Inverted Frustoconical Separator for Rapid Water Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotationally symmetrical end separators in filter devices have a long drainage path for separated water, leading to slow water drainage and potential penetration issues, which complicates the prevention of corrosion damage in internal combustion engines.
Innovation Solution
A rotationally symmetrical end separator with a truncated cone-shaped, hydrophobic sieve and a cylindrical frame with external support rings and conical webs, allowing for improved water drainage by reducing adhesion forces and enabling tangential flow, facilitating faster water discharge and reduced contact with the separator body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a helical channel is used for water drainage, then water can be drained into the water collection chamber, but the drainage path becomes too long causing slow drainage
Solution Approach 1:
The separator body is inverted with the small diameter at the bottom and large diameter at the top, causing separated water to flow downward along the outer surface rather than through a long helical path. This inversion utilizes gravity to accelerate water discharge and reduces the drainage path length significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
Water drainage transitions from a helical path along the separator surface to a direct downward flow along the outer surface of the inverted separator. This dimensional change in flow path allows water to discharge more directly into the water collection chamber, reducing drainage path length and improving drainage speed.
2Reliability
If the separator body is vertical, then water separates from fuel, but adhesive forces cause water to remain in contact with the separator body
Solution Approach 1:
The separator body is inverted so that the separation surface faces upward. This causes separated water to be positioned above the separator body, where gravity acts downward to detach water droplets and reduce adhesive contact. The inverted configuration allows water to separate more effectively and discharge downward without remaining in prolonged contact with the separator surface.
3Productivity
If the separator body is inverted with smaller diameter at bottom, then water discharge is accelerated and contact is reduced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The separator device is divided into distinct functional components: the inverted frustoconical separator body for separation, the frame with support rings for structural support, and the axial extension for water passage definition. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall structural simplicity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The frustoconical separator body is inverted with the smaller diameter at the bottom, creating an overhanging surface that facilitates water discharge. This geometric inversion, combined with the axial extension forming an annular water passage, achieves rapid water discharge while maintaining structural simplicity through elegant geometric forms rather than complex mechanisms.
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 solution accelerates water discharge and reduces contact with the separator body, enhancing water separation efficiency and flexibility in use with conventional filter devices, while maintaining stability and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a rotationally symmetrical, frustoconical and hydrophobic separator body (11), wherein the frustoconical separator body (11) is arranged upside down in the operating state
Implementation Method 2
the frustoconical separator body (11) is arranged upside down in the operating state and thus tapers conically downwards... a downwardly directed component of gravity now also acts on the separated water
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a rotationally symmetric final separator (7) of a filter device (1). It is essential to the invention that a separating body (11) having a rotationally symmetric, hydrophobic sieve (8) in the shape of a frustum of a cone is provided and that a rotationally symmetric frame (9) having supporting rings (10) surrounding the separating body (11) is provided, wherein cone webs (20) are provided between the supporting rings (10) and the separating body (11), which cone webs are supported with respect to the supporting rings (10) by means of radial webs (21), wherein the cone webs (20) extend along the outside of the separating body (11) and wherein a intermediate space (13), through which flow can pass in the axial direction (12) and in the circumferential direction, is arranged between the separating body (11) and the supporting rings (10).