Integrated separator for solid and gaseous contaminants in a fluid

An integrated and compact separator for removing both solid and gaseous contaminants from fluid. Fluid to be cleaned is introduced tangentially into a vortex flow chamber before or after filtration of the fluid. The fluid stripped of gaseous contaminants passes through pores in the outer wall of the vortex flow chamber while gas-rich fluid collected near the center of the chamber passes into a gas removal pipe extending in the chamber at its axial center. After solid and gaseous contaminants are removed by the separator, the fluid flows out of the separator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In industrial applications requiring the handling fluids such as water, 
lubricants, chemical solutions, liquid foodstuffs and so forth, often it 
is necessary to remove solid contaminants from the fluid. For this 
purpose, it has been common practice to employ a fiber filter or a 
centrifugal filter. 
On the other hand, in order to prevent rust from forming and to prevent 
annoying noise in industrial water use, to prevent oil starvation in 
lubrication systems, to prevent inefficiency and inaccuracy in hydraulic 
systems and nonuniform quality in chemical or foodstuff materials, 
conventionally, devices employing buoyancy, vacuum and centrifugal force 
have been employed for removing gaseous contaminants, examples of which 
are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,622. 
No compact and integrated device has heretofore been known, however, which 
is capable of simultaneously removing both solid and gaseous contaminants 
in a fluid. 
Such a device is particularly desirable though in the engine manufacturing 
industry. Moreover, as the rotational speed and output of automobile and 
motorcycle engines have lately been increased, the importance of removing 
gaseous as well as solid contaminants has increased. Excess gaseous 
contaminants in engine oil can cause serious difficulties, such as excess 
wear of lubricated parts due to oil starvation and a deterioration of the 
efficiency of the hydraulic valve lifters. 
On the other hand, the space available inside the engine compartment is 
generally not sufficient to accommodate both an oil filter and a gas 
separator. Hence, an integrated separator is desired, both from a 
standpoint of space and in terms of weight. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and 
integrated separator for removing both solid and gaseous contaminants from 
fluids, for example, from engine oil. 
In accordance with the above and other objects, the invention provides a 
compact and integrated separator for removing both solid and gaseous 
contaminants from fluids, for example, from engine oil in which a vortex 
flow chamber for gas removal is combined with an oil filter for solid 
filtration. 
More specifically, the invention provides a separator device for removing 
both solid and gaseous contaminants from fluids including a filter system 
and a wall defining a vortex flow chamber which has a plurality of pores 
formed in the wall to permit fluids stripped of gaseous contaminants to 
pass therethrough. A fluid introduction pipe introduces fluids into the 
vortex flow chamber in a tangential direction of the chamber before or 
after the filter system passes the fluids. The wall defining the vortex 
flow chamber has a plurality of pores for passing fluids. A gas removal 
pipe extending into the vortex flow chamber and disposed substantially at 
the axial center of the vortex flow chamber has a plurality of small pores 
formed therein for allowing gas-rich fluids to pass therethrough. An 
outlet passage passes fluids which have passed through the filter and 
vortex flow chamber system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the 
present invention will be described in detail. 
FIG. 1a shows a cross-sectional view of a separator for a four-cycle 
internal combustion engine, which separator is constructed in accordance 
with the present invention. 
An oil pump P.sub.1 pumps out oil containing solid and gaseous contaminants 
to the separator. The oil flow is introduced into the outside of the 
filter element 3 of the filter system through inlet holes 1 and a rubber 
check valve 2. The oil is filtered by the filter element 3 then flows out 
through many holes 4 formed in the cylindrical wall 5 of the filter 
system. The -filtered oil then flows to an upper chamber 6 separated by an 
upper wall 7 of the filter system through the space formed between the 
cylindrical wall 5 of the filter system and an inner cylindrical wall 8 
located inside the filter system. The oil flows into an inlet pipe 9 
disposed tangentially near the bottom (in the flow direction) 10 of the 
vortex flow chamber 11. The conical wall 12 of the vortex flow chamber 11 
is fixed at the edge 13 of the inner cylindrical wall 8. A portion of the 
oil flowing in a vortex pattern inside the conical wall 12 flows out 
through the pores 14 formed in the conical wall 12 at the part lower than 
the fixed edge 13, and the oil flows out of the device through the outlet 
pore 15. 
Due to the vortical flow of the oil in the vortex flow chamber 11 and the 
resulting centrifugal force acting on the oil, oil containing gaseous 
contaminants collects near the axial center of the flow. The gas-rich oil 
moves radially inwardly through small pores 16 formed in a gas removal 
pipe 17 provided near the axial center of the vortex flow chamber 11. The 
gas removal pipe 17 passes through the top wall of the conical vortex flow 
chamber 11. 
A relief valve 18 is disposed on the upper wall 7 of the filter system. A 
spring 19 is placed between the outside bottom of the vortex flow chamber 
11 and the wall 19. 
FIG. 1b shows a cross-sectional view of the separator of FIG. 1a taken 
along a line X-Y in FIG. 1a, specifically showing the region where the 
inlet pipe 9 extends tangentially into the vortex chamber 3. 
FIG. 2 shows a second preferred embodiment of the invention, also intended 
for use with a four-cycle internal combustion engine. 
An oil pump P.sub.2 pumps out oil containing solid and gaseous contaminants 
to the separator through inlet holes 21 and a rubber check valve 22. The 
oil flow is introduced tangentially into a vortex flow chamber 23, of 
which shape is conical, through an inlet pipe 24. A portion of the oil 
flowing in a vortex pattern inside the conical wall 25 flows out through 
the pores 26 formed in the conical wall 25 into a filter system which is 
disposed around the upper part of the conical vortex flow chamber 23 and 
on an annular plate 30 fixed around the conical wall 25. The oil is 
filtered by a filter element 27 and passes through small pores 28 formed 
in the outer wall 29 of the filter system and then flows out through the 
intermediate holes 31 formed in the upper plate 32 under which comprises 
hollow space 33 to pass the oil through the outlet hole 34. 
Due to the vortical flow of the oil in the vortex flow chamber 23 and the 
resulting centrifugal force acting on the oil, oil containing gaseous 
contaminants collects near the axial center of the flow. The gas-rich oil 
moves radially inwardly through small pores 33 formed in a gas removal 
pipe 35 provided near the axial center of the vortex flow chamber 23. 
The gas removal pipe 35 passes through the top of the conical vortex flow 
chamber 23, the upper wall 36 of the filter system and the outer wall 37. 
Two relief valves 38 and 39 are disposed in the inlet pipe 24 and the 
upper wall 36. A spring 40 is placed between the upper outer wall 37 and 
the upper wall 36 of the filter system. 
FIG. 3 depicts schematically the connection of a separator device of the 
invention in a lubricating system of an engine. 
Engine oil from an oil pan 41 is pumped by the oil pump P.sub.3 through an 
oil screen S and supplied to a separator 42. Engine oil stripped of both 
solid and gaseous contaminants by the separator 42 is supplied to various 
parts B of an engine to be lubricated, and gas-rich oil is returned to the 
oil pan 41 through a gas removal pipe 43. 
This completes the description of the preferred embodiments of the 
invention. Although preferred embodiments have been described, it is 
believed that numerous modifications and alterations thereto may be made 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.