This application claims priority to German patent application DE 10 2008 034 904.6 filed on Jul. 26, 2008 and PCT application PCT/EP2009/059228 filed on Jul. 17, 2009, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The present invention relates to a module insert for installation in a liquid filter for cleaning the separated water, in particular for installation in a fuel filter.
From WO 01/30478, a liquid filter is known which has a functional support insert. Said functional support is suitable to supply and discharge the fuel to be cleaned to the filter element and to receive several further elements such as, e.g., a check valve. The functional support is seated in the lower part of the filter housing and unpurified oil flows around it. The filter housing is closed by a base which has openings for the different ports of the functional support. Moreover, said functional support has a drainage channel which is necessary for changing the filter. Said functional support is designed for the use in oil filters and thus is not suited for the use in a fuel filter.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,299, a fuel filter is shown in which in the lower part of the filter housing, a strainer with integrated fuel heater is inserted on the dirty side. The filter housing has a plurality of inlets and outlets and connection lines. Since the filter also separates the water contained in the fuel, a water drain with water level sensor is provided. A disadvantage of this construction is that the discharged water is not sufficiently cleaned. In order to clean it to an extent that it is safe to discharge the water into the environment, a further component, e.g., external component is necessary.
From EP 1 581 736 and from DE 10 2006 039 581, a fuel filter is known which has a further filter attached on the filter housing for cleaning the discharged water.
Such a filter is also known from JP 63224707. However, a disadvantage of this type of fuel filter is that the filters are structured to have a relatively large volume and therefore there is the risk that they can freeze because a lot of water is accumulated in the sump before it is being discharged and cleaned in a second cleaning stage. A further disadvantage is that said fuel filters and the subsequent cleaning of the water are not designed for high pressures as they are common today.
It is the object of the present invention to improve a known fuel filter by means of a module insert for installation to the effect that the fuel filter is structured in particular more compact.
This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are subject matter of the dependent claims.
Proposed is a module insert for installation in a liquid filter for cleaning the separated water, in particular for installation in a fuel filter, which comprises at least one water level sensor, at least one valve and at least one flow channel for the water, and at least one container having sorbent means for collecting contaminants from the separated water, wherein the module insert has a pressure-resistant housing by means of which the interior of the module insert is protected from the pressure of the fuel.
Further important features and advantages arise from the sub-claims, from the drawings, and from the associated description of the figures based on the drawings.
It is to be understood that the above mentioned features and the features yet to be explained hereinafter can be used not only in the respectively mentioned combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the context of the present invention.
Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in the following description in more detail, wherein identical reference numbers refer to identical, or similar, or functionally identical components.
In the figures, schematically:
The filter element 3 contains fine pored special paper or other materials as filter and the water present in the fuel can already coalescence here. In this case, the water flows as small droplets together with the fuel to the strainer 31. The fuel passes through said strainer and reaches the clean side and exits the fuel filter via the functional support 80 and adequate outlets (not shown). The basket-shaped strainer 31 is formed from lipophilic material in such a manner that the water droplets already present continue to get bigger and are subsequently transported downwards by gravity into a water collection chamber 43. The smaller the portion of particulate material in the fuel, the smaller is the fuel portion in the separated water; thus, the water separation is on the clean side of the filter element 3. The module insert 4 is inserted from underneath in the water collection chamber 43 and screwed to the filter housing 2 or is fastened in a different manner.
The path of the water is illustrated as arrow 40. The reference number 50 designates an inlet for the fuel; from here, the fuel gets into the fuel distribution chamber 51 and the fuel is pressed through the filter element 3 by the high pressure of approximately 5-10 bar in the fuel system.
Said high pressures with pressure peaks of more than 20 bar are also present in the water collection chamber 43. However, since the interior of the module insert 4 is not pressure-resistant, it is protected by a pressure-resistant housing 44. The interior of the module insert 4 is to be unpressurized in order that the water can discharge without being pressurized. The water level sensor 42 in the water collection chamber 43 ensures that the water, once it has reached a predetermined height, is discharged into the module insert 4. The water remains for some time in the water collection chamber 43; thereby, the still present fuel portion can accumulate above the standing water. Said fuel portion is sucked off via the throttle or valve 55 which is arranged in the functional support 80 and then flows back into the fuel tank.
The module insert 4 is composed of a pressure-resistant housing 44 and the inner part 45 in which the channels 63, 66 and 69 are arranged. The module insert 4 is closed from underneath, on the one hand, with a bottom 76 which is fixedly connected to the inner part 45 and, on the other, with a lower cover 77 which allows that the container/cleaning cartridge 61 can be changed. Alternatively, the lower cover 77 can also be fixedly connected to an inner part 45 and the pressure-resistant housing 44, e.g., by welding.
The water-conveying flow channel 69 and the container 61 in the module insert 4 which are downstream of the solenoid valves 65a and 65b should drain as slowly as possible to improve the adsorption conditions in the container 61. Optimal conditions exist in case of a certain flow of the separated water through the container 61; preferably, it flows from the bottom upwards or, alternatively, it also can flow from the top downwards as shown here. The flow channels 63, 66, 69 necessary for this are provided in the inner part 45 as needed.
Downstream of the solenoid valves 65a/b, the flow channel 69 is unpressurized and formed with air cushions; said volume reserve serves for absorbing volume changes, e.g. during freezing. For this reason, the pressure-resistant housing 44 is necessary for shielding this region from the pressure in the fuel. Due to the open ventilation of the drain 49 downstream of the container 61 with activated carbon filter, the water can drain off said region and lines (not shown) which are optionally connected downstream thereof.
There can also be a ventilation valve in the flow channel 69 and upstream of the container 61 which valve serves for allowing air to penetrate and the water to drain off the downstream container 61 and further lines connected to the drain 49. Said ventilation valve opens unpressurized or in case of negative pressure and closes in case of pressure (not shown). The further sensors 62, 68 can be a temperature sensor and a heater for thawing or for the operation at sub-zero temperatures, wherein the use of the temperature sensor 62 and/or 68 and the associated signal. processing have to ensure that the solenoid valves 65 cannot be opened at sub-zero temperatures.
The module insert 4 has an integrated structure, i.e., due to the flow channels 63, 66 and 69 integrated in the inner part 45, it contains the entire conduit for the water separated from the fuel. The module insert 4 provides the geometry for receiving the solenoid valves 65, it integrates the container 61 with the absorber in a fixed or replaceable manner, it is connected to the power supply, it conducts flows and signals or provides installation space for components for signal processing. Furthermore, the module insert receives the water level sensors 42 for the detection of water, which sensors project into the water collection chamber 43 of the filter housing 2. The solenoid valves 65 are arranged in such a manner that the solenoid valves 65 are closed when deenergized. The arrangement of the solenoid valves 65 is such that at least in case of one solenoid valve, the fuel pressure presses the valve shut and the valves has to open against the fuel pressure.
The module insert 4 has a three-piece structure for installation or integration into the fuel filter housing 2. The water collection chamber 43 is formed by the free spaces between module insert 4 and filter housing 2. A pressure-resistant housing 44 absorbs the forces caused by the fuel pressure. The pressure-resistant housing 44 can be made of aluminum or flame-resistant plastics thereby ensuring a leak-tightness for a sufficiently long time, even in case of a vehicle fire.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2008 034 904 | Jul 2008 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2009/059228 | 7/17/2009 | WO | 00 | 4/15/2011 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2010/012612 | 2/4/2010 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5662801 | Holland | Sep 1997 | A |
7040299 | Dickerson | May 2006 | B2 |
7591951 | Linhart et al. | Sep 2009 | B2 |
20060070956 | Herrmann et al. | Apr 2006 | A1 |
20060083878 | Bauman | Apr 2006 | A1 |
20060118478 | Linhart et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
20060207924 | De La Azuela et al. | Sep 2006 | A1 |
20080087597 | Johann et al. | Apr 2008 | A1 |
20100096304 | Ganswein et al. | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100101984 | Roesgen et al. | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100258488 | Braunheim | Oct 2010 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
102004036070 | Feb 2006 | DE |
102004059062 | Jun 2006 | DE |
102006039581 | Mar 2008 | DE |
102007039661 | Mar 2008 | DE |
102006049084 | Apr 2008 | DE |
202006019301 | Apr 2008 | DE |
102007054770 | May 2009 | DE |
1581736 | Oct 2005 | EP |
1726818 | Nov 2006 | EP |
63-224707 | Sep 1988 | JP |
WO-0130478 | May 2001 | WO |
WO-2005049173 | Jun 2005 | WO |
Entry |
---|
English abstract for DE102004036070, Feb. 2006. |
English abstract for DE102007039661, Mar. 2008. |
English abstract for EP1726818, Nov. 2006. |
English abstract for JP63-224707, Sep. 1988. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20110186501 A1 | Aug 2011 | US |