Centrifugal separator with discharge pump

Abstract

A centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated oil and which may be mounted in a variety of positions relative to an engine block is disclosed. The centrifugal separator has a shroud which defines a first chamber and has a hollow rotor rotatably mounted in the first chamber and defining a second chamber. Oil under pressure is admitted to the second chamber and flows into the first through tangential reaction nozzles in the rotor to cause contaminants to migrate toward the sidewall of the second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force. A jet pump is in fluid communication with the first chamber to prevent excess fluid buildup in the first chamber, which would inhibit rotation of the rotor. SUBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONConventional fluid filters, such as oil filters, are basically mechanical strainers which include a filter element having pores which trap and segregate dirt from the fluid. Since the flow through the filter is a function of the pore size, filter flow will decrease as the filter pack becomes clogged with dirt. Since the filtration system must remove dirt at the same rate at which it enters the oil, a clogged conventional pack cannot process enough oil to keep the dirt level of the oil at a satisfactory level. A further disadvantage of some mechanical strainer-type filters is that they tend to remove oil additives. Furthermore, the additives may be depleted to some extent by acting upon trapped dirt in the filter and are rendered ineffective for their intended purpose on a working surface in an engine.Prior art centrifugal filters have been proposed which do not act as mechanical strainers but, rather, remove contaminants from a fluid by centrifuging. For example, such a filter is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,650,022, granted to Fulton et al. In the Fulton et al patent, there is illustrated a hollow rotor which is rotatably mounted on a spindle. The spindle has an axial passageway which conducts oil into the interior of the rotor. Tangentially directed outlet ports are provided in the rotor so that the rotor is rotated upon issuance of the fluid therefrom. Solids, such as dirt, are centrifuged to the sidewalls of the rotor and the dirt may be later removed by disassembling the rotor and scraping the filter cake from the sidewalls. Such centrifugal separators, however, must be located above the sump of the engine to be lubricated, since gravity flow from the engine sump to the centrifugal separator will flood the rotor housing and inhibit rotation of the rotor. In many instances, it is inconvenient to mount the centrifugal separator in a position which would prevent flooding and external plumbing must be resorted to.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention provides a centrifugal separator for removing contaminants from oil which may be mounted in a variety of positions relative to the engine block without the danger of flooding the separator.The invention includes a centrifugal separator having a shroud defining a first chamber and a hollow rotor rotatably mounted in the first chamber to define a second chamber. Oil under pressure is admitted to the second chamber and flows into the first chamber through tangential reaction nozzles in the rotor to cause contaminants to migrate toward the sidewall of the second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force. A jet pump is in fluid communication with the first chamber to prevent excess fluid build up in the first chamber, which would inhibit rotation of the rotor. The jet pump has a pump chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber and a nozzle which projects into the pump chamber. A portion of the fluid from the engine oil pump is diverted through the nozzle, while another portion is delivered through the tangential nozzles. The nozzle in the pump chamber effectively prevents significant fluid buildup in the first chamber.

Description

Claims

1. A centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated fluids and which may be mounted in a variety of positions relative to an engine block, comprising shroud means defining a first chamber, a vertically extending spindle within said shroud means and having a hollow rotor mounted thereon for axial rotation within said shroud means, said hollow rotor defining a second chamber for receiving contaminated fluids to be separated, fluid inlet means through said spindle for conducting such contaminated fluids to said second chamber, first pump means in fluid communication with said fluid inlet means to pump fluids to said fluid inlet means, means to rotate said rotor and thereby cause said contaminants in contaminated fluids within said chamber to migrate toward a sidewall of said second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force and to be separated from such contaminated fluids, said means to rotate said rotor comprising tangentially mounted outlet port means on said rotor to cause said rotor to rotate upon discharge of fluid from said second chamber to said first chamber, second pump means comprising a jet pump having a pump chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber to prevent excess fluid buildup in said first chamber which would inhibit rotation of said rotor, a nozzle projecting into said pump chamber, an outlet from said pump chamber aligned with said nozzle, and a passageway communicating with said fluid inlet means, said passageway in turn being in fluid communication with said first pump means and with said nozzle, whereby a portion of said fluid will be delivered by said first pump means to said second chamber and a portion of said fluid will be delivered by said first pump means to said second pump means.

2. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1 wherein said second pump means comprises a jet pump positioned in a wall defining said shroud means.

3. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1 wherein said pump chamber is a portion of said first chamber.

4. A centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated fluids, comprising shroud means defining a first chamber, a vertically extending spindle within said shroud means and having a hollow rotor mounted thereon for axial rotation within said shroud means, said hollow rotor defining a second chamber for receiving contaminated fluids to be separated, fluid inlet means through said spindle for conducting such contaminated fluids to said second chamber, a cross passage through a base portion of said shroud, means providing fluid communication between said fluid inlet means and said cross passage, first pump means in fluid communication with an inlet port of said cross passage, means to rotate said rotor and thereby cause said contaminants in contaminated fluids within said second chamber to migrate toward a sidewall of said second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force and to be separated from such contaminated fluids, said means to rotate said rotor comprising tangentially mounted outlet port means on said rotor to cause said rotor to rotate upon discharge of fluid from said second chamber to said first chamber, and second pump means comprising a jet pump having a pump chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber to prevent excess fluid buildup in said first chamber which would inhibit rotation of said rotor, a nozzle projecting into said pump chamber and having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet port of said cross passage and having an outlet aligned with said nozzle, whereby a portion of said fluid will be delivered by said first pump means to said second chamber and a portion of said fluid will be delivered by said first pump means to said second pump means.

5. A centrifugal separator according to claim 4, wherein said second pump means comprises a jet pump having a pump chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber, a nozzle projecting into said pump chamber and having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet port of said cross passage, and an outlet aligned with said nozzle, whereby a portion of said fluid will be delivered by said first pump means to said second chamber and a portion of said fluid will be delivered by said first pump means to said second pump means.

6. A centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated fluids and which may be mounted in variety of positions relative to an engine block, comprising shroud means defining a first chamber, a vertically extending spindle with said shroud means, and having a hollow rotor mounted thereon for axial rotation within said shroud means, said hollow rotor defining a second chamber for receiving contaminated fluids to be separated, fluid inlet means through said spindle for conducting such contaminated fluids to said second chamber, means to rotate said rotor and thereby cause said contaminants in contaminated fluids within said second chamber to migrate toward a sidewall of said second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force and to be separated from such contaminated fluids, said means to rotate said rotor comprising tangentially mounted outlet port means on said rotor to cause said rotor to rotate upon discharge of fluid from said second chamber to said first chamber, and pump means comprising a jet pump having a pump chamber, said pump chamber having an inlet in fluid communication and in fluid pumping communication with said first chamber to prevent excess fluid buildup in said first chamber which would inhibit rotation of said rotor, a nozzle projecting into said pump chamber, an outlet aligned with said nozzle, and a passageway communicating with said fluid inlet means and said nozzle, whereby a portion of said fluid will be delivered to said second chamber by said fluid inlet means and a portion of said fluid will be delivered by said fluid inlet means to said pump means.