Patent ID: 8017011
Filing Date: 2011-09-13
Classification: B01D,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A filter coalescer element for removing dispersed liquid water and solid particle contaminants from liquid lubricants, liquid fuels and other oil based industrial liquids, comprising: a rigid support tube having an exterior surface, a hollow interior and a porous sidewall through which an industrial liquid flows in an inside out direction; a hydrophobic drainage layer disposed around and covering at least a portion of the exterior surface of said support tube; a single phase, dual function combination water coalescer and particle filter pleat block inserted closely within and abutting against the interior of said support tube, and having a hollow interior into which the industrial liquid flows in an inside out direction, and including a plurality of individual pleats arranged side-by-side and formed from an integrated, multilayer material, comprising: a first porous support layer having sufficient rigidity to support at least a portion of said pleat block, with a downstream face integrated into said pleat block and an upstream face exposed to the incoming industrial liquid; a synthetic microfiber media layer having a downstream face and an upstream face abutting said downstream face of said first support layer; said microfiber media layer being configured from non-woven synthetic microfibers, and having a thickness, and a-surface density with associated predetermined first pore size sufficient to filter solid particles from the incoming industrial liquid, and commence coalescence of dispersed liquid water particles in the same; at least one synthetic fiber media layer having a downstream face and an upstream face abutting said downstream face of said microfiber media layer; said fiber media layer being configured from non-woven synthetic fibers, and having a thickness and a surface density with associated predetermined second pore size that is greater than said first pore size of said microfiber media layer, and is sufficient to continue coalescence of the dispersed liquid water particles in the incoming industrial liquid; and a second porous support layer having sufficient rigidity to support at least a portion of said pleat block, with a downstream face oriented toward and abutting against said support tube and an upstream face abutting said downstream face of said fiber media layer; and wherein said drainage layer is positioned immediately adjacent to and abutting said exterior surface of said support tube, whereby as the industrial liquid passes through said pleat block, solid particles are physically filtered therefrom and the dispersed liquid water particles are coalesced into droplets which grow in size in said fiber media layer, and pass from said individual pleats of said pleat block directly through said porous sidewall of said support tube and directly into said drainage layer where the droplets grow further into drops having a size sufficient that gravity causes the same to fall from the exterior surface of said drainage layer for collection adjacent a bottom portion of said filter coalescer element.