Patent EP-1520609-B1 (EP)
Inventor: VESPER CHRISTIAN DIPL-ING
IPC: B01D19/00
Filed: 2004-09-18
Granted: 2011-03-30
Abstract: Gas bubbles are separated and exhausted from a continuously flowing liquid that contains gas bubbles comprises deflecting the flow path of a liquid between an inlet point and a deaeration chamber and between a deaeration chamber and a discharge point so that the liquid is first deflected radially outward from the axial direction into the deaeration chamber, and then radially inward back into the axial direction. The separation and exhaustion of gas bubbles from a continuously flowing liquid (2) that contains gas bubbles during passage through a deaeration chamber between an inlet point (1) and a discharge point (3) comprises locating the deaeration chamber (6) between a flow of liquid at the inlet point and a flow of liquid at the discharge point that run at least essentially in the same axial direction; providing a lower pressure on the outside of the deaeration chamber than in the deaeration chamber; providing the deaeration chamber with at least a section of at least one wall made of a gas separation material that repels liquid, but is permeable to gas; causing the liquid to flow from at least one of the inlet to deaeration chamber via an inlet filter and from the deaeration chamber to the outlet to pass through a discharge filter (7), at least one filter is made of a material that absorbs the liquid and that forms pores or small channels; matching the delivery pressure of the liquid, the flow resistance of the gas separation material of the deaeration chamber and the liquid absorbency of the at least one discharge filter to one another such that the gas bubbles contained in the liquid, to a large extent, escape to the outside through the wall; and causing the flow path of the liquid to be deflected between the inlet point and the deaeration chamber and between the deaeration chamber and the discharge point so that the liquid is deflected from the axial direction, first radially outward into the deaeration chamber and then radially inward back into the axial direction for separating the gas from the liquid by the gas separation material independently of the position of the deaeration chamber. An independent claim is included for a device for separating and exhausting gas bubbles from a continuously flowing liquid, comprising an inlet point for the entry of a liquid containing gas bubbles and a discharge point for the discharge of the liquid from the device; a deaeration chamber downstream of the inlet point in a flow direction of the liquid; and a mechanism for producing a higher pressure in the deaeration chamber than on the outside of the deaeration chamber. The deaeration chamber is bordered by walls, where at least a wall section is formed of a gas separation material that repels liquid, but is permeable to gas. At least one of an inlet filter and a discharge filter is provided, respectively, in an inlet flow from the inlet to deaeration chamber or in a discharge flow from the deaeration chamber to the outlet. At least one filter is made of a material that absorbs the liquid and forms pores or small channels. The delivery pressure of the liquid, the flow resistance of the gas separation material of the deaeration chamber and the liquid absorbency of the at least one filter is matched to one another such that gas bubbles that are contained in the liquid are caused to escape to a large extent outward through the gas separation. The deaeration chamber is annular to enable gas to be separated from the liquid by the gas separation material independently of the position of the deaeration chamber.