Abstract:
A conduit carrying gaseous matter has a device inside it forming a low-lying sump for separating and collecting non-gaseous matter. The device fits within a flexible section of the conduit and includes a barrier plate oriented generally horizontally to longitudinally divide a length of the conduit into a gas-carrying passageway (above the barrier plate and a sump (below the barrier plate, a spacer extending from a lower surface of the barrier plate, and first and second frame members extending from an upper surface of the barrier plate at spaced-apart locations. The spacer and the frame member contact inner surfaces of the conduit to positively position the barrier plate within the conduit, and the frame members are oriented obliquely to one another to urge the flexible section of the conduit into a bent shape having a lowest portion defining the sump.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) to GB 1203929.3, filed Mar. 6, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to conduits and devices provided within conduits to collect, or act as a barrier against, an unwanted solid or liquid matter travelling along the conduit. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to devices which can be retro-fitted within an engine air inlet duct of a vehicle to prevent or inhibit ice reaching a downstream component such as a turbocharger. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a vehicle engine, a small amount of unburned fuel and exhaust gases will escape around the piston rings during combustion and enter the crankcase. The fuel and gases are referred to as blow-by gas and the vehicle includes a crankcase ventilation system to deal with the blow-by gas. To reduce emissions to the atmosphere, the blow-by gas is typically recycled back into the combustion chamber of the engine. This is done by mixing the blow-by gas with intake air, upstream of the turbocharger if the engine includes this. The blow-by gas, and thus the mix of blow-by gas and intake air, contains oil from the crankcase. The intake air can contain moisture, snow and the like, depending on the environmental conditions. 
     An oil and water separator is often present upstream of the turbocharger to reduce the amount of water and oil present in the air flowing towards the combustion chamber. Nevertheless, even if a separator is used, the blow-by gas can contain water which can freeze to ice if the vehicle is in a cold environment. This ice can hinder air flow in the ducting or form pieces of ice chunks which can cause damage to components, such as the compressor vanes of the turbocharger. The forming of ice can occur while the engine is switched off or idling. 
     A sump may be provided in the air ducting and ice can form here when oil vapour enters the ducting and encounters the cold air stream. Since the water/ice has an oil content, and the ducting has an oil coating, the ice tends not to adhere to the inner surface of the ducting and is therefore drawn into the turbocharger, particularly during high acceleration. 
     It is desirable to provide improved means of inhibiting the formation of ice and/or inhibiting the formed ice from flowing downstream, such as to the turbocharger. 
     SUMMARY 
     In a first disclosed embodiment, a device is adapted for insertion into a fluid-carrying conduit to form a sump for separating out and trapping non-gaseous matter. The device comprises a barrier plate adapted to longitudinally divide a length of the conduit (thereby defining a passageway for gaseous matter above the barrier plate and a sump for collecting non-gaseous matter below the barrier plate), a spacer extending from a lower surface of the barrier plate and configured to contact a lower inner surface of the conduit below the barrier plate and space the barrier plate from the lower inner surface, and a frame member extending from an upper surface of the barrier plate and configured to contact an upper inner surface of the conduit above the barrier plate. The spacer and the frame member positively position the barrier plate within the conduit to form the sump. 
     In another disclosed embodiment, a device adapted for insertion into a conduit to form a sump comprises a barrier plate, a spacer extending from a lower surface of the barrier plate, and first and second frame members extending from an upper surface of the barrier plate at spaced-apart locations. The frame members are approximately annular and oriented obliquely to one another, and the spacer and the frame members are configured to contact interior surfaces of the conduit to positively position the barrier plate therein and urge the conduit to a bent condition, In the bent condition, a sump is formed between the lower surface of the barrier plate and the conduit adjacent to the spacer adjacent a lowest portion of the conduit. 
     In another disclosed embodiment, apparatus for separating non-gaseous matter from gaseous matter comprises a conduit having a flexible section, and a device within the flexible section forming a sump to collect the non-gaseous matter. The device comprises a barrier plate oriented generally horizontally to longitudinally divide a length of the conduit into a passageway (for the gaseous matter) above the barrier plate and a sump (for collecting the non-gaseous matter) below the barrier plate, a spacer extending from a lower surface of the barrier plate and contacting a lower inner surface of the conduit, and first and second frame members extending from an upper surface of the barrier plate at spaced-apart locations to contact an upper inner surface of the conduit above the barrier plate. The spacer and the frame member positively position the barrier plate within the conduit, and the frame members are oriented obliquely to one another to urge the flexible section of the conduit into a bent shape having a lowest portion defining the sump. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an engine system of a vehicle; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a separator device and two conduits; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the separator device of  FIG. 2  inserted within one of the conduits; 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the separator device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the separator device of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a semi-transparent perspective view of the separator device of  FIG. 2  fitted within one of the conduits. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows an engine system  10  of a vehicle. Blow-by gas in the crankcase of the engine  12  is recycled back to the engine  12  by mixing the blow-by gas with intake air  14  upstream of a turbocharger  16 . The blow-by gas may first pass through an oil and water separator  18  before flowing into a first intake air duct  20  via a side port  22 . The first intake air duct  20  is connected to a second intake air duct  24  by a clamp connector  26 . A device  30  is provided within the second intake air duct  24 . The first intake air duct  20  is connected to the turbocharger  16  and a third duct  28  connects the turbocharger  16  to the engine  12 . One or more of the ducts  20 ,  24 ,  28  may be flexible. 
       FIG. 2  shows the device  30  prior to insertion within the second intake air duct  24 . The device  30  includes a stop member or lip  32  for limiting the longitudinal insertion of the device  30 . The lip  32  is of sufficiently large radius that it abuts an end of the second intake air duct  24  to prevent further insertion. This is shown in  FIG. 3 . Then, the device  30  is restrained in its longitudinal position when the second intake air duct  24  is connected to the first intake air duct  20  using the clamp connector  26 . The lip  32  may also abut an end of the first intake air duct  20  and/or the clamp connector  26  to prevent longitudinal movement towards the first intake air duct  20 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show the device  30  in more detail and  FIG. 6  shows the device  30  within the connected ducts. The device  30  may be an injection moulded plastic such as polypropylene. 
     The device  30  comprises a barrier plate  34  having perimeter edges  34   a  which, when the device is inserted into the second intake duct  24 , are disposed immediately adjacent the inner surface of the duct to longitudinally divide a length of the second intake air duct  24 . This installed position of the device  30  (shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 ) defines a main passageway  36  above barrier plate  34  for the mix of air and blow-by gas and a sump  38  below the barrier plate  34  for unwanted fluid or matter such as snow, ice or water. 
     As seen best in  FIG. 4 , the device  30  includes spacers for positioning the barrier plate  34  above a lowest portion of the second intake air duct  24  to define the sump  38 . The spacers may comprise a first beam  40  extending in a longitudinal direction and a second beam  42  extending in a lateral direction. Both of the spacer beams  40 ,  42  may include a recess  44  to allow unwanted fluid or matter to pass from side of the beams to the other. The laterally extending second beam  42  may have an arcuate base surface so as to correspond to the circular inner surface of the conduit. Also, as explained below, the second intake air duct  24  may include a bend at the location of the device  30  and the longitudinally extending first beam  40  may have an arcuate base surface so as to correspond to the arcuate inner surface of the bend. 
     The support features may also include a contact member in the form of a rigid frame for contacting other portions of the inner surface of the second intake air duct  24 . In the depicted embodiment, the frame comprises two approximately annular rings  46 , each of which contacts substantially the entire circumference of the inner surface of the conduit at a cross section of the first intake air duct  20 . The two rings  46  are spaced apart and may be connected by struts  48 . The frame therefore contacts the inner surface of the second intake air duct  24  at two spaced-apart cross sections of the second intake air duct  24 . By “approximately annular,” it is meant that one or more of the rings  46  may not be perfectly circular, and/or may not form a complete 360° of a circle. For example, the rings  46  may be described as approximately annular although they may not extend below barrier plate  34 , as beams  40 ,  42  may be located there. 
     The two rings  46  may have rigid walls which are oriented obliquely, rather than parallel, to each other. When the device  30  is positioned within the flexible second intake air duct  24 , the obliquely oriented rings  46  impose a bend on the length of second intake air duct  24 . The imposed bend is generally U-shaped with the bight of the U downward and so the barrier plate  34  defines the sump  38  at the lowest portion of the U-shaped bend as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     The barrier plate  34  may have an approximately oval perimeter to correspond to the inner surface of the second intake air duct  24  when bent to the U-shape. However, a small clearance may be provided between the barrier plate  34  and the inner surface to allow liquid or solid matter to pass downward into the sump  38 . 
     Also, the barrier plate  34  may include an aperture  50 . The aperture  50  may be provided adjacent to a leading portion of the barrier plate  34  with respect to the direction of flow of the air  14  and blow-by gas. A louver  52  may be provided adjacent to the aperture  50  to direct unwanted fluid or matter towards the sump  38 . 
     The under-side of the barrier plate  34  may be formed to be rough to promote the adherence of ice. In contrast, the upper surface of the barrier plate  34  is preferably formed to be smooth to inhibit any build-up of ice on the upper surface. The term “rough” is to be interpreted as having a sufficiently high mechanical roughness suitable to promote adherence of the unwanted matter as will be known to the skilled person. The term “smooth” is to be interpreted as having a sufficiently low mechanical roughness suitable to inhibit adherence of the unwanted matter as will be known to the skilled person. 
     At least a portion of the barrier plate may comprise a mesh adapted to allow the passage of carried fluid to and from the sump but prevent unwanted matter from exiting the sump. The mesh may be provided at a trailing portion of the barrier plate with respect to the direction of flow of the carried fluid. 
     Alternatively or in addition, the barrier may include one or more barrier members adapted to allow the passage of carried fluid to and from the sump but prevent unwanted matter from exiting the sump. Each barrier member may comprise a protrusion or tooth. The barrier members may be provided at a trailing portion of the barrier plate with respect to the direction of flow of the carried fluid. 
     In use, the device  30  can readily be retro-fitted to an existing engine system  10 . The first and second intake air ducts are disconnected at the clamp connector  26  and the device  30  is inserted into the second intake air duct  24  until the lip  32  abuts the end of the second intake air duct  24 . The first and second intake air ducts are then reconnected which fixes the position of the device  30 . 
     During operation of the engine  12 , a mix of air and blow-by gas is drawn along the first and second intake air ducts. Any snow, ice or water present in the mix will tend to fall into the sump  38  where it will be retained. Specifically, ice particles will be small enough to pass through the aperture  50  of the barrier plate  34  but too large to pass through the clearance between the barrier plate  34  and the inner surface of the duct  24 . 
     As the engine warms, heat transferred to the second intake air duct  24  will melt any snow or ice in the sump  38 . As a fluid, the water can pass through the clearance thus emptying the sump  38 . This is assisted by intake air being directed into the sump  38  to act upon the contents of the sump  38 . The intake air is directed first by the bend geometry imposed by the device  30  and then by the position of the aperture  50  at the leading edge of the barrier plate  34  and the louver  52  provided at the aperture  50 . The sump  38  has therefore been purged and is available to collect future unwanted matter. 
     The device is inexpensive to produce and simple to install and can be retro-fitted without any modification to existing components. The device geometry can be adapted to suit any particular size of ducting (which are provided in standard sizes). 
     While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.