Filter Assembly Water Evacuation Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current filter assemblies struggle with effectively handling and removing water from hydraulic fluids or fuels, as the separated water often accumulates and can cause issues in downstream systems, leading to performance problems.
Innovation Solution
A filter assembly and cartridge design that includes a return outlet for separated water, allowing it to bypass the filter media and flow through a central cavity, with a sump region to collect the water, ensuring it is separated from clean and dirty fluid flows, and can be easily managed and drained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filter assemblies are configured to remove water from fluid, then water separation capability is improved, but water accumulation in the filter assembly occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the separated water from the filter assembly by providing a dedicated water outlet that allows water to be drained from the filter housing. This extraction mechanism prevents water accumulation while maintaining the water separation capability of the filter media.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a water outlet as an intermediary component that facilitates the removal of separated water. This mediator component creates a separate pathway for water egress, allowing the filter to continue separating water without it accumulating in the system.
2Reliability
If water is stripped from fluid and retained in filter assembly, then water removal function is achieved, but downstream system performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts water from the system by providing a water outlet that drains separated water from the filter housing. This prevents water from being discharged into downstream systems, eliminating the harmful effects while maintaining effective water removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful accumulation of water in downstream systems into a benefit by providing a controlled discharge pathway. The water that would otherwise harm downstream equipment is instead directed through a dedicated outlet, transforming a harmful byproduct into a managed flow.
3Reliability
If filter assembly design includes water handling capability, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is designed with multi-functionality, where the housing serves both as a containment structure for the filter media and as a chamber that collects and drains separated water. The water outlet integrates water removal functionality into the existing filter structure, achieving enhanced reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the water collection and discharge functions into the existing filter housing structure. The housing simultaneously contains the filter media and provides a chamber for water accumulation and drainage, combining multiple functions into a single integrated component rather than adding separate systems.
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
This design efficiently separates and manages water from hydraulic fluids or fuels, preventing accumulation and ensuring the integrity of downstream systems by effectively removing and handling water, thereby improving system performance and reducing maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a tube of filter media extending between first and second ends along a longitudinal axis and defining a central cavity
Implementation Method 2
a dirty fluid inlet seal arrangement that fluidly seals with and fluidly communicates with the dirty fluid port of the filter base
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A filter assembly, a filter cartridge and method of filter fluid are provided. The filter assembly includes a filter base, a filter housing and a filter cartridge within the housing. The filter cartridge strips water from the dirty fluid flowing through the assembly. The filter cartridge defines a pair of fluid flow paths extending through a central cavity thereof. The fluid flow paths carry and keep separated a flow of cleaned fluid after it passes through filter media of the cartridge as well as the water that has been stripped from the dirty fluid flow.