Separation Element with Asymmetric End Disks for Oil-Lubricated Screw Compressors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing separation elements for oil-lubricated screw compressors lack a simple and maintenance-friendly design for continuous oil discharge and easy installation/removal, which can lead to reduced separation performance due to potential air bypass and limited service life of seals.
Innovation Solution
A replaceable separation element with a hollow cylindrical filter body, supported by a first and second end disk, and a central tube, featuring a multilayer filter system with nonwoven filter media for coalescence and drainage, and an anti-rotation structure to prevent rotation during operation, ensuring secure sealing and easy handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the separation element is designed as a fixed component in the pressure accumulator system, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the maintenance complexity and seal life are worsened due to difficult removal and installation
Solution Approach 1:
The separation element is designed as a separable component that can be removed from the pressure accumulator system. The element consists of a filter body with end disks that can be detached as a complete unit, allowing easy maintenance while maintaining sealing integrity during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The separation element is extracted as a removable component from the pressure accumulator system. The threaded pipe connector allows the element to be screwed in and out, enabling seal replacement and maintenance without disassembling the entire system
2Ease of manufacture
If the separation element uses a simple cylindrical design, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the separation performance is worsened due to potential air bypass
Solution Approach 1:
The separation element transitions from a simple cylindrical design to a three-dimensional structure with radially extending sealing surfaces and vertically stacked end disks. This dimensional enhancement prevents air bypass while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standard machining operations
3Ease of repair
If the separation element is designed for easy removal, then the maintenance ease is improved, but the sealing reliability is worsened due to potential misalignment during reinstallation
Solution Approach 1:
The end disks are designed with asymmetric features including a centrally protruding blind hole and radially extending sealing surfaces that differ in height and position. This asymmetry provides self-alignment during reinstallation, ensuring proper sealing contact while maintaining easy removal capability
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 enables continuous and efficient oil discharge, maintains separation performance, and simplifies maintenance by allowing easy installation and removal of the separation element, while preventing air bypass and extending seal life through secure mechanical and fluid-tight connections.
Implementation Method 1
The separation element is designed as a ring-shaped coalescer which agglomerates the fine oil droplets in a manner known per se to form larger oil droplets, which due to gravity settle in the separation element and downstream therefrom
Implementation Method 2
the collected oil may be continuously discharged
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a separation element (10) for separating a fluid from a media stream, in particular an air stream, including at least one hollow cylindrical filter body (12) which acts as a coalescer, and which includes at least one support body (14), and including a radially outwardly situated first filter medium (16) and second filter medium (18), the filter body (12) separating a dirty side (52) from a clean side (50) of the separation element. In addition, the separation element (10) includes a first end disk (20) and a second end disk (22) which are situated on respective opposite end-face sides (24, 26) of the filter body (12), and a receiving recess (38) which is situated centrally on one of the two end disks (20) and protrudes into the interior (30) of the filter body (12). Furthermore, when the separation element is properly installed in a pressure accumulator system (100), the receiving recess (38) is provided for supporting the separation element on a central tube (108) of the pressure accumulator system (100) and sealing off the central tube (108) in a fluid-tight manner. The filter body (12) is provided for the media stream to flow radially through it, the fluid which is separated in the filter body (12) draining from the separation element via an outlet opening (32) in the second end disk (22). The invention further relates to a pressure accumulator system (100) for installing such a replaceable separation element (10).