US1776554A - Liquid separator - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES Haarsma KNIGHT W. GALE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA LIQUID SEPARATOR Application led .Tune 21,

This invention relates to improvements in liquid separators and more particularly to centrifugal machine for grading a desirable content and separating therefrom an undesirable content, from, for example, lubricating oil, such as in crank cases of internal combustion engines.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a machine of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, involving a bowl having a varying diameter and rotatable for forming vertical strata of a fluid content according to the specific densities of its several elements and a discharge for each of the several elements with means at each discharge for grading and controlling the discharge of the several stratified and separated elements.

My improvements consist in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter fully, clearly and concisely described, delinitely pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing (l sheet) in which:-

The figure is a vertical sectional elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, A designates the outer separator element, which is constructed as an open topped ring;

is journalled upon an axis B; supported upon a bearing C and arranged for rotation as by a belt D.

The letter E designates the inner separator element, which is constructed as an opentopped bowl, whose side wall from its bottom to its top is inclined upwardly and outwardly in its major length or height and in which major length portion, there is a horizontally disposed discharge slot F and a dam G. Near the top of the said major wall portion there is a discharge slot H and from said slot H to the upper end of the element, the side wall, in its minor length, is formed with an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion E. The dam G and the wall portion E constitute vertically spaced obstructions which project inwardly immediately above the spaced discharge outlets F and H.

Secured to the axis B and extending up- 1926. Serial No. 117,225.

wardly therefrom is a feed pipe I having at its lower end ports J for communication with the inner bowl E and whose upper end is arranged for connection with a source (not shown) of supply of fluid to be acted upon.

rllhe axis B is supported on a bearing K and is arranged for raising and lowering to affect a variable plane or level relation between the inner bowl and outer ring, as by the bell-crank L and hand-wheel M and is driven (rotated) as by a belt-drive N.

A cap-element O, comprising a ring of sectional channel-shape surrounding the discharge side of the slot H of the inner bowl, a spider P and` hub Q, is supported on a bearing R carried on the feed-pipe I and is arranged for rotation as by a belt S.

Ring shape troughs T, U and V are provided for receiving the discharged fluid.

Between the arms of the spider P there are tables or flats W for conveying the discharged fluid from the-upper edge of the inner bowl to the trough V.

In the operation of the machine, assuming the pipe I to be feeding a fluid, such as lubricating oil having an undesirable, heav content and water and the belts D, N and connected with independently controllable sources of power, such as electric motors (not shown) it will be obvious that by reason of the speed of rotation and the angular disposition of the wall of the inner bowl E, the fluid content will, by centrifugal force, be divided in vertical strata, according to the specific densities of its several elements.

In the drawing, I show by dotted lines such strata, the line 1 indicating the strata of the heavy, undesirable content and the line 2 indicating the separation point between the desirable oil and the water. It will be obvious that the heaviest element will be vobstructed in its upward travel by the dam G and discharged t rough the slots F, the intermediate element obstructed by the upper angular wall E of the inner bowl and discharged through the slots I-I and the lifrhtest element discharged over the upper edge of the inner bowl.

It is manifest that by means of the structure shown, the inner bowl E is operable to 10Q move up and down relative to the outer sepa.-

rator element A. This is accomplished by turning the hand-wheel M, which with its cooperatino' mechanism raises and lowers the feed pipe I to which the inner bowl E is attached. By lowering the bowl E until the slot F is closed by dropping behind the inner wall of the outer separator element A, the material, which ordinarily accumulates below the dam G, is forced to travel further up until it reaches the slot H before it can escape. This in itself affords a means of selective separation.

However, in addition to this means, a further means of control is provided. It is understood that the inner bowl E and the outer separator element A rotate at different or variable speeds. The purpose of this is to establish a control over the discharge of slot F which is characterized by extreme precision. To elucidate; support the outer element A was stationary while the inner bowl E was rotating. This is the starting point of control. In this case, the material discharged through the slot F must have sufficient pressure behind it to flow up and over the top lip of the element A. Now, suppose the outer separator element A was also rotating, then the material discharged through the slot F would be acted upon by centrifugal force due to the sloping i-nner wall at the top of the element A, and would be carried up and over the top of the element and thus exert a pull instead of a pressure on the discharged material. It is easily seen that by controlling the speed of the outer separator element A, the rate of flow through the slot F is also controlled.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the flow through the slot F may be shut olf entirely by the wheel H and when open, is subject to precision control obtained by varying the relative speeds of the element A and bowl E. The consequence of this arrangement is to permit the discharge through the sl'ot F, of only the material desired and to force the rest to travel upward to the discharge slot I-I, where the same control is exercised over the flow. The result is a selected grading of separation points in the material.

By reason of the cap element O arranged in the path of discharge of the desirable Huid element and whose speed or rotation may be varied relative to the bowl element E, it will be obvious that such pressures may be set up and maintained at the discharge H by counter centrifugal action on the Huid by the rotating cap as to affect a variable grading of the discharged fluid.

l. In a machine of the class described, a bowl element having a major portion of gradually increasing diameter and a minor portion of gradually decreasing diameter,

and having a discharge opening in the length of said major portion, a discharge openlng adjacent the meeting line of the major and minor portions and a discharge point at the top of said minor portion.

2. In a machine of the class described, a bowl element having a major portion of gradually increasing diameter and a minor portion of gradually decreasing diameter, having a discharge opening in said major portion and a discharge point at the minor portion, and an obstruction adjacent the discharge opening in the major portion.

3. In a machine of the class described, a bowl element having a major portion of gradually increasing diameter and a minor portion of gradually decreasing diameter, having a discharge opening in said major portion and a discharge point at the minor portion, an obstruction adjacent the dis-'i charge opening in the major portion, and means for controlling the discharge opening.

4. In a machine of the class described, a bowl of varying diameter, a flow control at said opening, a discharge opening spaced below its point of greatest diameter, means for rotating the bowl, and means for raising and lowering the bowl during rotation to bring itsdischarge opening to different levels relation to .said flow control.

5. In a machine of the class described, an outer bowl, a bowl having a graded diameter fitted within the outer bowl and a discharge opening spaced below its point of greatest diameter, means for rotating the bowls, and means for axially moving one of the bowls to affect control of the discharge opening.

6. In a machine of the class described, an outer element of open-topped bowl shape, means for rotating the outer element, an inner element of open-topped bowl shape, whose major portion is of gradually increasing diameter upwardly from its bottom and whose minor portion is of gradually decreasing diameter and which has a discharge opening at the meeting point of the major and minor portions and a discharge opening spaced below said meeting point, meansfor feeding a uid, to the innerbowl, means for rotatmg the inner bowl and means for raising and lowering the inner bowl whereby said lastnamed discharge opening may be controlled as by relation to the outer bowl.

7. In a machine of the class described, a centrifugal separator element, a centrifugal control element for the discharge of the separator element and distinct means for rotating the separator and discharge control elements.

8. In a machine of the class described, a centrifugal separator element, a centrifugal control element for the discharge of the separator element and ,for separately con; trolling the speeds of the separator and. control felements. """MWWW 9. In a machine of the class described, a

bowl having a variable diameter and a discharge opening at its oint of greatest diameter, a ring surroun 'ng the bowl in the plane of its discharge opening, and means for rotating the ring independently ofthe bowl.

l0. In a liquld separator, a bowl, means for rotating the bowl to form vertical strata of a fluid content, said bowl having a plurality of obstructions which are relatively spatially related vertically and which have relatively graded projection from the bowl into the stratified liquid and a discharge from the bowl through the side wall thereof associated with each of the obstructions.

11. In a liquid separator, a bowl, means for rotating the bowl to form vertical strata of a fluid content, said bowl having a plurality of obstructions which are relatively spatially related vertically and which have a relatively graded projection from the bowl into the stratified liquid and a discharge from the bowl associated with each of the obstructions, and means at each discharge for controllin the flow of liquid therethrough.

12. n a liquid separator, a bowl, means for rotating the bowl to form vertical strata of a fiuid content, said bowl having a plurality of obstructions which are relatively spatially related vertically and which have relatively graded projection from the bowl into the stratified liquid and a discharge from the bowl associated with each of the obstructions, and a variable speed centrifugal flow control at each discharge opening.

13. In a liquid separator, a bowl, means for rotating the bowl to form vertical strata of a fluid content, said bowl having a plurality of obstructions which are relatively spatially related vertically and which have relatively graded projection from the bowl into the stratified liquid and a discharge from the bowl associated with each of the obstructions, and a variable speed centrifugal flow control at each discharge opening, and means for continuously supplying a liquid, for treatment, to the bowl.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature.

KNIGHT W. GALE.

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