FILTER ELEMENT FOR FILTERING A FLUID AND A FILTER UNIT FORMED THEREFROM

Abstract

A filter element for filtering a fluid comprises a first clamping ring with an outer ring; a first filter disk; a first inner support plate for supporting the first filter disk and which faces to the outside or to an inner flow channel; a second inner support plate provided with recesses; a second filter disk arranged adjacent the second inner support plate; and a second clamping ring which is connected to the first clamping ring by connecting elements. The filter disks and the inner support plates are arranged inside a housing which is formed by the clamping rings, by at least one outer ring and by outer support plates provided with recesses and covering the filter disks on the outside.

Description

The invention relates to a filter element for filtering a fluid and a filter unit formed therefrom with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Usually flat screen elements are used for filtering high-viscosity media such as plastic melt. Contaminants in the plastic melt such as aluminum particles or paper residue are deposited in the filter media of the filter elements. The effective filter surface is essentially limited to the opening cross-section of the screen cavity and is directly related to the size of the filtration device, for example with a screen piston changer.

To overcome this disadvantage, filter elements such as the ones described in DE 42 12 928 A1 are used successfully. The disk shape and the plurality of stacked individual disk filter elements can increase the effective filter surfaces considerably in such a filter unit.

In particular for the filtration of plastic melts, the filter units are placed in a screen cavity of a so-called “screen piston changer”. However, it was observed that the individual filter elements can bend away with the existing fluid pressure, which can lead to blocking of individual flow paths as well as to damage and subsequent leakage of the filter element.

With increasing contamination, the melt flow is redirected to another screen cavity with a different filter element in many screen piston changers. While the production flow is maintained via the latter, the contaminated filter unit can be freed of the adhering particles through a backwash procedure. For this purpose, a part of the melt is guided through the filter elements of the filter unit in a direction opposite to the one during normal operation such that the particles adhering to the filter media of the filter elements are loosened and rinsed away.

However, the backwash procedure that is possible with normal flat screen elements is not possible with the filter elements of the generic kind using multiple disk filters because the fine metallic filter mesh of the filter elements is not supported in the reverse direction of flow and thus could tear during a backwash.

The problem addressed by the present invention is therefore to develop a filter element of the type described above such that bending of the filter elements is avoided during production operation and thus to allow a backwash.

This problem is solved by a filter element with the features of claim 1.

In terms of the invention, a “ring” does not only refer to circular shapes but also to closed lines of other shapes such as ellipses or oblong or polygonal contours.

The inner support plates support the filter mesh against the fluid pressure, which acts preferably from the outside during production operation. With the flow direction during production operation, the filter disks lay with a part of the outer edge area lengthwise to the fluid or the plastic melt arriving at the mesh of the filter disk from the outside and dirt is retained on the outside. The flow continues through the recesses of the inner support plates and into the cavity of the filter element.

Additionally provided are support plates provided with recesses such that the filter disks are covered both towards the inside as well as on the outer sides of the filter element and/or can be supported two-dimensionally. This allows for a change in the flow direction, i.e., also backwash operation during which build-up is rinsed off the filter disk during the reversal of the flow direction.

The structure of a filter element according to the invention is very robust. The filter element can be easily disassembled and cleaned, in particular it can be subjected to thermal treatment without being damaged, for example to burn off plastic melt residue.

In addition, the support plates are preferably kept at a distance from each other by at least one spacer element located on the inside such that an inner hollow space is kept open even at high pressures serves as a flow channel and is open toward the edge of the central bore hole of the filter element.

The spacer elements can be spider web-shaped or wheel-like structures that need to be inserted separately. However, they may also be formed through protruding ledges at the housing ring, clamping ring or outer ring.

The spacer elements may also be formed by curved support plates, which expand concavely or convexly when viewed in the direction of the flow, whereby the curvatures are facing each other such that they contact each other in part, for example with concave shapes in the center and with convex shapes in the peripheral edge regions with the remaining surface areas of the support plates being kept at a distance from each other.

Due to its flexibility, the filter mesh can easily adapt to the three-dimensional shape of the support plates such that it remains supported even if the support area is not in one plane.

The outer support plates can be curved as well, once on the inside to follow the shape of the inner support plates in order to avoid too big an expansion in the filter mesh located in between and to keep it supported over the entire area in both flow directions. In addition, a curvature protruding toward the outside can support an outer flow channel in the same manner by the curvature of at least one filter element resting against an adjacent filter element.

The respective curved inner and outer surfaces of the inner and outer support plates must not necessarily be parallel to each other, i.e., the support plates must not necessarily be designed in the manner of a deep-drawn sheet metal but can also form a bulbous body on both sides.

The connection elements are preferably screws with screw heads and nuts such that disassembly and assembly can be accomplished easily and everywhere with existing tools.

Only the filter disks are wear parts that must be replaced when their metallic and potentially multi-layered filter mesh is badly damaged.

The outer support plates may each be integrated in the clamping ring. However, they can also be placed under the clamping ring as separate plates.

The support plates are preferably designed as perforated plates that are easy to manufacture and allow for small area support of the filter mesh through their grid structure.

The filter disks preferably have an inner ring and an outer ring, which are preferably made of a non-ferrous metal in particular of copper. This creates a metallic seal, once at the inner circumference as a seal against a support tube located on the inside on which the filter elements are stacked and once at the outer circumference as a seal against the outer ring.

It is also possible to manufacture the ring-disk-shaped filter disks over-dimensioned at the inner and/or outer edge compared to the adjacent components and then to press them appropriately onto the adjacent components.

The outer ring can be designed in one place with the clamping ring or the inner support plate.

One preferred embodiment of the invention provides the use of similar inner support plates that arrive at the outer circumference each in the center of a partial outer ring. This results in a T-shaped cross-section at the edge of each inner support plate. To form a filter element, two pieces each of a total of three similar parts can be used, namely two identical inner support plates with a partial outer ring, two identical filter disks and two identical outer support plates, which at the same time integrate the clamping ring on the edges. This enables cost-effective manufacturing and storage as well as simple handling.

A filter unit built of several filter elements according to the invention as in claim 12 can be built easily and also disassembled easily for cleaning purposes because the filter elements according to the invention are not sensitive to knocks and hits due to their massive outer housing consisting of outer ring, support plates and clamping rings.

By the fact that the connection elements protrude at the face sides of the finished filter element, the protrusions can at the same time also serve as spacers forming flow channels between adjacent filter elements. Thus, filter elements stacked on top of each other support each other and cannot be bent away by the fluid pressure.

One preferred embodiment provides for an additional coarse filter that encloses the filter elements and that extends between the bottom of the filter unit and the bottom of the screen cavity, into which the filter unit is placed, and its head plate.

The coarse filter element retains, for example, particles such as aluminum or paper residue, which are present in particular during plastic recycling and which may be sufficient in size that they no longer or only with great difficulty can be removed from the flow channel between the filter elements by back-washing. This achieves a cascade filtration where coarse particles can no longer reach the inside of the actual filter unit. The task of the latter is then limited to the separation of fine items or agglomerates, which leads to a significantly increased service life.

Below, the invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing. In detail, the Figures show:

FIG. 1 an exploded view of a filter element according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 a perspective view of an assembled filter element according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 a section of several filter elements stacked on a support tube, and

FIG. 4 a detail from the edge of a sectional view of a second embodiment of a filter element; and

FIG. 5 a detail from the edge of a sectional view of a third embodiment of a filter element.

FIG. 1 shows a filter element 100 with its components in correct position arrangement prior to assembly.

The main components from right to left in the order of assembly are:

A clamping ring 10 with a through-hole 11 for accepting screws, with an integrated cylindrical outer ring 14 and an integrated support plate 12.

A first ring-disk-shaped filter disk 30, which is bordered at its inner edge by an inner ring 31 and at its outer edge by an outer ring 32, said rings 31, 32 being made of a copper profile.

A first support plate 40 being designed as a serrated disk.

A spacer element 50 that keeps the first inner support plate 40 at a distance from a second inner support plate 40.

A second filter disk 30.

A clamping ring 20 with through-holes for accepting screws 21. In this embodiment, the clamping ring 20 has an integrated central support plate 22 as does the clamping ring 10.

FIG. 2 shows the fully assembled filter element 100. Visible therein is that where the spacer element 50 is arranged in the center, a flow channel 102 is formed at the finished filter element 100 and is open towards the edge of the inner receiving bore hole 101.

FIG. 3 shows a stack of a total of three filter elements 100 that are mounted on a support tube 130 indicated only schematically. The inner rings 31 of the filter disks 30 rest tightly on the outer surface of the support tube 130. The outer rings 32 produce a seal against the inner surface of the outer ring 14. Through the screw heads and the screw shaft protrusions or the nuts, respectively, adjacent filter elements 100 are kept at a distance from each other forming an outer flow channel 103 between two filter elements 100.

The flow direction during production operation is as indicated by the arrows: From the outer circumference of the filter unit 100 into the outer flow channels 103; from there through the filter disks 30 to the inner flow channels 102. The latter are open towards the central receiving bore hole 101 in the filter elements 100 as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. In this manner, the fluid can discharge through the bore holes 131 in the tube casing of the support tube 130 into its inner space 130.

FIG. 4 shows a detail from the edge area of a filter element 100′ according to a second embodiment. The inner support plate 40′ transitions smoothly into a partial outer ring 14′ such that a T-shaped cross-section is created in the edge area of this unit.

Through the preferably mirror-symmetrical design, the two identical support plates 40′ with the partial outer ring 14′ can be used for both sides. A spacer ring 50′ is clamped in-between and ensures a seal of the inner cavity 102′ towards the outer circumference. To enable the seal, the distance ring 50′ has a greater height than the two protrusions of the partial outer ring 14′ that point inward together. Thus, an air gap 13′ remains between the partial outer rings 14′. This allows for securing to each other two identical units of outer support plates 12′, filter elements 30′ and inner support plates 40′ by enclosing a spacer ring 50′ using a screw connection, which is here only indicated, such that a complete filter element 100′ is created, which is a unit that is sealed towards the outside. The outer support plates 12′ are designed as clamping rings 10′ at their outer edges, i.e., they do not have an opening towards the inner cavity in this area but only recesses to receive the screws and other connection elements.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of a filter element 100″, which at the edge is designed like the second embodiment of the filter element 100″ described above, namely with partial outer rings 14″, which on the outside follow the inner support plates 40″. However, in this exemplary embodiment, the support plates 40″ have a concave curvature relative to the flow direction from the outside to the inside. The protruding areas contact each other, however, the concave areas are preferably not ring-shaped across the entire partial circle but rather consist of several individual humps such that radial flow paths will also remain open from the outer areas of the cavity 102′ towards the outlet opening at the inner edge.

With this exemplary embodiment, the outer support plates 12″ with the integrated clamping rings are flat at the outer surface and are parallel to the contour of the inner support plate on the inside. In this manner, an also three-dimensionally curved filter element 30″ that is sandwiched in between is supported in both flow directions without over-extending.

Claims

1. Filter element for filtering a fluid, said element comprising, in combination: (a) a first clamping ring with an outer ring;(b) a first filter disk;(c) a first inner support plate provided with recesses for supporting the first filter disk, said first inner support plate facing to the outside or an inner flow channel;(d) a second inner support plate provided with recesses;(e) a second filter disk arranged adjacent the second inner support plate; and(f) a second clamping ring which is connected to the first clamping ring by means of connection elements,wherein the filter disks and the inner support plates are arranged inside a housing which is formed by the clamping rings, by at least one outer ring and by outer support plates provided with recesses and covering the filter disks on the outside.

2. The filter element defined in claim 1, wherein at least one spacer element is arranged between the inner support plates to form the inner flow channel.

3. The filter element defined in claim 1, wherein at least one inner support plate is designed at least on its inside with a curvature to support the inner flow channel.

4. The filter element defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one outer support plate which is curved at its inner surface.

5. The filter element defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one outer support plate which is curved at its outer surface.

6. The filter element defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one outer support plate which is integrated with the clamping ring.

7. The filter element defined in claim 1, wherein the filter disk comprises an inner ring and an outer ring, with at least one ring-shaped filter medium supported between them.

8. The filter element defined in claim 7, wherein at least one of the inner ring and the outer ring of the filter disks is made of nonferrous metal.

9. The filter element defined in claim 1, wherein the filter disk has a ring-disk shape and is under-sized at its inner edge relative to the outer diameter of a support tube arranged on the inside and is over-sized at its outer edge relative to the inner diameter of the outer ring.

10. The filter element defined in claim 1, wherein the outer ring is designed in

11. The filter element defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second inner support plates are similar in size and shape and wherein, the outer circumference of each support plate terminates at the center of a partial outer ring, thereby forming a T-shaped cross-section in the respective edge region thereof.

12. Filter unit for a filtering device, comprising: a support tube having a tube casing and having several recesses in the tube casing; anda plurality of stacked filter elements, with each filter element as defined in claim 1, which are centered on the support tube,wherein the connection elements protrude outwards beyond the clamping ring and wherein through their protrusions an inlet flow channel is formed between adjacent filter elements, said flow channel continuing in a flow channel that runs through the filter disks into the inner flow channel of the filter elements to at least one respective recess in the support tube; andwherein a head plate is arranged adjacent the support tube and covers the stack of filter elements.

13. The filter unit as defined in claim 12, further comprising an additional coarse filter element that encloses the filter elements and that extends between a bottom of the filter unit, or a bottom of a screen cavity into which the filter unit is placed, and a head plate of the filter unit.