Abstract:
Rotating coalescer crankcase ventilation (CV) systems are described. The described CV systems utilize a contact seal to seal a gap between a static side of a housing and a rotating coalescer inlet. The rotating coalescer may be driven mechanically, electrically, hydraulically, or the like. The contact seal can be formed via a soft solid or a liquid film created by oil. Accordingly, the contact seal is a hydrodynamic soft seal. The contact seal prevents the blowby gases from bypassing the filter element of the rotating coalescer. At the same time, the contact seal may be broken during positive blowby gas recirculation circumstances because the contact seal is a hydrodynamic soft seal.
Abstract:
A separation assembly comprises a housing, a jet that expels a fluid within the housing, and a turbine positioned within the housing and positioned so as to be contacted by the fluid expelled from the jet. The fluid causes the turbine to rotate about a center rotational axis within the housing. The turbine comprises a first axial end, a second axial end, and a plurality of vanes extending axially relative to the center rotational axis from the first axial end to the second axial end. The plurality of vanes defines axially-extending channels between each of the plurality of vanes. The first axial end is axially open such that fluid can flow unblocked axially through the first axial end and into the channels. The jet is positioned such that at least a portion of the fluid enters into the turbine through the first axial end.
Abstract:
Fuel filtration systems having an automatic drain assembly for water that accumulates in the filter housing are described. The filtration system includes a filter media that is configured to remove particulate matter and dispersed water contained within the fuel. The water is drained to a drain reservoir within the filter housing where the water collects. When the water reaches a threshold level, a controller initiates a warning to the engine operator, such as a dashboard light, that instructs the operator to shut the engine off. When the engine is shut off, the collected water is drained through a valve of the automatic drain assembly. In some arrangements, the automatic drain assembly can be retrofitted to existing fuel filtration systems thereby reducing the cost of fitting the automatic drain assembly to existing internal combustion engines.
Abstract:
A separation assembly comprises a housing, a jet that expels a fluid within the housing, and a turbine assembly positioned within the housing and positioned so as to be contacted by the fluid expelled from the jet. The fluid causes the turbine assembly to rotate about a center rotational axis within the housing. The turbine assembly comprises a first turbine portion and a second turbine portion that are separately formed from each other and attachable together. The first turbine portion comprises a plurality of first vanes and the second turbine portion comprises a plurality of second vanes.
Abstract:
Various rotating coalescer elements are described. The rotating coalescer elements include various arrangements of stacked separator discs or cones. In some arrangements, the described rotating coalescer elements include a combination of stacked separator discs or cones and filter media. In some arrangements, the stacked separator discs are designed to provide the largest possible amount of radial-projected separation surface area in a given rotating cylindrical volume, where flow to be cleaned is passing radially (outwardly or inwardly) through the rotating coalescer element. In some arrangements, this is achieved by stacking non-conical separating plates containing various area-maximizing features (e.g., spiral ribs, axial cylinders, spiral grooves, or spiral "V" shapes).
Abstract:
Rotating coalescer crankcase ventilation (CV) systems are described. The described CV systems utilize a pumping pressure created by the porous media of the rotating coalescer to maintain positive recirculation of filtered blowby gases through a potential leak gap between a static housing inlet and a spinning component of the rotating coalescer. In some arrangements, the porous media is fibrous media. The filter media may be pleated or non-pleated. The positive recirculation caused by the pressure balance prevents unfiltered blowby gases from bypassing the media of the rotating coalescer from the upstream side to the downstream side of the filter media through the gap. During operation, the pressure balance between the upstream side and downstream side of the filter media maintains the positive recirculation, which in turn maintains a high filtration efficiency.
Abstract:
A filter element comprises a filter media and a restriction indicator device. The restriction indicator device comprises an attachment portion and a movable portion. The attachment portion is attachable to a portion of the filter assembly. The movable portion is movable relative to the attachment portion between a non-buckled position and a buckled position. The movable portion moves from the non-buckled position to the buckled position once a predetermined pressure drop between an upstream side and a downstream side of the movable portion of the restriction indicator device is met.
Abstract:
A filter that is retained in a shell housing by the use of a snap connection. The filter includes an endplate having snap features that interact with a groove in an inner portion of the shell housing. The groove may extend 360 degrees around an inner circumference of the shell housing. Accordingly, when the shell is unthreaded from the head for service (e.g., during a filter replacement service), the shell only needs to be displaced the length of the inner radial seal interface between the shell and the head, not the entire length of the filter media thereby minimizing the stroke length needed to service the filter assembly.
Abstract:
An axial flow element for use in a liquid separation system for an internal combustion engine includes a hub, a groove, a locking member, and a flat layer. The hub includes a cylindrical outer surface. The groove is disposed in the outer surface. The groove extends in a substantially longitudinal direction along the hub from a first end of the hub to a second end of the hub. The locking member is disposed in the groove. The flat layer is disposed between the hub and the locking member.
Abstract:
A rotating separator includes a filter housing extending axially along a longitudinal axis and a filter element positioned within the filter housing. The filter element includes a first endplate and a second endplate operatively coupled to the first endplate, a first element core and a second element core positioned between the first endplate and the second endplate and configured to filter a contaminate from a fluid. An interior cavity is defined between the first endplate, the second endplate, the first element core, and the second element core. Fluid flowing through the filter element enters the interior cavity and is split between and flows in parallel through the first element core and the second element core.