Positive pressure, conditioned drying gas, gravity operated, mobile, dewatering system for hydraulic, lubricating and petroleum based fluids

A high throughput, positive pressure, gravity operated dewatering system for hydraulic fluids, lubricating fluids, and petroleum based fluids comprises a gravity operated dewatering chamber receiving the industrial fluid and a source of positive pressure drying air coupled to the dewatering chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a portable dewatering system, more specifically to a positive pressure, conditioned drying gas, gravity operated, dewatering system for hydraulic fluids, lubricating fluids, and petroleum based fluids like diesel fuel and the like.

2. Description of Related Art

Many lubricating fluids, petroleum based fluids such as hydraulic fluid, lubricating fluids, diesel fuel, bio-diesel fuel and the like, may need to be dewatered (remove or decrease the water content) to improve the relative performance or efficiency of the fluid and to reduce component damage. Petroleum based, also called hydrocarbon based, hydraulic fluids are the most common fluids for hydraulic systems. The difference between petroleum based hydraulic fluid and straight oil is generally the additives in the operating fluid. Hydraulic fluid also includes phosphate esters, which are somewhat fire resistant and generally allow for higher operating temperatures while providing lubrication qualities equal to petroleum based hydraulic fluids. Hydraulic fluid also includes synthetics fluids and synthetic blends that are usually phosphate esters, chlorinated hydrocarbons or a blend.

In hydraulic systems excess free or dissolved water can cause damage to sensitive or precision tolerance components. Under high pressure that is typical in hydraulic systems, water under compression can turn to steam causing cavitations damage, improper performance and degradation of the operating fluid.

For example, it is essential that the fuel used in fuel injected internal combustion engines and jet engines be free of water, algae, and other contaminates. When fuel is stored in bulk, such as in vehicle, boat, and aircraft fuel tanks, water droplets condensed from the atmosphere will form inside the fuel storage tanks and their ventilation pipes. The accumulation of this condensation, and possible microbial growth, will eventually be ingested by the engine fuel pick-up tubes, and carried along with the fuel to the engine fuel filtration system. In the case of ships at sea and aircraft as they encounter turbulent and rough conditions, the accumulated condensation at the fuel water interface moves about the storage tank so as to be easily ingested in quantities large enough to totally fill or saturate the engines filtration system causing the engine to stop.

In order to address these needs there have been developed a number of dewatering systems. The dewatering systems commercially available, and those only proposed in the literature, can fall into several broad classes. The present invention is only directed to the dewatering of hydraulic fluid, lubricating fluids, petroleum based fluids and the like. In these areas the dewatering systems can also be referred to as dehydrating systems and these terms can be used interchangeably throughout. Each of these terms, individually, however, are also commonly used in some water removal systems for very far removed applications from the present field. For example “dewatering systems” also reference sludge dewatering systems in waste water purification systems (i.e. sewage treatment); and “dehydration systems” also reference a class of food processing equipment.

As noted above the present invention is directed to the dewatering of “industrial fluids’ such as hydraulic fluid, lubricating fluids, petroleum based fluids and the like. Within the meaning of this application the phrase “Industrial Fluid” includes petroleum based fluids, phosphate ester based fluids, and synthetics wherein water is removed or reduced from the fluid leaving the industrial fluid behind.

One class of industrial fluid dewatering system is an industrial fluid centrifugal separation system that can be used to separate out the water from the subject industrial fluid and the water drawn off. This requires a centrifuge for operation which limits the throughput and there is a question of how this operation affects the efficiency of the subject industrial fluid following the separation process. Representative examples of this technology can be found manufactured by Auxill Nederland BV which supplies devices using several centrifugal techniques, each with their specific utilization.

A second class of industrial fluid dewatering systems is based upon gravity separation of fluids, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,722. This patent, which is included herein by reference in its entirety, discloses an apparatus for separating water contaminants from a fuel which has a specific gravity which is lower than that of water. The patent discloses that contaminated fuel is drawn from a bottom of a tank and passed into a separator, wherein the water stays at the bottom of the separator and is drained off. The patent notes that the fuel is forced upwardly from which any droplets of water flow along collector plates and fall to the bottom of the separator. The patent then notes that the fuel is passed through a filter which removes any particles of matter then the fuel is directed back to the tanks. The patent notes that the process can be repeated for as many times as necessary to cleanse the fuel of water and contaminates.

Industrial fluid dewatering systems can utilize coalescing technology to separate two mixed fluids. In a system using coalescing technology a porous barrier is presented that presents a greater flow resistance to one fluid, generally the contaminant, than it does the other. The fluid that experiences the greatest resistance will slow down or even stop and as this occurs smaller droplets come together forming larger ones. These eventually collect in globules large enough to settle or to form a surface layer. The agglomeration of smaller droplets to form larger ones is the definition of coalescence.

The “gravity based” industrial fluid dewatering systems in which the specific gravity difference between water and the industrial fluid being treated is used to run the system are distinguished from gravity “operated” industrial fluid dewatering systems in which gravity is used to move the industrial fluid to be cleaned through a cleaning chamber or process. The present invention, and most vacuum based systems, are gravity operated within the meaning of the present application, but are not “gravity based”

A further class of industrial fluid dewatering systems is filtration systems using water absorbing filters, but large scale water removal utilizing water absorbing filters is inefficient as these types of filters can only remove free water and some loosely emulsified water from industrial fluids. Water absorbent filters remove free and some emulsified water by super absorbent polymers impregnated in the media of the filter cartridge. The water is absorbed by the polymer, causing it to swell, and remains trapped in the filtration medium. Super absorbent filters can remove only a limited volume of water before causing the filter to go into pressure drop induced bypass. They are not well-suited for removing large volumes of water, but are a convenient method to maintain dry conditions in industrial systems that don't normally ingest a lot of water. These filters do not remove dissolved water from the industrial fluid.

Vacuum dewatering systems, also called vacuum dehydrators, is another class of industrial fluid dewatering system and can be classified as a mass transfer based industrial fluid dewatering system. Vacuum dehydrators have the advantage of being able to separate free, emulsified and dissolved water. See for example the industry leading industrial fluid vacuum dewatering or vacuum dehydrating systems manufactured by Schroeder Industries LLC under the SVD brand name. The SVD brand unit, when connected to a hydraulic reservoir of a system with wet industrial fluid, will draw the industrial fluid into a chamber where the fluid cascades down in a reactor chamber. Water is separated in the form of vapor and is removed by the vacuum pump. The vapor can be released to the atmosphere or condensed in a separate reservoir. The dewatered industrial fluid is pumped from the reactor chamber back to the system reservoir at a continuous flow rate. Further details of this system and technology can be found using the keyword “SVD” at the website www.schroederindustries.com.

Another class of industrial fluid dewatering systems is a high vacuum/heat purifiers flash distillation process which utilizes higher vacuum and temperature conditions inside a chamber, as compared to the vacuum dehydrators, to rapidly boil off water and other volatile materials from the industrial fluid. Flash distillation type equipment is often operated at vacuum and temperature conditions that are well within the vapor phase region of the industrial fluid for faster removal of water. The vacuum and temperature levels are more severe, wherein vacuum levels of >26 ″Hg and temperatures >160° F. are commonly used in these equipment. Vapor condensers are often used to remove the vapors before they get to the vacuum pump. By virtue of higher vacuum and temperature levels, these units can offer higher water removal efficiencies for each pass of the industrial fluid compared with that of the mass transfer—vacuum dehydration type purifiers, but they also expose the fluid to higher thermal stresses in the process. Further, these systems require the creation and maintaining of high vacuum conditions.

The described uses of the above identified industrial fluid dewatering systems can represent challenging operational environments for such systems. For example, onboard ships, space is typically at a premium and the industrial fluid dewatering system must accommodate this restricted environment. Further, in such environments, mobile or portable units are often employed at periodic intervals, rather than permanent on board units. The portable applications require a portable system to fit through restricted access hatches, which can be on the order of 600 mm (about 24″).

As a representative example, consider a submarine application (a submarine is a type of ship within the meaning of this application) which will typically have 600 mm hatches and minimal equipment loading capabilities in many passageways (e.g. only a hand operated winch may be available for assisting in the raising and lowering of equipment through a hatch between levels). Further, some ship operating protocols require such portable equipment to be capable of being manually loaded and unloaded, which will further restrict the weight of the associated system. These size and weight restrictions make many of the prior art industrial fluid dewatering systems impractical and will severely limit the throughput of industrial fluid dewatering systems of the prior art that are sized to accommodate these operational restrictions. A low throughput industrial fluid dewatering system can quickly become impractical for many applications.

Within the meaning of this application, the terms portable and mobile are interchangeable and reference a system that is designed to be transported or moved into operating position. Within the meaning of this application, the phrase “hatch accessible” references a system that is designed to be transported or moved, in whole or in part, through a 600 mm hatch opening. Within the meaning of this application, the phrase “manually loadable” references a system that is designed such that each loadable component of the system is less than about 115 kgs (about 250 lbs).

The phrase “high through put” is a relative description when referencing a system that is designed to operate by processing at a given liters/hour rate of industrial fluid. Similarly, a “low” through put system is a relative description that references a system that is designed to operate or process less liters/hour of industrial fluid than a high throughput system of similar size. All of the systems are generally scalable unless there are operating restrictions, such as hatch accessibility or other space concerns, whereby the system is sized to provide the desired throughput, based upon its own system operating parameters.

There is a need in the art for cost effective dewatering systems, such as for a portable, hatch accessible, manually loadable, high throughput industrial fluid dewatering system that maintains the advantages of non-portable, non-hatch accessible, non-manually loadable vacuum dehydration industrial fluid dewatering systems of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors of the present invention provides a industrial fluid dewatering system comprising a gravity operated dewatering chamber receiving the industrial fluid and a source of positive pressure drying air coupled to the dewatering chamber.

The industrial fluid dewatering system may further include an industrial fluid pump coupled to a common line and configured to operate to pull industrial fluid into, and out of the system, and may further include a post pump directional valve at a terminal end of the common line, and a chamber input line extending from the directional valve to a distribution manifold within the gravity operated dewatering chamber, wherein the distribution manifold is configured to relatively evenly distribute the industrial fluid across, or about, the top of the chamber. The industrial fluid dewatering system may further include a chamber outlet line extending from the chamber and terminating at a pre-pump directional valve, wherein the outlet line operates to transmit industrial fluid from the chamber to the common line through the pre-pump valve and the pump. The industrial fluid dewatering system for a subject industrial fluid according to the invention may be configured to toggle between introducing industrial fluid to be processed into the system and passing dewatered industrial fluid out of the system.

The industrial fluid dewatering system may further include reticulated media resting on a perforated plate within the chamber, wherein the reticulated media forms a tortuous path for the gravity driven industrial fluid to flow down while it is being acted upon by positive pressure drying air within the chamber. The industrial fluid dewatering system may further include baffle plates below the perforated plate and above a settling tank portion of the chamber. The industrial fluid dewatering system may further include low and high level sensors provided in the settling tank portion of the chamber to provide indication of the level of industrial fluid within the settling tank portion.

The industrial fluid dewatering system for a subject industrial fluid may further include a mechanism for increasing the temperature of the gas above ambient air temperatures, such as a regenerative blower coupled to ambient air. The industrial fluid dewatering system for a subject industrial fluid may further include a drying gas distribution manifold configured to evenly distribute the drying gas across the chamber, and a demisting foam within the chamber and configured to assist in condensate forming thereon being returned down through the chamber via gravity.

The industrial fluid dewatering system for a subject industrial fluid may further include a drying gas outlet line coupled to the chamber to vent the drying gas to atmosphere, and including an orifice or adjustable flow outlet within the drying gas outlet line configured to increase the pressure within the chamber or to control the flow rate through and pressure in the chamber.

The industrial fluid dewatering system for a subject industrial fluid may further include cyclically operating de-aerating components coupled to the chamber. The cyclically operating de-aerating components may include a vacuum pump, wherein the vacuum pump is configured for use when there is no flow of drying gas into the chamber. The cyclically operating de-aerating components may include a venture vacuum element for selectively inducing a vacuum within the chamber.

The industrial fluid dewatering system for a subject industrial fluid according to the invention may includes a lift point on the chamber and wheels supporting the system to form a portable, hatch accessible, manually loadable, high throughput industrial fluid dewatering system.

These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken together with the attached figures wherein like reference numerals reference like elements throughout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one referent. The various embodiments and examples of the present invention as presented herein are each understood to be non-limiting with respect to the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram of a portable, hatch accessible, manually loadable, high throughput industrial fluid dewatering system10in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The system10includes a one way input check valve coupling12at the beginning of input line14for coupling the system10to the tank or system holding the industrial fluid to be cleaned to allow for the industrial fluid to be cleaned to flow into the system10.

A water sensing unit or sensor block16can be provided in the input line14to measure the moisture content of the water of the industrial fluid entering the system10. A strainer18is provided in the input line14to strain or filter the incoming industrial fluid. The input line14terminates in directional valve20which may be a solenoid operated valve operated through a control unit of the system10.

Extending from the directional valve20is a common line22. The common line22differs from the input line14in that common line22accommodates both industrial fluid moving into the system10from input line14and industrial fluid that has been processed by the system10and is returning to the industrial fluid storage tank or system.

An industrial fluid pump24is in the common line22and operates to pull industrial fluid into, and out of the system10as will be described. In this manner only a single industrial fluid pump24is used for the system10, which greatly assists in the construction of a portable, hatch accessible, manually loadable industrial fluid dewatering system10. Without this design, separate pumps would be required for the input and output lines, increasing the weight, size, and cost of the associated system10.

A test point can be incorporated into the common line22to allow for access and testing of fluid in the common line22. A filter or strainer28is provided in the common line22to further strain or filter the incoming/outgoing industrial fluid. The common line22terminates in directional valve30which may be a solenoid operated valve operated through a control unit of the system10.

Extending from the directional valve30is a chamber input line32. The chamber input line32delivers incoming industrial fluid to a distribution manifold34within a gravity operated dewatering chamber36. The distribution manifold34can take many forms, such as two or more radial extending arms with radial spaced distribution nozzles, or a single nozzle with multiple orifices. The manifold34is intended to relatively evenly distribute the industrial fluid across, or about, the top of the chamber36, at a position below an angled demisting foam layer38.

Below the manifold34is reticulated media40, also called packing material, resting on a perforated plate42. The reticulated media40essentially forms a tortuous path for the gravity driven industrial fluid to flow down while it is being acted upon by the heated, positive pressure drying air as will be described below. The media40may be formed of, for example, individual elements that are roughly 30 mm in diameter and 25 mm long and are perforated. The articles are packed loosely and randomly in the chamber36. The articles can be metal or plastic or any appropriate material. It may be possible for the media40to be used as a treating agent for the fluid, but such a system would generally require the replacement, recharging or cleaning of the media40. For the purpose of the present application, the intended primary purpose of the media is to increase the flow path of the industrial fluid in the chamber36.

Below the perforated plate42is one, or more, baffle plates44above a settling tank46portion of the chamber36. Low and high float valves or sensors48and50are provided to provide indication of the level of industrial fluid within the settling tank46. Foam may be located in the settling tank46to reduce the aeration of the industrial fluid as it cascades onto the fluid surface within settling tank46.

A chamber outlet line52extends from tank46and terminates at directional valve20, and operates to transmit industrial fluid from the chamber36to the common line22through the pump24and the valve20. A drain54is provided for alternative draining of the tank46.

An output line56is coupled to the direction valve30and is operated to transmit processed industrial fluid from the system10. The system10includes a one way output check valve coupling58at the end of output line54for coupling the system10to the external tank or system holding the industrial fluid to allow for the dewatered industrial fluid to be returned to the external tank or system. A test point60can be incorporated into the output line56to allow for access and testing of fluid in the output line56.

A separate receiving pan62can be provided below the chamber36and other elements of the system10to accommodate leaks in the system10as well as use of the drain54. A sensor or float switch64may be provided to identify to the system10(and activate indicators/and or alarms) the presence of a predetermined level of fluid in the pan62.

The sensors48and50are used by the system10in operation to toggle between introducing industrial fluid to be cleaned or processed into the system10and dewatered industrial fluid out of the system10. Essentially with the system10attached to a tank or system holding industrial fluid through couplings12and58the pump24will begin by pulling industrial fluid into the system10and to the chamber36through input line14, common line22and chamber input line32. The system10will continue to operate in this manner until the level indicator50indicates that a high level of industrial fluid is in the tank44. At this time the directional valves20and30will be moved whereby the operation of the pump24will cause processed industrial fluid to be drawn from tank44through chamber outlet line52, through common line22through output line56to return to the original storage tank or system. This output operation continues until the level indicator48indicates a low level of fluid in tank46, whereby valves20and30are reversed and the original filling procedure is repeated. The system10will continuously switch between filling and emptying of the chamber36based upon the level of the fluid in the settling tank44.

The system10further includes a drying gas input line72for introducing positive pressure drying gas, such as air, into the chamber36. A blower74in the input line72can be used to allow the system to use ambient air as a drying gas. Where ambient air is used a filter or screening unit76may be provided in line72to remove particulates and the like from the intake drying air. Pressure gauges78(and/or pressure regulators), and output orifices for controlling flow parameters are shown in the input line72, but these may be considered to be part of many blower74unit configurations.

Additionally, heating of the drying gas has been found to improve the dewatering efficiency of the system, whereby a separate gas heating unit may be included within the input line72. Some blowers74may have the heating unit incorporated therein, but the “heating unit” may be considered as a separate functional unit due to its separate function. A regenerative blower74will heat the air as a byproduct of the blower operation. The term heated drying gas means that the drying gas is above ambient air temperature. The system preferably uses drying gas, such as air, at a temperature range of 20-40° F. above ambient temperature.

When using ambient air that is transmitted by the blower74, the ambient air humidity will affect the dewatering efficiency of the system10. The drying gas heating, with blower74or through a separate unit, improves the dewatering ability of the ambient air by reducing its relative humidity and improving its affinity to accept moisture while passing through the chamber36. In addition, dewatering rates increase as the flow of air, or other drying gas, increases through the chamber36.

As noted above, one method to combine the heating of the drying gas and the operation of the blower74is through the use of a regenerative blower, as such blowers increases the temperature of the conveyed drying gas with increasing back pressure.

The input line72provides a positive pressure drying gas to chamber36. Positive pressure within the meaning of this applications means above ambient pressure. Preferable the system10operates in the range only minimally above ambient.

The drying gas from the input line72enters the chamber36through a drying gas distribution manifold86that intended to evenly distribute the drying gas across the chamber36. The perforated plate42will also serve to distribute the drying gas to some extent. The distribution manifold may take many forms as known in the manifold art and only one of which is illustrated in the schematic figures.

The heated, positive pressure drying gas introduced into the chamber36will interact with the industrial fluid to remove water there from, and the gas will move through the demisting foam38. The foam38is at an angle to assist in condensate forming thereon being returned down through the chamber36via gravity. Other configurations for the angled or sloped bottom foam38, such as a cone, dome or the like could also be used to assist in this function. Coupled to the chamber36above the foam38is a drying gas outlet line88which can include a used drying gas filter assembly90positioned before the end thereof. Line88can vent the drying gas to atmosphere provided that air or an equivalent is used as the drying gas. One method to increase the air pressure within the chamber36is to use an orifice92within the outlet line88before a final filter or breather element90. For example, an orifice set at 0.7 PSI system pressure would increase the system drying gas temperature (air temperature) 20° F. at a 15 scfm system drying gas flow rate.

FIG. 2is a schematic operational diagram of an industrial fluid dewatering system10, similar toFIG. 1, but in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. The system10ofFIG. 2is substantially identical to that ofFIG. 1described above, except for construction of the drying gas outlet arrangement. The system10ofFIG. 2includes the outlet line88, orifice92and final breather90. The system10ofFIG. 10further includes a parallel line94extending through a second orifice98and blocking solenoid valve98to the final filter assembly90. The system10ofFIG. 2further includes a air humidity sensor100to assist in operation of the system10. When the ambient air is at a relatively high humidity as measured by the sensor100(such as for example greater than 80% relative humidity), an increase in the relative dewatering rates can be obtained by using only orifices92(and not orifice96) through closing of solenoid valve98. This operation can, for example, increase the system air pressure from 0.7 PSI to 0.9 PSI resulting in an air temperature increase from Δ 20° F. to 40° F. and a corresponding drop in air flow rate from 15 scfm to 5 scfm. At lower relative humidity as measured by the sensor100(such as for example lower than 80% relative humidity), effective dewatering rates can be obtained by using both orifices92and96through opening of solenoid valve98and having a higher flow rate of drying gas. The system10ofFIG. 2is intended to offer efficient dewatering using ambient air through a wide range of humidity conditions, even up to 90% humidity.

The broad concept ofFIG. 2is intended to use a “collective” variable orifice opening for the system10that is varied dependent on conditions. The system10, as shown, uses two operational states (i.e. orifice92alone or orifices92and96used together). The addition of a closing valve associated with orifice92would offer a total of three operational states (orifice92alone, orifice96alone and orifices92and96together) The system10could be further modified to have three parallel orifices that would offer seven distinct operating positions (e.g. orifice1, orifice2, orifice3, orifices1and2together, orifices1and3together, orifices2and3together, and orifices1,2and3together). Finally the combination of a variable valve and opening to create, effectively, an infinitely variable opening could offer an infinite variety of orifice opening conditions that could be selected based upon humidity. The system illustrated inFIG. 2is however particularly simple and likely to be successful over a wide humidity range, consequently the simplicity of this system may be preferable to the more complex systems that may better optimize the back pressure and the associated temperature gain to the sensed humidity conditions.

FIG. 3is a schematic operational diagram of an industrial fluid dewatering system10, similar toFIG. 2, but in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. The system10ofFIG. 3is substantially identical to that ofFIG. 2described above, except for construction of cyclically operating de-aerating components. The de-aerating components include a closing valve102in line72, a check valve108in line88and a new line104extending to a vacuum pump106.

In some situations it is beneficial to remove free and un-dissolved gasses from the industrial fluid before returning the industrial fluid to the originating source. Excess gas in the industrial fluid can cause improper function and fluid degradation in hydraulic systems. The systems10ofFIGS. 1-2have the ability to induce drying gas into the industrial fluid (e.g. air) and thereby return the fluid to the originating system in an increased aerated condition to some extent. The resulting aeration of the industrial fluid is acceptable, generally, when conditioning fluids from static non-operating systems. It is also acceptable when treating certain industrial fluids having a low affinity to entrain air (or other drying gas).

The system10ofFIG. 3is designed to include a de-aeration cycle that can be cyclically operated (taking turn with pumping fluid into the system10and out of the system10. In the de-aeration cycle the solenoid valve102is closed, to seal the chamber36and the vacuum pump106is operated to reduce the pressure in the chamber36and serve to de-aerate the fluid within the chamber36(which may be followed by a dwell or setting time before the de-aeration cycle is complete). It is an important distinction that the vacuum pump106is NOT drawing in drying gas as would be done in a vacuum dehydrator system. The vacuum pump106is used solely for de-aeration, so there is no flow of drying gas into the chamber36or out of the outlet88during this de-aeration cycle. The system10ofFIG. 3allows the system10to further incorporate de-aeration of the industrial fluid, as desired. The length of each cycle portion for the system10(i.e. pumping industrial fluid into the chamber36, de-aerating the fluid in the chamber36, pumping dewatered and de-aerated industrial fluid out of the chamber36) can be selected as desired.

The use of ambient air as the source of drying gas makes the implementation of the system10simple and easy. However, in certain applications a source of dry air, or other drying gas mixture, may be available and may provide superior water stripping properties than ambient air and thus may be used by attaching such a source to the input line72without other changes to the system, provided the drying gas may be vented to atmosphere. In such applications, if the source of drying gas is readily available and is supplied under pressure, then the blower may become an expendable item for the system10. For example, compressed air, where available in plentiful supply, provides an excellent positive pressure source of conditioned (i.e. very low humidity) air. The use of compressed air does eliminate the need for the blower. Further, industrial compressed air sources often utilize a drying system to provide a very low humidity conditioned gas, such that no heater is needed.FIG. 4is a schematic operational diagram of an industrial fluid dewatering system10, similar toFIG. 1, but in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. The system10ofFIG. 4is substantially identical to that ofFIG. 1described above, except for modification of the system10to operate from a source of compressed gas. The changes between the system10ofFIG. 1and the system10ofFIG. 4are in the drying gas inlet and outlet. The inlet line72ofFIG. 4eliminates the blower74and heater which may be integral thereto as well as the breather76. The line72ofFIG. 4includes a pressure regulator110and coupling112for attachment to a compressed gas source. Further the outlet line88can eliminate the orifice92in light of the compressed gas source and regulator110. The operation from a source of conditioned, low humidity gas further simplifies the construction. It is anticipated that a compete system could include both designs ofFIG. 1andFIG. 3through a Y or parallel connection on inlet72, whereby the system10could use either compressed gas source ofFIG. 3or ambient air ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5is a schematic operational diagram of an industrial fluid dewatering system10, similar toFIG. 4, but in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. The system10ofFIG. 5is substantially identical to that ofFIG. 4described above, except for construction of cyclically operating de-aerating components. The de-aerating components ofFIG. 5use a venturi vacuum principle for operation. The system10further includes lines114and116from outlet88extending to venturi vacuum element118. A check valve108is in line88between lines114and116. Pressure valve120in line130, check valves122and126and solenoid124complete the de-aerating components of the system. In the non-de-aerating portions the compressed air will travel directly to the manifold86effectively as described above. When a de-aeration cycle is indicated, then solenoid valve124will switch to direct the air through the venturi nozzle118. The coupling line116will act to cause a vacuum to form in the chamber36through the vacuum venturi effect. The vacuum venture ofFIG. 5avoids the need for a separate vacuum pump for the system as inFIG. 3. The system10ofFIG. 5allows the system10to further incorporate de-aeration of the industrial fluid, as desired, as with the system ofFIG. 3. The length of each cycle portion for the system10(i.e. pumping industrial fluid into the chamber36, de-aerating the fluid in the chamber36, pumping dewatered and de-aerated industrial fluid out of the chamber36) can be selected as desired.

The compressed air system, or other compressed gas source, ofFIG. 4could use the de-aerating components ofFIG. 3. Further, the ambient air blower systems ofFIGS. 1 and 2could use the de-aerating components ofFIG. 5, as should be understood by the above descriptions.

The system10shown schematically inFIGS. 1-5each provides a positive pressure, gravity operated dewatering system for industrial fluids, such as hydraulic fluids, lubricating fluids, and petroleum based fluids, and the system10can be easily constructed as a portable, hatch accessible, manually loadable, high throughput industrial fluid dewatering system10as shown inFIGS. 6-7. The system10illustrated inFIGS. 6-7further includes a lift point140on the chamber36and can, preferably, include wheels for the system10. The system10as illustrated inFIGS. 6-7can have has a total gross weight of about 200 lbs to allow for a portable manually loadable system. The system10as illustrate has dimensions to accommodate hatch access. However, the system illustrated inFIGS. 1-5is completely scalable and can be designed to accommodate any throughput. The system10of the present invention has sufficient throughput efficiencies that a portable hatch accessible version as shown inFIGS. 6-7is feasible with meaningful throughput. The throughput of the present system is effective by having a large air flow, relative to comparable vacuum dehydrators.

One manner of increasing throughput is to use multiple systems10in parallel. Alternatively, a larger capacity chamber36and associated pump24and blower74could be used. As noted previously the present system is completely scalable. Where hatch accessibility, or other loading constraints, remain a concern, the chamber could be provided as one loadable component and the remaining elements as a separable unit (with their own cart, wheels and lift point). The units may then be attached through flexible coupling lines32,52and72at the use point after the system10has been loaded into position.

The present invention has been described with reference to specific details of particular embodiments thereof It is not intended that such details be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention except insofar as and to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims. A number of variations to the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and these variations will not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereto.