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-03
2001-09-18
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Lubrication
Systems
With mist or fog means
C184S006220, C239S135000, C239S305000, C239S418000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290024
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to lubrication systems. More specifically, the present invention pertains to lubricating systems in which lubricant is delivered in the form of oil mist to lubricate machinery bearings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Oil mist lubrication is utilized in many industries to provide continuous, effective lubrication to the bearings of rotating equipment such as centrifugal pumps, electric motors, steam turbines, gear box, blowers, and fans. An oil mist lubrication system typically comprises an air supply for supplying a controlled source of pressurized air, an oil supply for supplying a source of oil and oil mist generation devices connected to the air and oil supply and by which the air and oil are combined to form oil mist for distribution through piping to the equipment. The oil mist continuously bathes the bearings of the equipment and maintains a slight positive pressure in the bearing housing to reduce contamination from outside sources. If the lubricating system functions properly, bearing life is extended, equipment downtime and maintenance costs are reduced.
Efficient operation of an oil mist system requires that the equipment receive a reliable continuous supply of lubricant while minimizing two important variables: the amount of oil consumed and the amount of spray mist escaping to the outside environment. When oil mist is generated the oil is atomized into very fine particles and can be conveyed long distances in a properly designed header system with minimum wetting out on the walls of the pipe in which it is being conveyed. These fine particles, referred to as “dry mist”, must be converted into larger particles, known as “wet mist”, in order to wet out on the metal surfaces of the equipment being lubricated. This is accomplished by passing the mist through a specially designed restriction orifice known as a reclassifier. The reclassifier reduces turbulence in the stream to convert small particles into larger ones before the mist enters the equipment bearing housing. These reclassifiers serve the additional purpose of metering the amount of lubricant to each bearing to avoid over or under lubricating. Some oil mist particles, particularly the smallest ones, do not wet out on the metal surfaces of the equipment being lubricated. Instead, they sometimes pass through the bearing housings and are vented into the atmosphere. Thus, supplying sufficient oil without over consumption and minimizing stray mist contamination of the environment are important considerations in any oil mist lubrication system.
In recent years, oil mist lubrication systems have been provided with microprocessor controls by which the various conditions of the air supply, the oil supply and oil mist may be monitored and controlled. Such monitoring and control improves the reliability of the oil mist supply, allows faster and more accurate problem identification and provides tighter control over operating variables, thus eliminating many of the problems of the prior art. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. B1 5,125,480. Oil mist generators suitable for use in such systems typically provide heated air from the air supply and warm oil from the oil supply to the vortex of a mist head. Air enters the vortex creating a negative pressure by which oil is drawn into and disbursed into the air as fine oil mist droplets which are discharged into an air space above an oil reservoir for eventual distribution through piping to the equipment to be lubricated.
Even though substantial strides have been made in oil mist lubrication systems, further improvements are needed. For example, if the generation of oil mist is interrupted for any of a number of reasons, it may be necessary to shut the system down for repairs or adjustments to correct the situation. This may result in periods of time when the equipment is not being lubricated. It may even require that the equipment be shut down. Furthermore, if a number of pieces of equipment are being lubricated and some of the equipment is removed or shut down or additional equipment is added to the system, it may be necessary to change the capacity or output of the oil mist generator. In many cases this may require changing out the entire mist head. In addition more compact and efficient means of heating the air and oil prior to entering the oil mist head would be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention comprises an improved oil mist generating system which provides an air supply, supplying a controlled source of pressured air, an oil supply for supplying a source of oil and oil mist generation means by which air and oil are combined to form oil mist for distribution through piping to the equipment to be lubricated. The system is further characterized by several improvements. The oil supply includes a main oil reservoir and an auxiliary oil reservoir. The oil mist generation means includes a main mist generator and an auxiliary mist generator connected to the main oil reservoir and the auxiliary oil reservoir, respectively. Each of the oil mist generators are connected to the air supply. Air from the air supply and drops of oil from either the main oil reservoir or the auxiliary oil reservoir are combined in a respective one of the main mist generator and the auxiliary mist generator to provide the oil mist for lubricating the equipment. A control device is operatively associated with the oil mist generation means for alternatively activating one of the main mist generator and the auxiliary mist generator while deactivating the other. Thus, a main mist generator and an auxiliary or back up mist generator and associated oil reservoirs, are combined in one unit allowing switching from one to the other without interrupting lubrication of equipment.
In addition, both the main and the auxiliary mist generators of the present invention comprise a mist head and a heater manifold, the mist head being attached to an upper portion of its respective oil reservoir and the heater manifold extending downward from the mist head into oil contained in the reservoir. The heater manifold is provided with a heating element which heats both air and oil passing through vertical passages therein prior to the air and oil entering the mist head. The mist head of each of the oil mist generators comprises a vortex chamber in which the heated air is directed and an orifice where the heated air is combined with heated oil, exiting as oil mist into its respective oil reservoir. Both the air and oil enter the vortex chamber and orifice through separate plates which are sized to permit specific amounts of air and oil. The plates are removable, allowing the capacity of the mist generator to be changed by simply replacing the air plates and oil plates with ones of different sizes. Thus, it is not necessary to change out the entire mist head.
Utilizing the improvements of the present invention results in an improved oil mist generating system which is more reliable and efficient than those of the prior art and much easier to adapt to changing capacity requirements. Many other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from reading the description which follows in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Berryhill Bill B.
Bucci David A.
Kim Chong H.
Lubrication Systems Company of Texas, Inc.
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