Patent ID: 7964009

Claim:
An inertial gas-liquid separator for removing liquid particles from a gas-liquid stream comprising a housing directing said gas-liquid stream from upstream to downstream therethrough, said housing having an inlet receiving said gas-liquid stream, an outlet discharging a gas stream, and a drain port discharging separated liquid, said housing having a housing sleeve directing gas-liquid flow axially along a downstream axial flow direction against an axially movable plunger which is biased in an upstream axial direction against said downstream axial flow, variable nozzle orifice jet structure co-acting between said housing sleeve and said plunger and accelerating said gas-liquid stream radially therethrough against an inertial impactor collector in said housing for liquid particle separation, said variable orifice jet nozzle structure having a variable orifice area variable along said axial direction and dependent upon axial movement of said plunger relative to said housing sleeve, wherein: said plunger has a laterally spanning disc facing axially upstream and impinged by said gas-liquid stream flowing axially downstream through said housing sleeve and against said disc, the greater the pressure of said gas-liquid stream the greater the axial downstream movement of said plunger against the bias thereof and the greater said variable orifice area; said plunger has a plunger sleeve extending axially upstream from said disc and telescopically axially slidable along said housing sleeve in guided relation; said variable orifice jet nozzle structure is formed along said plunger sleeve; said plunger sleeve is axially telescopically movable between retracted and extended positions relative to said housing sleeve, said extended position being in said downstream axial direction against said bias and increasing said variable orifice area; said plunger sleeve comprises a circumferential sidewall extending axially upstream from said disc; said variable orifice jet nozzle structure formed along said plunger sleeve comprises one or more axially elongated slots extending axially along and radially through said sidewall and passing said gas-liquid stream radially therethrough; said slots define legs therebetween formed by portions of said circumferential sidewall; said legs are circumferentially spaced by said slots therebetween and extend axially upstream from said disc to respective radially outwardly extending feet; said feet have a respective first stop surface facing axially downstream; said housing has a second stop surface facing axially upstream and spaced axially downstream from said first stop surface; and comprising a compression spring circumscribing said legs and said slots, and have an upstream axial end bearing against said first stop surface, and have a downstream axial end bearing against said second stop surface.