Oil Mist Separator Labyrinth Flow Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oil mist separators for internal combustion engines are inefficient in separating fine oil droplets and solid particles from blow-by gases, leading to increased oil load on downstream filters and reduced service life.
Innovation Solution
An oil mist separator with detachable filter devices and guide devices that create a labyrinthine flow path, increasing the flow rate of carrier gas and enhancing oil separation efficiency, using filter inserts with small diameter wires or fibers and a staggered arrangement of guide devices to optimize flow velocity and separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wire mesh or knitted wire fabric filter elements are used for separating oil from carrier gas, then the filter device can be simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but the separation efficiency for small droplet sizes (0.1 μm to 10 μm) is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the filter element by using fibers with diameters of 1-20 μm (particularly 3-10 μm) instead of conventional wire mesh structures. This parameter change enables effective separation of fine particles in the 0.1-10 μm range while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity through the use of sintered or felted fiber structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous filter elements made from sintered or felted fibers with controlled pore structures. These porous materials provide high surface area and numerous capture sites for fine oil droplets and particles, significantly improving separation efficiency for small particles compared to conventional wire mesh filters.
2Manufacturing precision
If the flow path through the filter element is extended to increase separation efficiency, then more oil can be separated, but the pressure drop across the filter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the fiber diameter parameter (1-20 μm) and volume fraction (2-5%) to achieve the right balance between separation efficiency and pressure drop. The specific fiber size range provides sufficient capture capability for fine particles while maintaining adequate permeability to limit pressure increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates local variations in fiber distribution and density within the filter element to optimize flow distribution and separation performance in different regions. This local quality variation allows extended flow paths in low-pressure-drop zones while maintaining separation efficiency.
3Speed
If the flow velocity of carrier gas is increased to improve separation, then oil separation efficiency increases, but the risk of flooding the filter element increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies optimal fiber diameter (3-10 μm) and volume fraction (2-5%) parameters that enable the filter to handle flow velocities above 0.9 m/s effectively. These parameter changes increase the capacity of the filter to process high-velocity flow without flooding by providing sufficient capture surface area and optimized pore structure.
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
Significantly reduces the mass of oil in the carrier gas, extending the service life of downstream filters by achieving high oil separation efficiency with increased flow rates below the flood point of the filter inserts.
Implementation Method 1
filter elements made of a wire mesh or knitted wire fabric through which the carrier gas flows
Implementation Method 2
The at least one guide device arranged along the flow direction reduces the cross-sectional area available to the carrier gas. This reduction in cross-section leads to an increased flow velocity of the carrier gas
Implementation Method 3
a seal – preferably substantially circumferential – preferably provided between a first mounting surface of the oil mist separator and a second mounting surface of the filter device
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
Oil mist separator for separating oil contained in a carrier gas (2), in particular crankcase ventilation gas of an internal combustion engine (15), comprising at least one filter device (1) for separating liquid suspended particles from a carrier gas (2), in particular for separating oil from an oil mist, comprising a housing (3) with at least one inlet opening (4) for introducing the carrier gas (2) and at least one outlet opening (5) for discharging the filtered carrier gas (2), wherein at least one filter element (6) is arranged in the housing (3), which can be flowed through by the carrier gas (2) along a flow direction (7), wherein at least one guide device (9) is provided to increase the flow velocity of the carrier gas (2) and/or to achieve an extended - preferably labyrinthine - flow path (16) of the carrier gas (2) through the at least one filter element (6), by which the flow path (16) can be deflected.wherein the at least one filter device (1) can be detachably arranged in the oil mist separator (14), wherein preferably a seal – preferably substantially circumferential – is provided between a first mounting surface of the oil mist separator (14) and a second mounting surface of the filter device (1) to be attached thereto.