Rotating Screen Centrifugal Separator to Prevent Clogging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing centrifugal separators used in machine tools for cleaning ventilated mixtures of gas, liquid, and solid particles are prone to clogging, reducing their service life and requiring frequent maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A separator arrangement with a rotating screen member and centrifugal separator, where the screen member with through holes pre-filters larger particles before they reach the centrifugal separator, reducing clogging and increasing the separator's service life by allowing self-cleaning of the screen member.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a centrifugal separator is used to clean ventilated mixture from a machine tool, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but the separator is prone to clogging which reduces service life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidservice life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

A pre-separation chamber is introduced before the centrifugal separator to perform preliminary separation of the ventilated mixture. This preliminary action removes a portion of particles before they enter the centrifugal separator, reducing the load and preventing clogging, thereby extending service life while maintaining cleaning efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The separation system is divided into multiple stages: a pre-separation chamber for initial particle removal and a centrifugal separator for final cleaning. This segmentation distributes the separation load across different components, preventing any single component from becoming overloaded and clogged, thus improving both cleaning efficiency and service life

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a centrifugal separator is used to clean ventilated mixture, then particle removal is improved, but frequent maintenance is required due to clogging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticle removalVSAvoidmaintenance frequency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The pre-separation chamber performs preliminary particle removal before the mixture enters the centrifugal separator. This reduces the amount of particles that would otherwise accumulate in the separator, decreasing maintenance frequency while maintaining effective particle removal capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pre-separation chamber acts as an intermediary component between the ventilated mixture source and the centrifugal separator. It mediates the particle removal process by handling the initial separation load, thereby protecting the centrifugal separator from excessive particle accumulation and reducing maintenance requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 prevents larger particles from reaching the centrifugal separator, reducing clogging and maintenance needs, thereby extending the service life of the separator and maintaining efficient operation.

Implementation Method 1

a screen member (40) being provided with through holes (42), wherein a flow path through the separator arrangement (10) leads in a direction through the through holes (42) to the rotor inlet (28)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

a centrifugal separator, wherein the centrifugal separator comprises a separator rotor (20) arranged in the stationary housing (14)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal separation: Centrifugal Separation

Implementation Method 3

since the drive arrangement is arranged for rotating the screen member (40) about the rotational axis (22) - at least part of the particles that have been prefiltered by the screen member (40) from the mixture will loosen from the screen member (40)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP4534208B1Separator arrangement and machine tool
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 ALFDEX
  • EP4534208B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4534208B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4534208B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The disclosure concerns a separator arrangement (10) for separating a mixture of gas, liquid particles, and solid particles. The separator arrangement (10) comprises a stationary housing (14), a centrifugal separator (16), and a drive arrangement (18). The centrifugal separator (16) comprises a separator rotor (20) arranged in the stationary housing (14). The drive arrangement (18) is arranged for rotating the separator rotor (20) about a rotational axis (22). The separator arrangement (10) further comprises a screen member (40) being provided with through holes (42). A flow path through the separator arrangement (10) leads in a direction through the through holes (42) to the rotor inlet (28) and the drive arrangement (18) is arranged for rotating the screen member (40) about the rotational axis (22).