Abstract:
A manifold for a lube oil or oil seal apparatus includes a block having a plurality of ports on exterior surfaces. A plurality of passages extend through the block to fluidically couple certain of the ports. In one aspect, a pair of ports on different exterior surfaces are coupled by a common passages to enable a fluid operative device attachable to one of the ports to be mounted on either side of the manifold. In another aspect, mounting connections are provided on the block for attachment to complementary mounting connections on a filter to directly mount the filter to the block. In another aspect, certain of the ports are defined for receiving a fluid responsive instrument.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Large process pumps and drivers often use hydrodynamic bearings due to their established reliability over anti-friction bearings at high bearing surface velocity. The oil film that forms in bearings provides the needed separation between the pump shaft and pump bearings. This continuously replenished oil film also removes bearing heat and wear parties. A constant oil supply is essential to keep the bearing system in balance. A loss of oil supply means a loss of cooling, loss of oil film properties, and eventually the loss of a bearing.  
         [0002]      FIG. 1  shows a prior art API610, 8th edition Lube Oil System schematic. The base system requires the main lube oil pump to be shaft driven off of the process pump. A single auxiliary lube oil pump is electric motor driven. The balance of the system includes an oil reservoir, single shell and tube cooler, and a duplex filter. Each pump is equipped with its own relief and check valves. Typical pump drivers include turbines, AC motors, DC motors, process equipment shafts, and air motors. Instrumentation includes three pressure switches, one pressure differential indicator, two pressure gauges, two thermometers and a sight glass on the oil reservoir.  
         [0003]     An essential element to maintaining a constant oil supply requires * continual and frequent maintenance of the filter element. Replacing the filter element regularly increases bearing life. In order to avoid a lengthy disruption of the operation of the pump for filter cleaning, a duplex filter is typically employed. The duplex filter is equipped with two closely coupled, two-positioned, three-way, continuous flow transfer valves. This feature allows one filter to be on-line; while the other filter is being serviced.  
         [0004]     Due to the number of separate elements described above which are employed in an API Standard lube oil system, manifolds are employed in the form of solid metal blocks have a plurality of bores of varying sizes drilled in through from various exterior surfaces and interconnected internally within the block with or without check valves to provide fluid flow passages between various lube oil system components coupled to the manifold.  
         [0005]     However, prior manifold designs have been provided with a limited versatility. For example, prior lube oil system manifold designs have the duplex filter mounted separately from the manifold and connected to the manifold by typically lengthy pipes, each with its own end fittings. This has resulted in increased complexity of the construction to the lube oil system as well as increasing the cost of the system.  
         [0006]     Prior lube oil system manifolds have also been provided with single component connections on one exterior surface of the manifold. This has resulted in a need to construct two oppositely formed manifolds for left and right-hand manifold mounting on the lube oil system platform. This has further increased the cost of the lube oil system and has required additional components due to the need for two different manifold designs.  
         [0007]     Finally, prior lube oil systems have the instrumentation mounted in pipes, rather than to the manifold, which has increased the assembly time and cost of the lube oil system.  
         [0008]     Thus, it would be desirable to design a manifold for a lube oil system which simplifies the mounting of the lube oil system filter as well as providing dual mounts for many of the components of a lube oil system which are connected to the manifold to enable the use of the same manifold of both left and right-hand lube oil system configurations. It would also be desirable to provide a manifold for a lube oil system that has direct mounting for instrumentation on the manifold.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0009]     The present invention is a manifold for a lube oil or seal oil apparatus.  
         [0010]     In one aspect, the manifold includes a block having a plurality of exterior surfaces with a plurality of ports formed on the exterior surfaces. A plurality of passages are formed in the block and fluidically coupled to certain of the ports. Two ports on one external surface of the block having mounting fitting connections associated therewith. A filter with complementary connections mounted to the mounting fittings on the block in fluid flow communication with certain of the passages in the block.  
         [0011]     In another aspect, the manifold includes a block having a plurality of exterior surfaces with a plurality of ports formed on the exterior surfaces. A plurality of passages are formed in the block and fluidically coupled to certain of the port. At least one pair of ports associated with a common passage disposed on different exterior surfaces of the block, the pair of at least one port providing alternate fluidic couplings to an identical fluid operative device coupled to either of the ports on the different surfaces of the block.  
         [0012]     In yet another aspect, the manifold includes a file block having a plurality of exterior surfaces with a plurality of ports formed on the exterior surfaces. A plurality of passages are formed in the block and fluidically coupled to certain of the ports. Certain of the plurality of ports are adapted for mounting fluidic operative instruments on the block.  
         [0013]     Another aspect, the invention is a method of manufacturing a manifold for a lube oil or seal oil apparatus. The method comprises the steps of:  
         [0014]     forming a block with a plurality of exterior surfaces;  
         [0015]     forming a plurality of ports on the exterior surfaces;  
         [0016]     forming a plurality of passages in the block fluidically coupled to certain of the ports;  
         [0017]     providing two of the ports with mounting connections; and  
         [0018]     mounting a filter with complementary mounting connections to the mounting connections on the block to fluidically couple the filter to the two ports and at least one of the passages in the block.  
         [0019]     In another aspect, the method may alternately include the step of interconnecting certain ports on different exterior surfaces of the block with a common passage to facilitate the mounting of a fluid operative device to the ports on at least two different exterior surfaces of the block.  
         [0020]     In yet another aspect, the method may include the step of providing mounting connections on the block for directly mounting fluid operative instruments on the block.  
         [0021]     The present manifold affords numerous advantages over previous manifolds for lube oil or seal oil systems. The present manifold allows the lube oil or seal system filter to be mounted directly to the manifold thereby eliminating interconnecting piping, reducing pressure drop within the oil flow circuit, and reducing assembly costs require to mount the filter to the system. The manifold also allows the orientation of the main and auxiliary lube oil or seal oil pumps to be located on either side of the manifold thereby again reducing the cost to assemble the system. The present manifold also allows the orientation of heat exchanger to be located on either side of the manifold again reducing costs to assemble the apparatus.  
         [0022]     The present manifold also provides connection points for pressure, differential pressure, and temperature sensors on the manifold thereby contributing to a cost reduction in assembling the apparatus. The manifold is designed to accommodate multiple circuits, such a lube oil system and a seal oil system, and variations thereof The manifold is internally cored to support the need for low pressure associated with lube oil systems, and the flexibility to obtain high pressures associated with a seal oil system.  
         [0023]     The present manifold also provides additional advantageous including lower pressure drop, flexibility of design and cost reductions through the elimination of previously required piping and connection components. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]     The various features, advantages and other uses of the present invention will become more apparent by referring to the following detailed description and drawing in which:  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a prior art API610, 8th edition, lube oil system;  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of a prior art lube system manifold showing the fluid mounting connections to a duplex filter;  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the piping and instrumentation of a lube oil system manifold according to the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a rear left perspective view of a manifold according to the present invention showing the interior bore flow passages;  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the manifold of  FIGS. 2-4  with the filter mounted on one surface;  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a left-hand elevational view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a right-hand elevational view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  is a bottom elevational view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 10  is a rear elevational view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0035]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged, frontal, elevational view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 , depicting a portion of the internal bore flow passages;  
         [0036]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged, bottom, elevational view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 , depicting a portion of the internal bore flow passages;  
         [0037]      FIG. 13  is an enlarged, left-hand, elevational view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 , depicting a portion of the internal bore flow passages; and  
         [0038]      FIG. 14  is an enlarged, right side, elevational view of the manifold shown in  FIG. 5 , depicting a portion of the internal bore flow passages. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0039]     Referring now to the drawing, and to  FIGS. 2-14  in particular, there is depicted a manifold  20  for use in connecting various components of a lube oil or seal oil supply system of a large process pump and drive apparatus.  
         [0040]     The various components are attached to various ports on the manifold  20  and piped to other components in the pump and drive apparatus to complete the oil flow circuit of the pump and driver apparatus.  
         [0041]     The manifold  20 , according to the present invention, preferably is formed of a sold block of high strength material, such as a metal, preferably steel.  
         [0042]     The block  20 , which may have any shape, by example only has a generally polygonal shape in the form of a square or a rectangle formed by a front surface  22 , a back or rear surface  24 , opposed left and right side surfaces  26  and  28 , a top surface  30  and a bottom surface  32 .  
         [0043]     A plurality of ports are formed on the various surfaces of the manifold  20  and internally coupled in fluid communication with selected other ports to provide fluid flow connections and passageways between various components mounted on the manifold  20  in fluid communication with the ports.  
         [0044]     According to one feature of the present invention, at least one and preferably several of the internal bore passageways provide identical function ports on two different surfaces, such as the front surface  22  and the rear surface  24 , of the manifold  20  to provide increased flexibility in using the manifold  20  with different pump and driver configurations in both left-hand and right-hand mounting configurations. The dual ports enable fluid connections to the same component to be made on either of the different surfaces of the manifold  20 .  
         [0045]     The various bores or passageways within the manifold  20  will now be described in combination with the respective ports associated with each passageway on the exterior surfaces of the manifold  20 .  
         [0046]     As shown in  FIGS. 4, 5 , and  11 - 14 , a first passageway  40  is formed internally within the manifold  20  and is fluidically coupled to a first port  42 , also labeled on the rear surface  24 , a second port  44  also labeled PCV- 1 -out, on the rear surface  24  and a pair of third and forth ports  46  and  48 , both located on the front surface  22  of the manifold  20  and labeled RPIC. A fifth port  50  opens from the passageway  40  on the bottom surface  32  of the manifold  20 . The port  50  is, by way of example only, in one application labeled TK and provided with a conduit connection to an oil reservoir.  
         [0047]     As shown in  FIGS. 4-14 , a pair of relief valves  52  and  54 , which can be RPIC-LEN Sun Relief Valve Cartridges, are mounted in the passage  40  through the ports  46  and  48  to provide pressure relief between the passageway  40  and a second fluid flow passage  60 . The passage  60  is actually formed of two separate passages  62  and  64  which are substantially identically constructed. The passage  62  includes first and second ports  66  and  68  labeled P 3  and located on the front and rear surfaces  22  and  24 , respectively, each also located on the front and rear surfaces  22  and  24  of the manifold  20 . The passage  64  includes ports  70  and  72  labeled P 4 . Interconnecting bores extend as part of each of the passages  62  and  64  to the relief valves  52  and  54 .  
         [0048]     The connections to the ports P 3  and P 4 , which have mounting holes formed on each of the front and rear surfaces  22  and  24  of the manifold  20  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 10 , respectively, receive pipe or conduit connections to a main pump motor and an auxiliary pump motor, each fluidically coupled to an oil reservoir, all not shown.  
         [0049]     Also mounted at one end portion of each of the passages  62  and  64  are check valves, such as CXHA-XAN Sun check valve cartridges. The check valves denoted by reference numbers  71  and  73  in  FIG. 3  provide unidirectional fluid flow from the passages  62  and  64  to a third main passage  80 . The passage  80  includes a pair of ports  82  and  84 , labeled HEA 1  and T 1 - 1 , which provide external connection to an oil cooler, not shown. Another port  85  is on the top surface  30  of the manifold  20  and is interconnected with the passage  80 . This port  85 , also labeled GP 7  can be used to provide an external connection to an external block and bleed valve and pressure gauge, not shown.  
         [0050]     As shown in  FIGS. 4-8  and  10 , two additional bores extend from ports  86  and  88  of the top surface  30  of the manifold  20  to a open connection with the passage  80 . These bores  86  and  88  provide access for mounting of the check valves  70  and  72  in the passage  80  at the junction of selected portions of the passage  80  and the passage  60  as described above and shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0051]     A fourth passage  100  is also formed internally within the manifold  20  and includes ports  102 ,  104 ,  106  and  108 . The ports  102  and  104 , also labeled T 1 - 2  and HEA 2 , are located on the front and rear surfaces  22  and  24 , respectively, of the manifold  20  and provide fluid connections for conduits from the external oil cooler and a temperature gauge. The port  108 , also labeled GP 8 , is located on the top surface  30  provides an external access for a peripheral gauge or valve, as may be needed in certain applications.  
         [0052]     The port  106  is located on the left side surface of the manifold  20  and provides a flow path to an external filter  10 .  
         [0053]     A fifth passage  120  is also formed internally within manifold  20 . The passage  120  includes a plurality of outlets paired on the front and rear surfaces  22  and  24  of the manifold  20 . The port pair includes outlets  122  and  124 , also labeled GP 3  and GP 1  respectively, port pair  126  and  128 , also labeled GP 4  and GP 2 , and port pair  130  and  132 , also labeled GP 5  and PCVIN. Additional ports on the passage  120  include ports  134  and  136  located on the bottom surface  30  of the manifold  20 . The port  134  is also labeled GP 6 . The port  136  on the bottom surface  32  is labeled LOS and provides a fluid connection to an external lube oil supply. One last port  140  is coupled in fluid communication with the passageway  120  and opens to the left side surface  26  of the manifold  20 . The outlet  140  is also labeled F 2 .  
         [0054]     The ports F 1  and F 2  are surrounded by a mounting hole connection pattern suitable for alignment with a mating mounting hole connection pattern formed on connection pads  142  and  144  shown in  FIG. 7 , on a filter means  110 . By example only, the filter means can be a duplex filter assembly, such as one sold by INDUFIL as model number IDGL-1-135-1″. The duplex filter assembly  110  has an integral transfer valve  146 , vent and drain connections, and internal seal. The integral transfer valve  146  is actuated by a manually movable lever  148  to switch the duplex filter  110  from internal connections between a first filter element  150  and a second filter element  152 . This allows the non-connected filter element to be replaced, removed for cleaning or repair.  
         [0055]     The port pairs primarily located on the front and back surfaces  22  and  24  of the manifold  20  provide opposed surfaces to enable the manifold  20  to be mounted in different orientations to accommodate left-hand and right-hand pump and drive configurations. For example, the port pairs  66  and  68  for port P 3  and  70  and  72  for port P 4  are mounted on the front and rear surfaces  22  and  24 , respectively. Likewise, ports  122  and  124 , GP- 3  and GP- 1 , and ports  126  and  128 , GP- 4  and GP- 2  are aligned on opposite front and rear surfaces  22  and  24  of the manifold  20  to accommodate a single fluid operative component connectable to the passage  120  on either of the front and rear surfaces through one of the aligned ports.  
         [0056]     With any of the ports, if a port on one of the passages in the manifold  20  is not connected to an external instrument or pipe, it is blocked by a threaded cap or other closure member.  
         [0057]     In summary, there has been disclosed a manifold for a pump and driver apparatus which overcomes numerous deficiencies found in prior art pump and driver manifolds. The present manifold allows a lube oil or seal system filter to be mounted directly to the manifold thereby eliminating interconnecting piping, reducing pressure drop within the oil flow circuit, and reducing assembly costs to mount the filter to the system. The manifold also allows the orientation of the main and auxiliary lube oil or seal oil pumps to be located on either side of the manifold thereby again reducing the cost to assemble the system. The present manifold also allows the orientation and heat exchanger to be located on either side of the manifold again reducing costs to assemble the apparatus.  
         [0058]     The present manifold also provides connection points for pressure, differential pressure, and temperature sensors on the manifold thereby contributing to a cost reduction in assembling the apparatus. The manifold is designed to accommodate multiple circuits, such a lube oil system and a seal oil system, and variations thereof The manifold is internally cored to support the need for low pressure associated with lube oil systems, and the flexibility to obtain high pressures associated with a seal oil system.