Patent Description:
Coalescing removal separators are devices typically installed on hydronic HVAC systems to remove entrained gases (such as air) and solid particles (such as iron oxide) from the fluid flowing through the system. Gasses trapped in a hydronic system lead to potentially harmful corrosion. Solid particulates collect into sediment that can foul moving components in pumps or valves and damage sensors in the system. By way of example, the assignee of the present invention currently manufactures an Enhanced Air Separator (EAS), which can be found at https://www. com/en-us/brands/bell-gossett/bell--gossett-products/all-bell-gossett-products/enhanced-air-separator--eas/.

Coalescing removal separators work by passing the system fluid into a tank, through a coalescent media, and back to the system. The action of passing the fluid through the media enables the entrained gasses and particles to be removed from the system. The media disrupts the fluid flow and slows the fluid velocity, which allows gas bubbles to come out of solution and, through their natural buoyancy, float to the top of the separator tank to be vented out of the system. Likewise, the reduction in fluid velocity allows solids in the fluid, which are heavier than the system fluid to come out of solution and drop to the bottom of the tank to be removed through a blow-down action. The media also provides a surface for dissolved gasses and solids to collect, or coalesce, around. As more dissolved gas or solids pass through the media pack, the molecules will continue to coalesce until they are either buoyant enough to float to the top or heavy enough to drop to the bottom.

One problem with current coalescing removal separator media is that they significantly increase the pressure drop of the unit, which can negatively impact the overall system efficiency. Another issue is that they may not effectively remove gasses or solids due to their designs.

Other brush type media has been used for coalescing separation in hydronic systems, however, the brush media is tightly bundled and the bristles are randomly intermeshed. This also increases the pressure drop of a separator unit. The tightly bundled random bristles do not effectively allow for removal of solids. As solids can collect and build up in the random bristles, the pressure drop will continue to increase as well, further reducing the efficiency of the hydronic system.

Moreover, it is also noted that Fabricated Products in the UK manufactures a separator with brush media as well. These units utilize brushes that are randomly arranged and tightly packed, which increases pressure drop and reduces system efficiency. Both of these types of product do not do a good enough job at eliminating system contaminants. An apparatus comprising a coalescing removal separator including a separator tank having a tank wall configured to form a volume/ or chamber inside the separator tank and a coalescing media arranged in the volume or chamber of the separator tank according to the preamble of claim <NUM> is known from <CIT>. Similar apparatuses are known from <CIT> and <CIT>.

In summary, the present invention provides a coalescing separator media that improves the pressure drop characteristics across the separator while improving the ability of the device to more effectively remove gasses and solids from the system fluid. This media consists of a series of helically wound brushes arranged such that the brushes fill a large portion of the volume of the separator tank and their bristles are intertwined. Preferably, the media consists of a series of helically wound stainless steel brushes. The fluid flows through the brush media making contact with the bristles and stem to slow down the fluid velocity, enabling the entrained gasses and solids to come out of solution and either rise or sink, respectively. Bristles and stems of the brush media provide multiple surfaces for dissolved gasses and solids to coalesce around.

The helical winding of the brush media serves two purposes. First, the helix formed from the bristle winding encourages the entrained gas bubbles, or those formed through the coalescence of the dissolved gasses, to rise to the top of the separator tank to be vented. Second, the helical shape of the brush bristles allows the bristles to intertwine without interfering with each other. This interference can lead to increased pressure drop across the separator.

The brush media is to be held together with a pair of base plates, one at the top and one in the bottom. The media plates are to have a sufficient open area to permit gas bubbles to rise to the top of the separator and solids to fall to the bottom.

According to some embodiments, the present invention may take the form of an apparatus featuring a coalescing removal separator that includes:.

The coalescing media includes a series of helically wound brushes. Further, the coalescing media includes top and bottom plates configured to couple together the series of helically wound brushes for arranging, placing or mounting the coalescing media inside the separator tank.

The apparatus may also include one or more of the following features:
The at least one helically wound brush may include at least one helically wound stainless steel brush.

The intertwined bristles and the stem are configured to contact the fluid flowing through the coalescing media to slow down the velocity of the fluid enabling the entrained air and solid particles to come out of the fluid and either rise to the top of the separator tank or fall to the bottom of the separator tank.

The top and bottom plates may include top and bottom openings configured or formed therein to enable the entrained air and solid particles that come out of the fluid either to rise to the top of the separator tank or fall to the bottom of the separator tank.

The system may be embodied as a hydronic HVAC system having the coalescing removal separator arranged therein to remove the entrained gas and solid particles from the fluid flowing in the hydronic HVAC system.

The separator tank may include a top vent configured to vent the entrained gas from the separator tank and remove them from the hydronic HVAC system.

The separator tank may include a bottom blow-down configured to provide the solid particles from the separator tank and remove them from the hydronic HVAC system.

According to some embodiments, the present invention may take the form of a coalescing removal separator featuring an inlet, a separator tank and an outlet.

The inlet may be configured to provide a fluid flowing through a system having entrained gases and solid particles at a fluid velocity.

The separator tank may include a top vent, a bottom blow-down, and at least one stem with a series of helically wound stainless steel brushes arranged thereon configured to:.

The outlet may be configured to provide processed fluid from the separator tank to the system that is free of the coalesced gases and the coalesced solid particles.

The drawing, which is not necessarily drawn to scale, includes <FIG>, as follows:.

Similar parts or components in Figures are labeled with similar reference numerals and labels for consistency. Every lead line and associated reference label for every element is not included in every Figure of the drawing to reduce clutter in the drawing as a whole.

<FIG> shows apparatus generally indicated as <NUM> in the form of a coalescing removal separator having a separator tank <NUM> and a coalescing media <NUM> as shown in further detail in <FIG>.

The separator tank <NUM> has a separator input I configured to receive fluid F flowing through a system (not shown) having entrained gasses G and solid particles P. The separator tank <NUM> has a tank wall W configured to form a volume/chamber C inside the separator tank <NUM> to process the fluid F. The separator tank <NUM> also has a separator output O configured to provide processed fluid FP that is free of at least some of the entrained gasses G and solid particles P.

The coalescing media <NUM> is arranged in the volume/chamber C of the separator tank <NUM>, and has at least one helically wound brush <NUM> with a stem S and intertwined bristles (IB) substantially filling the volume/chamber C of the separator tank <NUM> and being configured to enable the at least some of the entrained gasses G and solid particles P to come out of the fluid F, e.g., as coalesced gases and coalesced solid particles.

The invention is not intended to be limited to the amount of the entrained gasses G and the solid particles P freed from the fluid F. For example, embodiments are envisioned, and the invention is intended to include, freeing at least some of the entrained gasses G and solid particles P from the fluid F in some applications, freeing most of the entrained gasses G and solid particles P from the fluid F in other applications, as well as freeing substantially all of the entrained gasses G and solid particles P from the fluid F in still other applications.

By way of example, the coalescing media <NUM> may include a series of helically wound brushes <NUM>, which is best shown in <FIG>. <FIG> show the coalescing media <NUM> having seven helically wound brushes <NUM>, although the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular number of helically wound brushes <NUM>. For instance, embodiments are envisioned, and the invention is intended to include, using more than seven helically wound brushes <NUM>, or fewer than seven helically wound brushes <NUM>. In <FIG>, the seven helically wound brushes <NUM> are symmetrically arranged in three rows having a <NUM>-<NUM>-<NUM> format, although the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular arrangement or formatting of the helically wound brushes <NUM>.

The helically wound brushes <NUM> may include, or take the form of, at least one helically wound stainless steel brush, although the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of the material, of which the helically wound brushes <NUM> are made. For example, embodiments are envisioned, and the invention is intended to include, using other types or kinds of materials either now known or later developed in the future.

The stem S and the intertwined bristles IB are configured to contact the fluid F flowing through the coalescing media <NUM> to slow down the velocity of the fluid F enabling the entrained gasses G and solid particles P to come out of the fluid F, coalesce, and either rise to the top T of the separator tank <NUM> or fall to the bottom B of the separator tank <NUM>. Helically wound brushes having a stem and intertwined bristles are known in the art, and the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular way in which the stem S and the intertwined bristles IB are configured. By way of example, and as one skilled in the art would appreciate, the term "intertwined" may be understood to mean "to unite by twining one with another" and the term "twine" may be understood to mean "to coil about a support.

The coalescing media <NUM> may include top and bottom plates PT, PB configured to couple together the series of helically wound brushes <NUM> for arranging, placing or mounting the coalescing media <NUM> inside the separator tank <NUM>. Consistent with that shown in <FIG>, the coalescing media <NUM> may arranged or placed in the separator tank <NUM>, or may be mounted in the separator tank <NUM>, although the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of arrangement, placement, or mounting of the coalescing media <NUM> inside the separator tank <NUM>. By way of example, and consistent with that shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the stems S of the helically wound brushes <NUM> are connected to the top and bottom plates PT, PB. These connections may take the form of welding the stems S of the helically wound brushes <NUM> to the top and bottom plates PT, PB, or epoxying the stems S of the brushes <NUM> to the top and bottom plates PT, PB, although the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of connection of the stems S of the helically wound brushes <NUM> to the top and bottom plates PT, PB. For example, embodiments are envisioned, and the invention is intended to include, using other types or kinds of connections either now known or later developed in the future.

The top and bottom plates PT, PB may include top and bottom openings OT, Os configured or formed therein to enable the entrained gasses G and solid particles P that come out of the fluid F either to rise to the top T of the separator tank <NUM> or fall to the bottom B of the separator tank <NUM>. <FIG>, <FIG> show the top and bottom plates PT, PB having twelve top and bottom openings OT, OB, although the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular number of top and bottom openings OT, OB. For example, embodiments are envisioned, and the invention is intended to include, using more than twelve top and bottom openings OT, OB, or fewer than twelve top and bottom openings OT, OB. In <FIG>, <FIG>, the twelve top and bottom openings OT, OB are symmetrically arranged in four rows having a <NUM>-<NUM>-<NUM>-<NUM> format, although the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular arrangement or formatting of the twelve top and bottom openings OT, OB.

The apparatus <NUM> may include a hydronic HVAC system having the coalescing removal separator <NUM> arranged therein to remove the entrained gasses G and solid particles P from the fluid F flowing in the hydronic HVAC system.

The separator tank <NUM> may include a top vent V configured to vent the entrained gasses G from the separator tank <NUM> and remove them from the system.

The separator tank <NUM> may include a bottom blow-down BB configured to provide the solid particles P from the separator tank <NUM> and remove them from the system.

The embodiments shown and described in detail herein are provided by way of example only; and the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular configurations, dimensionalities, and/or design details of these parts or elements included herein. In other words, one skilled in the art would appreciate that design changes to these embodiments may be made such that the resulting embodiments would be different than the embodiments disclosed herein but would still be within the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

It should be understood that, unless stated otherwise herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives or modifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein may also be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodiment described herein.

Claim 1:
Apparatus (<NUM>) comprising a coalescing removal separator including:
a separator tank (<NUM>) having a separator input (I) configured to receive a fluid (F) flowing through a system having entrained gas (G) and solid particles (P), having a tank wall (W) configured to form a volume or chamber (C) inside the separator tank (<NUM>) to process the fluid (F), and having a separator output (O) configured to provide processed fluid (FP) that is free of at least some of the entrained gas (G) and solid particles (P);
a coalescing media (<NUM>) arranged in the volume or chamber (C) of the separator tank (<NUM>), the coalescing media (<NUM>) having a series of brushes (<NUM>) substantially filling the volume/ or chamber (C) of the separator tank (<NUM>) and being configured to enable the at least some of the entrained gas (G) and solid particles (P) to come out of the fluid (F);
the separator tank (<NUM>) has a top vent (V) configured to vent the entrained gas (G) from the separator tank (<NUM>) and remove them from the system, and a bottom blow-down (BB) configured to remove the solid particles (P) from the separator tank (<NUM>) and remove them from the system; and
the coalescing media (<NUM>) comprises top and bottom plates (PT, PB) configured to couple together the series of brushes (<NUM>) for arranging, placing or mounting the coalescing media (<NUM>) inside the separator tank (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the coalescing media (<NUM>) comprises a series of helically wound brushes (<NUM>) each with a stem (S) and intertwined bristles (IB), and
the top and bottom plates (PT, PB) are configured to couple together the series of helically wound brushes (<NUM>).