Rotating Separator Housing Flow Path Guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internal combustion engine crankcase ventilation systems face challenges in effectively separating liquids from fluid mixtures, particularly in preventing liquid carryover and optimizing the separation efficiency of oil from air in blowby gases, which affects engine performance and turbocharger efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A rotating separator with an annular housing and a coalescing filter element that uses centrifugal force to separate liquids from the fluid mixture, featuring an inner and outer periphery design with a plenum and flow path guides to prevent carryover and enhance separation efficiency, driven by various mechanisms such as mechanical, fluid, or magnetic coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotating separator with coalescing filter element is used to separate oil from air, then separation efficiency is improved, but liquid carryover into the air stream increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple compartments including a liquid collection chamber and an air outlet chamber, with a baffle structure segmenting the flow paths. This segmentation prevents liquid from reaching the air outlet while maintaining effective separation.
Solution Approach 2:
A baffle structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the liquid collection chamber and the air outlet. The baffle acts as a mediator that blocks liquid carryover while allowing air to pass through, solving the contradiction between separation efficiency and liquid carryover prevention.
2Reliability
If high velocity gas stream is used to enhance separation, then separation efficiency is improved, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator uses a rotating filter element that creates dynamic centrifugal forces to enhance separation efficiency. The rotation allows the system to achieve high separation performance without requiring excessively high gas velocities, thereby controlling pressure drop.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by using rotational speed to generate centrifugal force rather than relying solely on high linear velocity. This parameter change allows effective separation at lower pressure drops.
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 liquid carryover and improves the separation efficiency of oil from air, reducing pressure drop and oil saturation in the coalescing filter, thereby enhancing engine performance and turbocharger efficiency by ensuring efficient oil drainage and air purification.
Implementation Method 1
an annular rotating separating filter element... separating liquid from a fluid mixture... uses centrifugal force to separate liquids from the fluid mixture
Data Source
AI summary
A rotating separator has a housing preventing separated liquid carryover. A plenum between the annular rotating separating filter element and the housing sidewall has one or more flow path separating guides minimizing the flow of separated liquid to the outlet. The flow path guides may include one or more fins and/or swirl flow dampers and/or a configured surface.