Patent ID: 10975892

Abstract:
A hydraulic reservoir (10), for use for example in a marine pleasure craft, comprises a vortex chamber (16), a hydraulic fluid return line (18) and a hydraulic fluid suction line (20) respective entering and exiting substantially tangentially to an internal wall surface of the vortex chamber. An upper chamber (26) is disposed above the vortex chamber (16) and in fluid communication with the vortex chamber. The upper chamber is capable of expansion and/or contraction in use in order to adjust continuously to the volume of the hydraulic fluid to be accommodated in the hydraulic reservoir. Also disclosed is a method of operating such a hydraulic reservoir, in which hydraulic fluid is directed into the vortex chamber (16) along the hydraulic fluid return line (18) and extracting hydraulic fluid from the vortex chamber along the hydraulic fluid suction line (20), to thereby generate a vortex flow in the vortex chamber. Dissolved air, if present, becomes entrained into bubbles which rise to the upper chamber (26). Expansion and/or contraction of the upper chamber (26) is provided in order to adjust continuously to the volume of the hydraulic fluid to be accommodated in the hydraulic reservoir (10).