Swirl Bubble Separator for Deaerating Automotive Fluid Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
In motor cooling systems with fluid circuits, bubbles generated by gear stirring or oil injection reduce oil flow rate and cooling efficiency, leading to decreased speed change efficiency in transmissions when ATF is used.
Innovation Solution
A bubble separator with a swirl flow formation part, tangential flow inlets and outlets, and gas discharge ports at both ends, along with a tubular gas column promotion part to enhance deaeration efficiency, effectively separates bubbles from liquid using centrifugal force and prevents re-mixing of gas into the liquid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If bubbles are generated in oil by gear stirring or oil injection, then the cooling function is provided, but the actual flow rate of oil decreases and cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes bubbles from the oil using a centrifugal separator. The separator utilizes centrifugal force generated by rotational motion to separate gas bubbles from the liquid oil, extracting the harmful phase (bubbles) while preserving the useful phase (oil) to maintain flow rate and cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The centrifugal separator acts as an intermediary device between the oil circulation system components. It receives oil from the pump, performs deaeration, and returns cleaned oil to the system, mediating the oil flow to remove bubbles without disrupting the overall cooling circuit operation
2Temperature
If bubbles are generated in ATF, then the cooling function is provided, but hydraulic responsiveness deteriorates and speed change efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The centrifugal separator extracts air bubbles from ATF before the fluid reaches the transmission gears. By removing the gas phase that compromises hydraulic responsiveness, the system maintains pure ATF that can effectively transmit force and enable rapid speed changes
Solution Approach 2:
The separator performs preliminary deaeration of ATF before the fluid enters the transmission system. This advance removal of bubbles prevents the degradation of hydraulic responsiveness and speed change efficiency that would occur if bubbles were present during transmission operation
3Temperature
If bubbles are crushed, then the cooling function continues, but noise is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The centrifugal separator performs preliminary removal of bubbles from oil before the oil reaches areas where high shear forces would crush the bubbles. By eliminating bubbles in advance through gentle centrifugal separation, the system prevents noise generation from bubble collapse while maintaining cooling function
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful effect of bubble presence (which would lead to noise upon crushing) into a benefit by using centrifugal force to gently separate and remove bubbles. This transforms the problem of bubble-induced noise into an opportunity for quiet, efficient cooling through non-intrusive separation
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 bubble separator efficiently removes bubbles, improving motor cooling efficiency, reducing noise, and enhancing hydraulic responsiveness by effectively separating gas from liquid using centrifugal force and promoting gas column formation for improved deaeration.
Implementation Method 1
separating bubbles in liquid by a centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
causing the liquid to flow in in a tangential direction to form a swirl flow on the inner peripheral surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
The efficiency of separating bubbles contained in liquid is improved. A bubble separator (20) that separates bubbles in liquid is provided. A bubble separator (20) includes: a swirl flow formation part (22) that includes a columnar-shaped internal space; a flow inlet (24) disposed at one end of the swirl flow formation part (22), the flow inlet opening so as to cause the liquid to flow in in a tangential direction of an inner peripheral surface of the swirl flow formation part (22) to form a swirl flow on the inner peripheral surface; a flow outlet (26) disposed at another end of the swirl flow formation part (22), the flow outlet opening so as to cause the liquid to flow out in the tangential direction from the inner peripheral surface; and gas discharge ports (30) and (32) that discharge gas separated from the liquid at the swirl flow formation part (22), to an outside of the swirl flow formation part (22). The gas discharge ports (30) and (32) are respectively provided at both ends of the swirl flow formation part (22). A fluid circuit for an automobile including the bubble separator (20) is also provided.