Active oil-air separator integrated with centrifugal oil filter

Abstract

The application discloses an integrated centrifugal oil filter active oil-gas separator, which integrates a traditional active oil-gas separator and a centrifugal oil filter into a whole filter, and realizes high-speed rotation, high-efficiency separation of oil-gas mixture in a crankcase and high-efficiency filtration of oil by connecting a centrifugal separator and an oil filter rotor with a driving mechanism together; and an oil inlet channel of the filter and a shell are integrated in structure, so that the part of the active oil-gas separator function can be used as a relatively independent subassembly, and the oil filter rotor is convenient to replace or maintain; the application combines the advantages of the two technologies, has high filtration efficiency, prolongs the service life of oil, collects oil to perform centrifugal filtration while driving the active oil-gas separator by using bypass oil, synchronously realizes oil-gas separation and oil purification filtration, reduces whole vehicle parts, has high integration degree and good social and economic benefits.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an oil-gas separator and an oil filter for an internal combustion engine crankcase ventilation system, belonging to the field of internal combustion engine peripheral components, and can be widely used in the oil lubrication systems of internal combustion engines such as gasoline engines, diesel engines, and natural gas engines. Background Technology

[0002] The oil-gas separator is a major component of the crankcase ventilation system. Its main function is to efficiently separate the engine oil in the crankcase blow-by gas, thereby preventing excessive oil evaporation, regulating the pressure and temperature inside the crankcase, and protecting the engine to operate normally.

[0003] When the engine is running normally, due to the unavoidable gaps between the engine components, some unburned combustible mixture and combustion exhaust gases will enter the crankcase from the cylinder. These blow-by gases will raise the temperature in the crankcase and increase the evaporation of oil in the oil pan. In addition, some components in the crankcase use splash lubrication. The oil mist generated by the oil splash and the oil vapor evaporated at high temperature mix with the blow-by gases in the cylinder to form ultra-fine aerosols with most particles smaller than 1μm. This forms the oil-gas mixture in the crankcase blow-by gases. The function of the oil-gas separator is to effectively separate the oil and gas.

[0004] With the release of increasingly stringent emission regulations, higher requirements have been placed on the pressure and separation efficiency of engine crankcase ventilation systems. Traditional passive oil-gas separation units can no longer meet these requirements, so active oil-gas separation products have been increasingly widely used. Common power drive forms for active oil-gas separators include high-pressure gas drive, liquid drive, and electric motor drive.

[0005] On the other hand, filtration of lubricating oil in internal combustion engines is also essential. Almost all internal combustion engines are equipped with oil filters. However, since the primary function of the lubrication system is to ensure lubrication, the precision of the oil filter cannot be very high, otherwise it will easily become clogged and affect the lubrication effect. Some commercial vehicle engines use a centrifugal oil filter to filter the bypass oil circuit. By using the centrifugal force generated by high-speed rotation, very fine particles, carbon black and other impurities in the oil can be collected in the rotor housing, achieving a very high separation efficiency, better protecting the engine and improving the service life of the oil.

[0006] However, centrifugal oil filters are not currently widely used in passenger car engines, and there is no technology that integrates the advantages of the two technologies mentioned above into a single product concept. Purpose

[0007] This invention proposes an active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter. It mainly uses an oil-driven method to achieve active oil-gas separation. At the same time, it uses the kinetic energy of the oil drive to drive the rotor of the centrifugal oil filter to rotate, performing high-precision bypass filtration of the oil, thus achieving a perfect combination of advantageous technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0008] An active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter comprises at least a centrifugal separator, an oil filter rotor, an impeller, a housing, a base, and an oil-gas inlet channel, an air outlet channel, an oil inlet channel, and an oil return channel. The centrifugal separator, the oil filter rotor, and the impeller are connected and fixed to each other. Oil under a certain pressure enters the housing through the oil inlet channel, driving the impeller to rotate, thereby driving the centrifugal separator and the oil filter rotor to rotate at high speed.

[0009] An active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter, as a special case, consists of a centrifugal separator, an oil filter rotor, a housing, a base, and oil-gas inlet channels, an air outlet channels, an oil inlet channel, and an oil return channel. The centrifugal separator and the oil filter rotor can also be driven by a motor, in which case an impeller component is not required; or the impeller can be driven by oil while being driven by a motor to achieve a better centrifugal separation effect.

[0010] Specifically, the connection and fixing method between the oil filter rotor and the impeller is not limited to a direct coaxial connection. They can also be indirectly connected through a specific speed change mechanism. In this case, the centrifugal separator and the oil filter rotor may rotate at different speed ratios.

[0011] Furthermore, the oil filter rotor consists of an oil baffle ring, an oil receiving port, a conical cover, a conical baffle, and an oil outlet. The oil is collected by the oil baffle ring and enters the oil receiving port. The oil is controlled by the conical cover and the conical baffle to rotate randomly with the oil filter rotor. The particulate impurities are centrifuged and separated and stored on the inner side wall of the oil filter rotor.

[0012] Furthermore, the oil inlet channel and the housing are structurally integrated, allowing the active oil-gas separator to function as a relatively independent sub-assembly, making it easy to open the housing to replace or maintain the oil filter rotor.

[0013] Furthermore, the centrifugal separator generally has multiple conical discs joined together, with openings near the rotating shaft on the discs, through which the mixed oil and gas enter and pass through the gaps of the rotating multi-layer blades. The oil droplets are thrown out under the action of centrifugal force, thereby achieving the purpose of oil and gas separation.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer shell has a partial structure forming a partition or the partition being assembled with the outer shell to form an integral structure. Side walls with varying distances are formed around the impeller. The side walls are closer to the impeller near the oil inlet channel and farther away from the impeller. Therefore, the impeller can be driven by the power of the oil better, and the oil can fall back into the oil receiving port of the oil filter rotor. Beneficial effects

[0015] 1. High filtration efficiency, extending oil lifespan: Conventional oil filters must have very low resistance to ensure lubrication, so their filtration accuracy cannot be very high. The advantage of centrifugal oil rotor filters is that they can use centrifugal force to filter particulate matter in the oil with high efficiency. It is a bypass filter that can continuously purify the oil and extend its lifespan.

[0016] 2. High integration and complete functions: While using bypass oil to drive the active oil-gas separator, the oil is collected and centrifugally filtered, realizing oil-gas separation and oil purification filtration at the same time, reducing the number of vehicle parts and achieving high social and economic benefits.

[0017] 3. Easy to maintain: Generally, the maintenance cycle of active oil-gas separators is relatively long, and they can even be used as whole-life parts. In contrast, the rotor of a centrifugal rotor filter needs to be replaced or the sludge cleaned regularly. The integrated structure of the centrifugal separator with the oil inlet channel and the outer shell allows users to maintain the filter more conveniently. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system for oil-gas separation and oil bypass filtration in an internal combustion engine.

[0019] Figure 2 A simplified structural diagram of an active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the filter assembly.

[0021] Figure 4 This is the front view of the filter assembly.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a top view of the filter assembly.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the filter assembly AA.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the filter assembly BB.

[0025] The components are: 1. Oil and gas inlet channel, 2. Centrifugal separator, 3. Outer shell, 31. Baffle, 4. Oil inlet channel, 5. Air outlet channel, 6. Impeller, 7. Base, 8. Oil filter rotor, 9. Oil return channel, 81. Oil baffle ring, 82. Oil receiving port, 83. Conical cover, 84. Conical baffle, 85. Oil outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only a part of the present invention, and not all of it. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the present invention without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] An active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter, such as Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, it consists of at least a centrifugal separator 2, an oil filter rotor 8, an impeller 6, a housing 3, a base 7, an oil and gas inlet channel 1, an air outlet channel 5, an oil inlet channel 4, and an oil return channel 9. The centrifugal separator 2 is connected and fixed to the oil filter rotor 8 and the impeller 6. Oil with a certain pressure enters the housing through the oil inlet channel 4, driving the impeller 6 to rotate, thereby driving the centrifugal separator 2 and the oil filter rotor 8 to rotate at high speed.

[0028] An active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter, as a special case, may not include the impeller 6 component, but only consists of a centrifugal separator 2, an oil filter rotor 8, a housing 3, a base 7, an oil-gas inlet channel 1, an air outlet channel 5, an oil inlet channel 4, and an oil return channel 9. The centrifugal separator 2 and the oil filter rotor 8 can be driven by a motor; or the impeller 6 can be driven by oil while being driven by a motor to achieve a better centrifugal separation effect.

[0029] Specifically, the connection and fixing method between the oil filter rotor 8 and the impeller 6 is not limited to a direct coaxial connection, but can also be indirectly connected through a specific speed change mechanism. In this case, the centrifugal separator 2 and the oil filter rotor 8 may rotate at different speed ratios.

[0030] Furthermore, the oil filter rotor 8 is composed of an oil baffle ring 81, an oil receiving port 82, a conical cover 83, a conical baffle 84, and an oil outlet 85. The oil is collected by the oil baffle ring 81 and enters the oil receiving port 82. The oil is controlled by the conical cover 83 and the conical baffle 84 to rotate randomly with the oil filter rotor. The particulate impurities are centrifuged and separated and stored on the inner side wall of the oil filter rotor.

[0031] Furthermore, the oil inlet channel 4 and the outer casing 3 are structurally integrated, allowing the active oil-gas separator to function as a relatively independent sub-assembly, making it easy to open the outer casing 3 to replace or maintain the oil filter rotor 8.

[0032] Furthermore, the centrifugal separator 2 generally has multiple conical discs joined together, with openings near the rotating shaft on the discs, through which the mixed oil and gas enter and pass through the gaps of the rotating multi-layer blades. The oil droplets are thrown out under the action of centrifugal force, thereby achieving the purpose of oil and gas separation.

[0033] Furthermore, part of the outer shell 3 forms a partition 31 or the partition 31 is assembled with the outer shell to form an integral structure. Side walls with varying distances are formed around the impeller 6. The side walls are closer to the impeller 6 near the oil inlet channel 4 and farther away from the impeller 6. Therefore, the impeller 6 can be driven by the power of the oil better, and the oil can fall back into the oil receiving port 82 of the oil filter rotor 8. Working principle

[0034] During the operation of an internal combustion engine, due to the unavoidable gaps between the piston, cylinder, piston rings, and other components, some unburned combustible mixture and exhaust gases from the engine cylinders enter the crankcase. This blow-by gas increases the temperature inside the crankcase, increasing the evaporation of engine oil in the oil pan. Furthermore, some components in the crankcase use splash lubrication; the oil mist generated by oil splashing and the oil vapor evaporated at high temperatures mix with the blow-by gas to form ultra-fine aerosols with most particles smaller than 1μm, creating the oil-air mixture in the crankcase blow-by gas. As the mixture increases, the gas pressure inside the engine gradually rises, at which point it must be vented out of the engine through the cylinder head cover. To ensure environmental protection and avoid oil loss, the oil in the mixture must be separated and retained inside the engine. The system that performs this task is called the crankcase ventilation system.

[0035] Oil-gas separators are a key component of crankcase ventilation systems. Their main function is to efficiently separate engine oil from crankcase blow-by gases, thereby preventing excessive oil evaporation, regulating the pressure and temperature within the crankcase, and protecting the engine for normal operation. With the introduction of increasingly stringent emission regulations, higher demands have been placed on the pressure and separation efficiency of engine crankcase ventilation systems. Traditional passive oil-gas separators can no longer meet these requirements, hence the increasingly widespread application of active oil-gas separators.

[0036] On the other hand, filtration of lubricating oil in internal combustion engines is also essential. Almost all internal combustion engines are equipped with oil filters. However, since the primary function of the lubrication system is to ensure lubrication, the precision of the oil filter cannot be very high. Otherwise, it will easily become clogged, causing increased resistance and affecting the lubrication effect. Some commercial vehicle engines use a centrifugal oil filter to solve this problem. First, a bypass oil is separated after the oil pump. The pressure of the oil drives the centrifugal filter rotor to rotate at high speed. The centrifugal force generated can collect very fine particles, carbon black and other impurities in the oil on the side wall inside the rotor housing, achieving a very high separation efficiency, thereby better protecting the engine and improving the service life of the oil.

[0037] This invention proposes an active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter. It achieves active oil-gas separation by using oil-driven methods, or a combination of motor-driven and oil and electrode-driven methods. At the same time, the rotor of the integrated centrifugal oil filter also rotates to perform high-precision bypass filtration of the oil, achieving a perfect combination of advantageous technologies.

[0038] like Figure 1 The system schematic diagram shown illustrates the working principle of a system integrating an active oil-gas separator and a centrifugal oil filter. This integrated product of the active oil-gas separator and centrifugal oil filter is hereinafter referred to as the filter assembly.

[0039] Taking the oil-driven type as an example, the working process of this system is explained. The filter assembly is first driven to rotate by the pressure of the bypass oil. After driving the impeller, the oil loses kinetic energy and falls into the rotor. Due to the high-speed rotation of the rotor, the particulate matter and fine substances such as carbon black contained in the oil are indiscriminately thrown onto the inner wall of the rotor to form sludge. The clean oil after purification returns to the engine oil pan. At the same time, the oil mist of the engine also enters the filter assembly. The droplets in the oil mist are carried by the centrifugal separator and, due to the centrifugal force, are thrown onto the inner wall of the housing. The oil is collected and falls back into the rotor through the gap around the rotating shaft, and is also purified before returning to the engine oil pan. The purified air formed after the oil mist is centrifugally separated is discharged outside the filter assembly. Now, a closed system is generally required. The purified air cannot be directly discharged into the atmosphere. Instead, it is connected to the clean side pipe after the air filter and enters the engine together with fresh air for secondary combustion.

[0040] The working conditions of gas and engine oil are as follows Figure 3As shown, when the centrifugal separator 2 and the oil filter rotor 8 are rotating at high speed, the oil-gas mixture and oil mist enter the filter assembly through the oil-gas inlet channel 1. The centrifugal separator 2 has multiple conical discs joined together, with openings near the rotating shaft, through which the oil-gas mixture enters and passes through the gaps of the rotating multi-layer blades. Oil droplets are thrown out under centrifugal force and collected on the inner wall of the outer casing 3. The oil is collected after condensation and falls into the oil filter rotor 8 through the gaps around the rotating shaft to participate in centrifugal purification. The purified air formed after the oil mist is separated from the oil is discharged into the clean side pipe of the air filter through the air outlet channel 5. The air intake point of the air outlet channel 5 is generally located near the center of the centrifugal separator 2 and slightly higher than the partition 31 to ensure that clean air is taken and is not submerged by the separated oil.

[0041] Similarly, the engine oil enters the filter assembly through the oil inlet channel 4. Under its pressure, the impeller 6 drives the centrifugal separator 2 and the oil filter rotor 8 to rotate at high speed. Then, it loses kinetic energy and falls downward due to gravitational potential energy. It is collected by the oil baffle ring 81 of the oil filter rotor 8 and enters the oil receiving port 82. Then, it falls onto the conical cover 83. The conical cover 83 is shaped like an umbrella. Under the action of centrifugal force, it throws the engine oil towards the inner wall of the oil filter rotor 8, thereby achieving centrifugal separation of particulate matter. The conical baffle 84 controls the engine oil to maintain a certain liquid level during centrifugal rotation to ensure that the engine oil is fully purified. When the liquid level rises above the control line, the engine oil overflows the conical baffle 84 and flows out from the oil outlet 85 located near the central shaft. Finally, it returns to the engine oil pan through the oil return channel 9.

[0042] A simplified structural diagram of the filter assembly is shown below. Figure 2 As shown, for ease of understanding, specific implementation examples of the filter assembly and the above working process can be found by referring to... Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 .

[0043] like Figure 7 As shown, as an improvement for performance optimization, the front end of the oil inlet channel 4 is provided with a nozzle of a specific diameter to control the oil injection state and obtain the best driving effect. The impeller 6 rotates counterclockwise as shown in the figure. The shape of the baffle 31 around it is not a perfect circle. The position of the nozzle near the oil inlet channel 4 on the circumference is closer to the impeller 6, and the position away from it is farther away. Therefore, the power of the oil can be better utilized to drive the impeller 6, and the oil can also fall back into the oil receiving port 82 of the oil filter rotor 8.

Claims

1. An active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter, characterized in that: It consists of at least a centrifugal separator (2), an oil filter rotor (8), an impeller (6), a housing (3), a base (7), an oil and gas inlet channel (1), an air outlet channel (5), an oil inlet channel (4), and an oil return channel (9); The centrifugal separator (2) is connected and fixed to the oil filter rotor (8) and the impeller (6). Oil with a certain pressure enters the housing through the oil inlet channel (4) and drives the impeller (6) to rotate, thereby driving the centrifugal separator (2) and the oil filter rotor (8) to rotate at high speed.

2. An active oil-gas separator integrating a centrifugal oil filter, as a special case, is characterized by: Its structure may not include the impeller (6) component, but consists only of centrifugal separator (2), oil filter rotor (8), housing (3), base (7) and oil and gas inlet channel (1), air outlet channel (5), oil inlet channel (4) and oil return channel (9). The centrifugal separator (2) and oil filter rotor (8) can be driven by a motor. Alternatively, the impeller (6) can be driven by machine oil and then driven by a motor to achieve a better centrifugal separation effect.

3. The active oil-gas separator with integrated centrifugal oil filter as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The connection and fixing method between the oil filter rotor (8) and the impeller (6) is not limited to direct coaxial connection, but can also be indirectly connected through a specific speed change mechanism. In this case, the centrifugal separator (2) and the oil filter rotor (8) may rotate at different speed ratios.

4. The active oil-gas separator with integrated centrifugal oil filter as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The oil filter rotor (8) consists of an oil baffle ring (81), an oil receiving port (82), a conical cover (83), a conical baffle (84), and an oil outlet (85). The oil is collected by the oil baffle ring (81) and enters the oil receiving port (82). The oil filter rotor is rotated by the conical cover (83) and the conical baffle (84). The particulate impurities are separated by centrifugation and stored on the inner side wall of the oil filter rotor (8).

5. The active oil-gas separator with integrated centrifugal oil filter as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The oil inlet channel (4) and the outer casing (3) are structurally integrated, so that the active oil-gas separator can be used as a relatively independent sub-assembly, making it easy to open the outer casing (3) to replace or maintain the oil filter rotor (8).

6. The active oil-gas separator with integrated centrifugal oil filter as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The centrifugal separator (2) generally has multiple conical discs joined together. The discs have openings near the rotating shaft, through which the mixed oil and gas enter and pass through the gaps of the rotating multi-layer blades. The oil droplets are thrown out under the action of centrifugal force, thereby achieving the purpose of oil and gas separation.

7. The active oil-gas separator with integrated centrifugal oil filter as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The outer shell (3) has a partial structure forming a partition (31) or the partition (31) is assembled with the outer shell to form an integral structure. Side walls with varying distances are formed around the impeller (6). The position near the oil inlet channel (4) is closer to the impeller (6), and the position further away is farther away. Therefore, the impeller (6) can be driven better by the power of the oil, and the oil can fall back into the oil receiving port (82) of the oil filter rotor (8).

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