Oil separator element

Abstract

An oil separator element of the type that is used, for example, for the separation of oil from blow-by gases in internal combustion engines is disclosed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a detail of one half of an oil separator element of an oil separator element claimed by the invention;

FIG. 2 partial FIGS. 2-a and 2-b illustrate respective variants of an oil separator element claimed by the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view through two oil separator element halves combined to form the oil separator element claimed by the invention;

FIG. 4 is a detail from the phantom view in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 are sectional views perpendicularly through the oil separator element in FIGS. 3 and 4, and;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a top and bottom housing of a cylinder head cover claimed by the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a view of the interface 2 of an oil separator element half 3a. This oil separator element half 3a, with its grooves 5a to 5a″″, spans the shape of half of a cylindrical element that is cut through in the longitudinal direction. The overall oil separator corresponds to two such semi-cylindrical parts which are placed next to each other along their interface. An oil separator element that is formed from such oil separator elements halves can be a component of a cylinder head cover. A plurality of such oil separator elements can also be integrated into the cylinder head cover.

Conventionally, the illustrated interface 2 is part of a larger interface. For example the interface of the upper half-housing 3a can be part of the valve cover and a corresponding lower bottom housing 3b can be part of the wash plate of a cylinder head cover.

The interface 2 has a family of grooves 5a to 5a″″ which all run parallel to one another with reference to their longitudinal direction in the interface 2. In this example, these grooves are oriented at an inclination of 45° with respect to the longitudinal direction 12 and thus also the average flow-through direction of a gas in the oil separator. On the one end surface of the oil separator element half 3a, the groove 5a forms an inlet 6 and on the other end surface of the oil separator element half 3a, the groove 5a″″ forms an outlet 7. The gas then flows through the inlet 6 into the groove 5a, from where it overflows into the oil separator element half 3b (not shown) and subsequently alternates back and forth between the grooves in the interface 2 of the oil separator element half 3a and the grooves in the interface of the other neighboring oil separator half and finally reaches the outlet 7. The oil that is separated from the gas as it travels through the oil separator element as a result of impacts against the wall of a groove can also be discharged from the groove family at the outlet 7.

FIG. 2-a shows two oil separator element halves 3a and 3b of an oil separator element claimed by the invention. The two oil separator element halves are in and of themselves constructed identically, although in the assembled oil separator element they are located facing each other and rotated 180°. The oil separator element halves 3a and 3b are constructed as illustrated in the detail from the oil separator element half 3a in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2-b shows an additional design of the oil separator element halves 3a and 3b of an oil separator element. Theoretically, each of the oil separator element halves 3a and 3b is constructed identical to the oil separator element halves 3a and 3b illustrated in FIG. 2-a. The decisive difference in this case is that in FIG. 2-b, the oil separator element halves 3a and 3b have expanded inlet areas 8a, 8b, via which the gas can flow into the oil separator element halves. Expanded outlet areas 9a and 9b are provided in a similar manner. The expanded areas 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b thereby do not necessarily have to be configured identically.

The housing elements illustrated in FIG. 2-a and 2-b that contain the oil separator element halves 3a and 3b are conventionally not separate housings. Normally, the housing halves that are shown here with a rectangular cross section are an integral component of a larger housing, such as e.g. valve covers and wash plates of cylinder head covers. In that case, the accompanying illustrations are details of the larger housings described above.

FIG. 3 shows a phantom view through two oil separator element halves joined together into one oil separator element. Both the grooves in the lower oil separator element half and the grooves in the upper oil separator element half are thereby clearly visible. The grooves of the one oil separator element half run from the top left toward the lower right (grooves 5a, 5a′, 5a″, 5a′″) and the grooves of the other oil separator element half run from the bottom left toward the top right (grooves 5b, 5b′, 5b″, 5″″). In the plane of the section, there are therefore points of intersection between the grooves of these two groove families, in particular points of transition at the ends of the respective grooves (points of intersection or transition 10a-10f).

If we now follow the gas current that flows through the groove 5a, the path of the gas current is indicated by the arrows A, B and C. The gas thereby alternates at the transition point 10a from the groove 5a into the groove 5b′, at the transition point 10b from the groove 5b′ into the groove 5a″ and at the transition point 10c from the groove 5a″ into the grove 5b′″. Every time it alternates from one groove into the other, not only does the direction of the gas flow in the plane of the interface 2 change, the gas also alternates back and forth between the two oil separator element halves (3a and 3b in FIG. 2). The overall effect is to create a rotational movement of the gas.

It is therefore essential that at each of the terminal points of intersection 10a to 10f, the gas alternates from one groove in one oil separator element half into the neighboring groove in the neighboring oil separator element half. At the non-terminal points of intersection 11a, 11b, 11c, however, no significant exchange of the gas between the two oil separator element halves takes place, because the same pressure conditions prevail in both gas currents and in both of the intersecting grooves.

FIG. 4 shows a detail from FIG. 3, whereby this figure also shows sectional planes A, B, C, D and E.

FIG. 5 shows, in the sub-FIGS. 5-a to 5-e, sectional views perpendicular to the axis 12 (sectional planes perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the oil separator element), corresponding to the sectional planes indicated in FIG. 4. A cylindrical detail of a larger housing is shown here by way of example. FIG. 5-a thereby corresponds to the section in the plane A, 5-b in the plane B, 5-c in the plane C, 5-d in the plane D and 5-e to the section in the plane E in FIG. 4. It is apparent that there are transition zones only in the planes A, C and E, whereby on account of the dynamic conditions of the flow, an overflow of the gas between neighboring grooves occurs only at the terminal intersection points 10a, 10d, 10e, 10b, but not at the non-terminal intersection point 11a. The rotating forward movement of the two gas flows can be observed in the sequence of the cross sections 5-a to 5-e.

Section 5-1 shows the two terminal intersection points 10a and 10d. The gas flow in the groove 5a overflows at its end (or shortly before its end) into the neighboring groove 5b′, and likewise the gas flow in groove 5b into its neighboring groove 5a′. In section 5-b, the two gas streams flow toward the axis 12. In comparison to section 5-a the groove depth of both grooves 5a′, 5b′ has increased. The two grooves 5a and 5b are already terminated in section 5-b.

Section 5-c illustrates the non-terminal intersection point 11a at which the grooves 5a′, 5b′ have reached their maximum depth and intersect the axis 12. Only in the boundary area of the two gas flows can the gas flow from one family of grooves to another. The gas flows primarily follow their forward-directed rotational movement.

In Section 5-d, the two gas flows are moving away from the axis 12. In comparison to section 5-c, the groove depth of both grooves 5a′, 5b′ has decreased again. Section 5-e illustrates the two terminal intersection points 10b and 10e. Here, the gas flow from groove 5a′ overflows into the groove 5b″, and the gas flow in groove 5b′ into the groove 5a″.

The two gas flows, on their path between the terminal intersection points (10a and 10b and 10d and 10e respectively) have each completed 180° of their forward directed rotational movement.

FIG. 6 shows schematically a plan view of a top or bottom housing 100 of a cylinder head cover claimed by the invention, conventionally a valve hood or a wash plate. Thereby only the peripheral area that forms an encircling wall 200, which in this case is drawn larger than actual size for purposes of explanation, is relevant to the invention. For this reason, none of the details of the inner area 300 are shown, nor the outlet that must be present in the cylinder head cover. The groove families or groups of groove families 101 to 107 show by way of example orientations of oil separator element halves in the interface 2 of the wall 200. All the grooves or groups of grooves 101 to 107 are arranged so that a flow from outside the housing into the inner area 300 is possible.

The groove family 101 thereby has five relatively wide grooves 5a to 5a″″. Groove family 102 likewise includes three relatively wide grooves 5a to 5a″ between an expanded inlet area 8a and an expanded outlet area 9a. Groove family 103 consists only of two narrow grooves 5a and 5a′; for the functioning of an oil separator element, it would be sufficient if the oil separator element half formed from groove family 103 were combined with an oil separator element half with only one groove 5b connecting the two grooves 5a and 5a′.

The groove family 104 demonstrates the theoretical possibility of also realizing the oil separator element claimed by the invention in the corner area of the wall 200 of the top or bottom housing of a cylinder head cover claimed by the invention.

The groups of groove families 105 to 107 illustrate additional location possibilities along the periphery of the interface of the wall 200, either in the form of a small group 105 on one or a plurality of sides (not shown), in the form of a plurality of groups 106 on one or a plurality of sides (not shown) or even in the form of a grid-shaped arrangement 107 on one or a plurality of sides (not shown). Generally, preference is given to a large number of groove families. The respective location and arrangement will be determined on the basis of the specific application.

Claims

1. An oil separator element, comprising: a housing that forms a cavity through which gas can flow and which has, on its two ends, openings for the inlet and/or outlet of a gas, wherein the housing has an interface that divides the oil separator element into two oil separator element halves, and that in the interface of each of the two oil separator element halves there is a family of grooves which extend in their longitudinal direction parallel to the interface and in the interface, and form a part of the cavity through which the gas can flow, and the grooves of the one family run at an angle in the interface to the grooves of the other family, and at least some of the grooves intersect with the latter.

2. The oil separator element of claim 1. wherein the grooves of the one family run at an angle between 60° and 120° to the grooves of the other family.

3. The oil separator element of claim 2, wherein the groove of the one family run at an angle between 80° and 100° to the grooves of the other family.

4. The oil separator element of claim 3, wherein the groove of the one family run at an angle of 90° to the grooves of the other family.

5. The oil separator element of claim 4, wherein the grooves run at a defined angle with respect to the average flow direction of the oil separator element.

6. The oil separator element of claim 5, wherein the grooves run at an angle between 5° and 85° to the average flow direction.

7. The oil separator element of claim 6, wherein the grooves run at an angle between 35° and 55° to the average flow direction.

8. The oil separator element of claim 7, wherein the grooves run at an angle of 45° to the average flow direction.

9. The oil separator element of claim 8, wherein the width of the grooves and the length of the grooves are in a ratio between 1:10 to 1:3.

10. The oil separator element of claim 9, wherein the width of the grooves and the length of the grooves are in a ratio between 1:5.5 and 1:4.5.

11. The oil separator element of claim 10, wherein the width of the grooves and the length of the grooves are in a ratio of 1:5.

12. The oil separator element of claim 11, wherein the direction, the cross section shape, the width and/or the depth of the grooves varies in the longitudinal direction of the grooves.

13. The oil separator element of claim 12, wherein the interface is flat.

14. A cylinder head cover, comprising: at least one oil separator element, said element having oil separator element halves which are integral parts of a top housing and a bottom housing of said cover

15. The cylinder head cover of claim 14, wherein the top housing is a valve hood.

16. The cylinder head cover of claim 15, wherein the bottom housing is a wash plate.

17. The cylinder head cover of claim 16, wherein a plurality of oil separator elements are on or in the cylinder head cover.

18. A cylinder head cover produced by the process comprising injection molding oil separator element halves such that a groove family is located in or on one of said halves such that the groove family is oriented with reference to its depth in the direction in which the finished part is ejected from an injection molding die.