Breather Air-Oil Separator with Compressor and Bypass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breather systems for internal combustion engines are not economical and effective in separating oil mist from blow-by gases before recirculating them into the intake system, leading to potential oil leakage and inefficient gas management.
Innovation Solution
A breather system comprising a gas compressor and a combination of swirl chamber and impact separators to elevate blow-by gas pressure, separate oil from the gas, and re-circulate the cleaned gas back into the engine intake, with a bypass conduit to manage excess gas flow and maintain crankcase pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional breather systems (centrifuge, filter, cyclone separator, or impactor) are used to separate oil mist from blow-by gases, then oil separation is achieved, but the system is complex and expensive to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a centrifuge separator and a cyclone separator into a single integrated unit. The centrifuge section uses a rotating element to separate oil mist from gas, while the cyclone section uses a vortex chamber to further separate remaining oil droplets. This merging of two separation mechanisms into one compact device achieves effective oil separation while reducing overall system complexity and manufacturing cost compared to using separate centrifuge and cyclone systems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If blow-by gases are vented to the atmosphere to release crankcase pressure, then pressure release is achieved, but environmental discharge increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful blow-by gases that would normally be discharged to the atmosphere into a beneficial resource by recirculating them back to the engine intake. The separator removes oil mist from the blow-by gases, and the cleaned gases are routed through a recirculation line back to the engine intake manifold, where they are burned in the combustion chamber. This eliminates atmospheric discharge while maintaining proper crankcase pressure control.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If crankcase pressure is allowed to rise due to blow-by gases, then gas venting is simplified, but oil leakage through gasketed joints increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based pressure management system where the breather separator continuously monitors and regulates crankcase pressure. The separator maintains pressure slightly below atmospheric pressure by controlling the flow of blow-by gases through the separation and recirculation system. This active feedback control prevents excessive pressure buildup that would cause oil leakage through gasketed joints, while avoiding excessive vacuum that could cause oil ingress from the intake system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively separates oil from blow-by gases, reduces oil leakage, and efficiently recirculates cleaned gases, enhancing engine performance and reducing environmental discharge while being more economical to produce and operate.
Implementation Method 1
a gas compressor configured to elevate the pressure of blow-by gas received into the inlet and to discharge elevated pressure gas from the outlet
Implementation Method 2
The at least one gas-oil separator can comprise a swirl chamber separator
Implementation Method 3
The at least one gas-oil separator can comprise a swirl chamber separator in series with an impact separator
Data Source
AI summary
A breather system for a crankcase of an internal combustion engine includes a gas compressor configured to elevate the pressure of crankcase blow-by gas. At least one gas-oil separator receives gas with entrained oil from the compressor, separates oil from the gas and discharges cleaned gas. The oil is re-circulated back to the crankcase. The cleaned gas is either discharged through the engine exhaust system or re-circulated back into the engine combustion air intake. A bypass conduit allows cleaned gas to be re-circulated from the gas-oil separator outlet to the compressor inlet to balance the blow-by production with the capacity of the compressor.