Patent Application
20090044867
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to filters and more particularly to a mechanism for facilitating cleaning of the filter of a steam trap without shutting down boiler.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a steam trap is used to remove water and gases from a steam pipe while preventing the escape of live steam. And if, for example, the condensate is not removed, it will accumulate at low spots and present flow impediments and other inefficiencies.
A conventional orifice-type steam trap is shown in
A Y-strainer fitting 92 is provided and has a first end secured to the inlet 81, a second end secured to a live steam pipe (not numbered), and an inclined housing 93. Within the housing 93, there are provided a cylindrical filter 94 having a screen 95 with a plurality of very small apertures 96 thereon. A plug 97 is threadedly secured to a third end of the Y-strainer fitting 92. The filter 94 is adapted to separate particulate matter and also provide a collection locus for water droplets.
However, the well known filter 94 suffers from several disadvantages. For example, an inlet of the filter 94 is secured to a baffle (not numbered) on an inner surface of the Y-strainer fitting 92 and an outlet thereof is secured to the plug 97. It is typical for an employee to loosen the plug 97 and then remove the filter 94 after a regular period of time of operation. The cleaning is always done after shutting down the boiler and sufficiently cooling same. Otherwise, the employee may be hurt by the hot steam remained in the steam pipe. Unfortunately, filter cleaning after shutting down boiler is not effective and the cleaning is relatively time consuming. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.
It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a thread based mechanism for cleaning of a filter of a steam trap by opening a valve at one end of the filter without shutting down a boiler.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The Y-strainer fitting 20 has a first end 23 secured to an inlet 11 of the steam trap 10, a second end 21 threadedly secured to a steam pipe (not numbered), and an inclined housing 22 projecting from the straight portion of the Y-strainer fitting 20. The housing 93 is adapted to accommodate the cylindrical filter 30 which is adapted to separate particulate matter and also provide a collection locus for water droplets as known in the art. In operation, live steam coming from the steam pipe leaves the first end 23 after passing the filter 30. Finally, the steam enters the steam trap 10.
Condensate is generated due to condensation of the steam. Finally, the condensate is removed through the outlet 12 of the steam trap 10. Also, dry steam returns to the steam pipe. The condensate removal function of the steam trap is well known in the art and a detailed description thereof is therefore deemed unnecessary.
The filter 30 has both ends open and is formed of fibrous material (e.g., fibrous pad 31). A cylindrical wire screen with the fibrous pad 31 contained therein has a plurality of very small apertures 32 formed on its surface. One end (i.e., inlet opening) of the filter 30 is secured to a baffle 24 on an inner surface of the Y-strainer fitting 20 and the other end (i.e., an outlet opening) thereof is secured to the valve 40.
The valve 40 comprises a ring shaped seal 42, an externally threaded extension 41 at the other end, the extension 41 being adapted to secure to inner threads at one end of the housing 22 with the seal 42 being fastened therebetween, an inlet port 43 having a flared mouth, a chamber 44 in communication with the inlet port 43, a shoulder 45 in front of the inlet port 43 with the other end of the filter 30 anchored thereon, inner threads 46 formed on a rear portion of the chamber 44, and a screw 47 driven into the chamber 44 from an outer surface of the valve 40, the screw 47 being served as a stop as detailed later.
The hollow adjusting member 50 comprises an intermediate section 51 having outer threads, the intermediate section 51 being adapted to secure to the inner threads 46 for securing the adjusting member 50 and the valve 40 together, a forward cone 52 adapted to open or close the inlet port 43, an annular flange 57 around a rear edge of the cone 52, two opposite orifices 54 on a shank (not numbered) interconnecting the cone 52 and the intermediate section 51, a flow path 53 starting from the orifices 54 and terminating at a rear opening of the adjusting member 50, inner threads 55 on a rear portion of the flow path 53, the inner threads 55 being adapted to secure to a connector of a drain (not shown), and a hexagonal projection 56 on a rear end of the adjusting member 50.
As shown in
As shown in
The invention has the following advantages. Filter cleaning can be done without detaching any components while the boiler is operating. The cleaning is safe. Moreover, the cleaning is effective.
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.
