Porous Diffuser Deaerator for Lubrication Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lubrication systems face issues with air bubbles being reintroduced into lubricating liquids due to fast flow rates from deaerators, which can agitate the reservoir surface, and existing deaerators are either too large, adding weight and space, or too small, failing to effectively manage flow speeds.
Innovation Solution
A deaerator design featuring a vortex chamber with a porous diffuser positioned outside the deaerator, slowing the flow of lubricating liquid through a plurality of liquid outlets, and a vortex regulator plate within the chamber to separate air from lubricating liquid, allowing air to bypass the diffuser while lubricating liquid flows through it, reducing agitation and enabling a compact, high-speed deaerator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the deaerator is made large enough to slow down lubricating liquid flow, then air bubble reintroduction is reduced, but weight and space consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
A porous diffuser is positioned at the liquid outlet to slow down the flow of lubricating liquid. The porous structure creates resistance that reduces flow velocity without requiring a large deaerator volume, thus preventing air bubble reintroduction while maintaining a compact, lightweight design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the liquid flow by using the porous diffuser to reduce flow velocity. This parameter change allows the deaerator to be smaller while still achieving the goal of minimizing air bubble reintroduction into the reservoir.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the deaerator is made large enough to slow down lubricating liquid flow, then air bubble reintroduction is reduced, but space consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The porous diffuser enables flow velocity reduction within a compact space. The diffuser's porous structure provides flow resistance that slows the lubricating liquid without requiring a large deaerator volume, thus reducing space consumption while preventing air bubble reintroduction.
3Productivity
If the deaerator processes liquid at high speed, then productivity is improved, but air bubbles are reintroduced through reservoir surface agitation
Solution Approach 1:
The porous diffuser is positioned at the liquid outlet to reduce flow velocity just before the liquid enters the reservoir. This allows the deaerator to process liquid at high speed for improved productivity, while the diffuser slows the flow to prevent reservoir surface agitation and air bubble reintroduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous diffuser performs a preliminary action by slowing down the liquid flow before it enters the reservoir. This preliminary flow reduction prevents the harmful effect of surface agitation and air bubble reintroduction, while allowing high-speed processing within the deaerator itself.
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 effectively reduces the risk of air bubble reintroduction by slowing the lubricating liquid flow, allowing for a smaller, lighter deaerator that minimizes agitation and space usage while maintaining efficient deaeration.
Implementation Method 1
A porous diffuser is positioned proximate the liquid outlet for slowing the flow of lubricating liquid
Implementation Method 2
a vortex chamber with a porous diffuser positioned outside the deaerator, slowing the flow of lubricating liquid through a plurality of liquid outlets, and a vortex regulator plate within the chamber to separate air from lubricating liquid
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A deaerator (16) includes a case (46) defining a vortex chamber (50) and a fluid inlet (28) for allowing a mixture of lubricating liquid and air to pass through the case into the vortex chamber. An air outlet (30) allows air flow out of the deaerator, and a liquid outlet (32) allows lubricating liquid flow out of the deaerator. A porous diffuser (68;68';68") is positioned proximate the liquid outlet (32) for slowing the flow of lubricating liquid.