Patent Application
20230116637
This patent application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102021125569.4, filed Oct. 1, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a particle separator for cleaning a gas stream loaded with particles, such as fluid particles. In particular, the particle separator can be used for cleaning an anode stream of a fuel cell loaded with water particles and/or blow-by gas of a crankcase ventilation of a motor vehicle engine loaded with oil particles. The disclosure further relates to a particle separation system comprising two particle separators in fluid communication with one another. In addition, the disclosure relates to a method of cleaning a particulate laden gas stream with the particle separator or the particle separator system. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a fuel cell system with the particle separator and a fuel cell vehicle as well as a crankcase ventilation system for a motor vehicle.
Conventional particle separators can include two types of separators, including active separators and passive separators. Active separators are characterized by additional energy being applied to the particles in order to achieve increased separation efficiency. For example, an electrostatic precipitation system is known in which particles are electrically charged so that they are attracted to a counter-polarized surface and subsequently separated. In passive separators, no additional energy is introduced into the system. For example, passive separators use the kinetic energy of the gas stream. In this case, the particles are passed through a labyrinth or cyclone, for example, and can thus be separated from the gas stream due to the inertia of the particles, allowing the particles to be removed from the gas stream, which is cleaned up afterwards. In the case of oil separators in particular, the oil particles are returned to the oil circuit and the cleaned gas stream is returned to the intake air of the motor vehicle engine.
WO 2016/184768 describes a device for separating particles from a gas stream. The gas stream flows against the separator at an underside, which defines a flow inlet. The flow inlet opens into a flow channel, which is defined by a flow guide element forming the underside of the separator and a valve member movable relative to the flow guide element and projecting into the flow inlet. The flow directing element and the valve member are thereby dimensioned and arranged with respect to each other in such a way that the gas stream is deflected as it passes through the flow channel in order to increase the separation efficiency, that is, the efficiency of the separator. However, the oil separator described therein is reaching its limits due to the tightening of legal and environmental regulations and requirements with regard to the separation rate and the associated efficiency of the separator.
DE 20 2010 001 191 U1 describes an oil separation device in which a fleece is used for oil separation. The valve member is designed as a flat valve disc with through-holes to allow leakage flow in the closed valve member state. According to DE 20 2010 001 191 U1, the fleece is either arranged in the valve chamber in such a way that it is exposed to the leakage flow or is subjected to a substantially tangential flow when the valve member is open. On the oil separation device according to DE 20 2010 001 191 U1, on the one hand the limited separation effect of the fleece has proved to be a disadvantage. On the other hand, the fleeces tend to soot up and become clogged with particles, which increasingly reduces their separation efficiency and may require maintenance or replacement of the fleece.
Applicant’s publication, DE 10 2018 124 654 A1, discloses an oil separator having a spring-biased rotational valve member and a fleece fabric on a cover housing portion downstream of the valve member.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the embodiments and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the embodiments.
The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Elements, features and components that are identical, functionally identical and have the same effect are – insofar as is not stated otherwise –respectively provided with the same reference character.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments, including structures, systems, and methods, may be practiced without these specific details. The description and representation herein are the common means used by those experienced or skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring embodiments of the disclosure. The connections shown in the figures between functional units or other elements can also be implemented as indirect connections, wherein a connection can be wireless or wired. Functional units can be implemented as hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software.
An object of the present disclosure to improve the disadvantages of the known prior art, including to provide a particle separator for cleaning a particle-laden gas stream, a particle separation system with two particle separators, a method for cleaning a particle-laden gas stream with the particle separator or the particle separation system, a fuel cell system and a crankcase ventilation system with an improved separation rate, which is in particular also improved at larger volume flows. The inventors of the present disclosure have found that there is further potential with respect to separation efficiency. In particular, it has been found that increased volumetric flows (e.g. of more than 30 l/min, and in particular of more than 70 l/min) advantageously provide an improved separation rate. In particular, since the fleece of the cover housing part is more or less bypassed. Furthermore, this advantageously reduces or avoids an increase sooting of the fleece.
Accordingly, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a particle separator is provided for cleaning a gas stream laden with particles, such as fluid particles. In particular, the particle separator may be an oil separator or water separator. The particle separator may be suitable for separating oil particles and/or water particles. In particular, the gas stream can be a water-loaded gas stream, in particular an anode stream of a fuel cell, or a gas stream loaded with oil particles, in particular a blow-by gas stream.
In an exemplary embodiment, the particle separator may include a gas stream inlet at which the gas stream enters the particle separator with an inflow direction. In particular, the gas stream inlet may be formed in an inflow housing part of the particle separator. An inflow housing part means, in particular, that part of the housing of a particle separator against which the gas stream flowing towards the particle separator flows. The gas stream inlet may be designed in particular as a through-opening in the inflow housing part.
The particle separator further comprises a gas stream outlet at which the gas stream leaves the particle separator. In particular, the gas stream outlet may be formed as an exit opening in the housing of the particle separator. In particular, the gas stream exit may be formed between an inflow housing portion and a cover housing portion of the particle separator. In particular, the gas stream outlet may be arranged downstream of the valve member, valve seat and/or textile described below. In particular, the gas stream inlet and the gas stream outlet are arranged relative to each other such that the gas stream leaves the gas stream outlet in an outflow direction which may be inclined relative to the inflow direction by at least 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70° or 80°, in particular by 90°.
The particle separator comprises a closed state in which, except for a leakage flow, a gas stream from the gas inlet to the gas outlet is prevented. A leakage flow refers to a volume flow of at least 1 l/min, 3 l/min, 5 l/min, 7 l/min, 10 l/min or 12 l/min and/or at most 15 l/min, 20 l/min, 25 l/min, 30 l/min, 35 l/min or 40 l/min. In particular, the leakage flow may have multiple leakage partial gas streams. In particular, the multiple leakage partial gas streams can be deflected to different degrees in the particle separator.
Furthermore, the particle separator comprises at least one opening state in which, in addition to the local flow, a large volume flow from the gas stream inlet to the gas stream outlet is permitted. A large volume flow means in particular a volume flow of more than 20 l/min, 30 l/min, 40 l/min, 50 l/min, 60 l/min, 80 l/min or 100 l/min.
In particular, the particle separator has a valve member and a valve seat. In particular, the valve member may be in radial and/or axial stop contact with the valve seat in the closed state. In the closed state, the leakage flow may be permitted in particular by contouring the valve seat and/or the valve member in the region of the axial and/or radial stop contact. In particular, the radial and/or axial stop contact of the valve seat can provide a flat contact surface for this purpose, while the corresponding contact surface of the valve member has a contoured contact surface, in particular one provided with depressions or recesses. Alternatively, the contoured contact surface can be formed on the valve seat and the flat contact surface on the valve member.
Alternatively, or additionally, the leakage flow can be enabled by passage openings in the valve member and/or in the valve seat.
The particle separator further comprises a deflection guide channel arranged between the gas stream inlet and the gas stream outlet, which deflects the large volume flow and/or the leakage flow by at least 90° with respect to the inflow direction. In particular, the deflection guide channel may be collar-shaped. In particular, the deflection guide channel may be formed between the valve seat and the valve member. In particular, the deflection guide channel may be bounded by the valve member in the inflow direction and by the valve seat in the direction opposite to the inflow direction. In particular, the valve member has a cup and a valve member collar adjoining the cup. In particular, starting from a cup base, the valve member extends in the inflow direction along a cup skirt, which widens in particular in the radial direction, and, viewed in the inflow direction, merges at the end of the cup skirt into the valve member collar, which extends arcuately first outwardly in the radial direction and then extends in the direction opposite to the inflow direction. In particular, the cup and the valve member collar delimit an annular space.
In particular, the valve seat may be configured complementary to the valve member. In particular, the valve seat has a hollow body which widens in the inflow direction and merges into a valve seat collar which extends arcuately first in the radial direction and then in the direction opposite to the inflow direction. In particular, at the end of the hollow body opposite the inflow direction, the gas stream inlet may be formed as a particularly circular inlet opening. In particular, the valve member may be telescopically displaceable into the hollow body. In particular, the valve member may be adjustable in the actuating direction and in the closing direction. In particular, the actuating direction corresponds to the inflow direction. In particular, the closing direction corresponds to the direction opposite to the inflow direction.
In one embodiment, the valve member may be in stop contact with the valve seat via the valve member collar in the closed state. By shifting the valve member from the closed state to the at least one open state, the large-volume flow can be released, which may be then deflected by at least 90° with respect to the inflow direction via the valve seat collar. Alternatively, or additionally, the stop contact surface of the valve seat collar and/or the area of the valve seat in stop contact with the valve seat collar can be contoured to allow a leakage flow in the closed state, which may be deflected by at least 90° with respect to the inflow direction. For this purpose, for example, the contouring at the end of the valve member collar can be formed in the closing direction.
In accordance with this aspect of the disclosure, the particle separator comprises a textile, in particular fleece, arranged such that at least a portion of the deflected large volume flow and/or the deflected leakage flow impinges on the textile.
In an exemplary embodiment, the textile may be formed from a flat textile structure, such as a fleece, a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a braided fabric and/or felt. In an exemplary embodiment, the textile may be formed at least in part from a fleece fabric. A fleece may be generally a structure of fibers of limited length, continuous fibers (filaments) or chopped yarns, which have been joined and/or bonded together in any manner, in particular to form a fiber layer or a fiber pile.
Fleeces or nonwovens with a basis weight in the range of 100 g/m2 - 400 g/m2 , in particular in the range of 150 g/m2 - 350 g/m2 , in particular in the range of 200 g/m2 -300 g/m2, in particular in the range of 220 g/m2 - 280 g/m2 , preferably in the range of 230 g/m2 - 270 g/m2, have proved advantageous with regard to the separation rate of particles of the gas stream. A permeability to air, in particular a so-called air permeability, of the fleeces or fleece fabrics used may be in particular in the range of 975 l/(m2/s) - 2800 l/(m2/s), preferably in the range of 1100 l/(m2/s) - 2500 l/(m2/s), preferably in the range of 1200 l/(m2/s) - 2000 l/(m2/s), preferably in the range of 1300 l/(m2/s) - 1800 l/(m2/s), in particular at about 1800 l/(m2/s). In particular, the air permeability can be calculated according to DIN EN ISO 9237. Furthermore, a fiber thickness of the fibers forming the fleeces can be in the range of 0.02 mm - 0.03 mm, in particular about 0.025 mm.
As a further example, also fleeces or fleeces with a basis weight in the range of 300 g/m2 - 650 g/m2 , in particular in the range of 350 g/m2 - 600 g/m2 , in particular in the range of 400 g/m2 - 550 g/m2 , in particular in the range of 425 g/m2 - 525 g/m2 , in particular in the range of 450 g/m2 - 500 g/m2 , in particular in the range of 470 g/m -480 g/m22 , preferably about 475 g/m2, can be used. The fiber geometry can be, for example, 5D x 51 mm. The strength in the longitudinal extension direction and/or transverse extension direction may be greater than 800 N/5 cm, in particular in the range of 800 N/5 cm - 1,600 N/5 cm, especially in the range of 900 N/5 cm - 1,400 N/5 cm, in particular in the range of 1,000 N/5 cm - 1,300 N/5 cm, especially in the range of 1,050 N/5 cm - 1,250 N/5 cm, in particular in the range of 1,100 N/5 cm - 1,200 N/5 cm, preferably about 1150 N/5 cm. The tensile elongation in the longitudinal extension direction and/or transverse extension direction can be in the range 40%- 140%, in particular in the range 50% - 120%, in particular in the range 60% - 100%, in particular in the range 70% - 90%, preferably about 80%. The tensile strength in the longitudinal extension direction can preferably be greater than 300 N, in particular in the range 300 N - 500 N, in particular in the range 320 N - 400 N, in particular in the range 340 N -370%, preferably at about 350 N. The tensile strength in the transverse stretching direction can preferably be greater than 300 N, in particular in the range 300 N - 600 N, in particular in the range 350 N - 500 N, in particular in the range 400 N - 450%, preferably at about 420 N.
According to advantageous embodiments of fleeces, a thickness considered transversely to the planar extension of the fleeces, in particular a layer thickness, can be in the range of 1.5 mm - 5 mm, preferably in the range of 1.7 mm - 4 mm, preferably in the range of 1.9 mm - 3 mm, in particular at about 2 mm.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the textile, in particular the fleece, comprises a polyester material, in particular thermoplastic polymer, such as PET or PTFE.
In particular, the textile may be arranged on the inflow housing part of the particle separator. In particular, the textile may be arranged within the housing of the particle separator. In particular, the textile may be arranged within the housing of the particle separator at the inflow housing part. In particular, the textile may be arranged on the inflow housing part such that the inflowable surface of the textile may be aligned with the housing cover part. In particular, the textile may be arranged downstream of the deflection guide channel. In particular, the textile may be arranged such that the large volume flow and/or the leakage flow, after being deflected by at least 90°, flows towards the textile through the deflection guide channel. In particular, the textile may be arranged in such a way that the deflection guide channel deflects the large-volume flow and/or the leakage flow in the direction of the textile with respect to the inflow direction. In particular, the leakage flow may be deflected by the deflection guide channel in such a way that it strikes the textile essentially in the direction opposite to the inflow direction.
In particular, the textile may be annular in shape. In particular, the textile may be inserted into an annular receptacle of the inflow housing part. In particular, the textile extends circumferentially around the valve seat and/or the valve member. In particular, the valve member and the valve seat are arranged radially within the textile. In particular, the textile may be arranged downstream of the valve seat and/or the valve member and upstream of the gas stream outlet.
The at least one opening state described above can in particular be understood to mean a partially opened state in which the valve member may be free from axial and/or radial abutment contact with the valve seat, the inflow housing part and/or the cover housing part. In this state, for example, a large-volume flow can be deflected onto the textile via the deflection guide channel and, at the same time, a leakage flow can be permitted, for example via through-openings in the valve member, which is not deflected at all or at least to a lesser extent than the large-volume flow. For this purpose, openings, in particular bores, can be formed in the valve member and/or valve seat, for example. In one embodiment, passage openings, in particular four circumferentially distributed passage openings, are provided for this purpose in the valve member collar, in particular at the transition between the cup and the valve member collar.
In one embodiment, a second textile, in particular fleece, may be attached to the housing cover portion of the particle separator. In particular, the second textile may be a fleece. In particular, the second textile may be annular in shape. In particular, a leakage flow, in particular a partial leakage flow, flows directly against the second textile via the previously described passage openings both in the closed state and in the open state.
In addition to the at least one opening state described above, which can also be referred to as a partially opened state, the particle separator can also have a fully opened state. In this state, the valve member in particular has a stop contact with the housing cover part. In the fully open state, in particular, the deflection guide channel may be wider than in the partially open state, so that a larger large volume flow, in particular of up to 120 l/min, is permitted. In the fully open state, the leakage flow, which is permitted, for example, in the partially open state through passage openings in the valve member collar, can be prevented by sealingly closing the passage openings in the stop contact. In one embodiment, the stop contact in the fully open position can be implemented by contact of the valve member collar with the second textile. For this purpose, the valve seat collar can have an annular stop at its end in the inflow direction, which may be in stop contact with the second textile in the fully closed state. The annular stop can be penetrated by the at least one passage openings described above.
According to one embodiment, the deflection guide channel deflects the large-volume flow and/or the leakage flow by at least 100°, 110°, 120°, 130° or at least 140°, in particular by essentially 180°, with respect to the inflow direction. A deflection of essentially 180° is to be understood in particular as a deflection between 150° and 210°, 155° and 205°, 160° and 200°, 165° and 195°, 170° and 190° or 175° and 185°. A deflection of essentially 180° can be realized in particular by using a valve member with cup and valve member collar. In an exemplary embodiment, the deflection guide channel may be collar-shaped for this purpose. In particular, the collar-shaped deflection guide channel may be bounded by the valve member collar in the actuating direction and by the valve seat collar in the closing direction.
In one embodiment, the particle separator may be in the closed state at a volume of 30 l/min of the gas stream to be cleaned. This can be realized in particular by using a valve member that is biased into the closed state. For this purpose, a spring, in particular a spiral spring, can be provided between the valve member and the cover housing part of the particle separator. In particular, the valve member may be biased in the closed state in such a way that a volumetric flow of up to 30 l/min can flow through the particle separator as a leakage flow, for example via the previously described contouring and/or at least one passage opening, without setting the valve member in at least one of the open states. In particular, the aforementioned contouring and/or passage openings are adapted to the preload of the valve member in such a way that the flow resistance increases at a volume flow of more than 30 l/min in such a way that the volume flow moves the valve member into the at least one opening state against the preload force.
In particular, at a volume flow of more than 30 l/min and in particular a maximum of 70 l/min, the valve member may be in a partially open state in which the large volume flow may be diverted via the deflection guide channel to the textile, in particular the textile arranged on the inflow housing part. At the same time, in this partially open state, a leakage flow can still be diverted, for example via the previously described passage openings, to a second textile, in particular a textile arranged on the cover housing part.
Particularly at volume flows of more than 70 l/min and especially up to 120 l/min, the valve member may be displaced in the actuating direction to such an extent that it comes into particularly axial abutment contact with the housing cover part or the second web. In this way, the leakage flow in particular can be prevented, so that the entire flow may be directed as a large-volume flow via the deflection guide channel onto the first textile.
The inventors of the present disclosure have found that flowing a textile with a deflected gas stream causes a surprising increase in the degree of separation compared to flowing a textile with an undeflected gas stream. Therefore, it has turned out to be particularly preferred to first deflect both the leakage flow in the closed state and the large-volume flow in the at least one open state by at least 90° before flowing onto the textile. The aforementioned deflection by essentially 180° has proven to be particularly advantageous.
Another aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combinable with the previously described aspect and embodiments thereof, also relates to a particle separator for cleaning a gas stream loaded with particles, such as fluid particles. The particle separator comprises a gas stream inlet where the gas stream enters the particle separator, a gas stream outlet where the gas stream exits the particle separator, and a conduit arranged between the gas stream inlet and the gas stream outlet. In accordance with this aspect of the disclosure, a textile may be disposed in the conduit and may be provided with a coating that reduces adhesion of particles to the textile. In particular, the coating may be hydrophobic and/or oil repellent.
The textile may be arranged as the textile according to the previously described aspect of the disclosure. Further, the textile may be formed in material and shape as previously described. In particular, the conduit channel comprises the entire space traversed by the gas stream between the gas stream inlet and the gas stream outlet. In particular, the conduit channel comprises the entire separator space bounded between an inflow housing portion and a cover housing portion of the particle separator. In particular, the textile may be arranged in the conduit channel such that it is flowed against by the gas stream. In particular, this aspect of the disclosure includes particle separators with and without movable valve members. In an embodiment with movable valve member and valve seat, the textile may be arranged in a section of the conduit channel downstream of the valve member and the valve seat. In embodiments where the conduit includes a deflection guide channel, the coated textile may be disposed downstream of the deflection guide channel. In an exemplary embodiment, in accordance with the previously described aspect of the disclosure, the coated textile may be arranged to be impinged upon by a deflected large volume flow and/or leakage flow. In an exemplary embodiment, a coated textile according to this aspect of the disclosure may be arranged on the inflow housing portion of the particle separator and/or a coated textile according to this aspect of the disclosure may be arranged on a cover housing portion of the particle separator.
The inventors of the present disclosure have found that by applying the coating reducing the adhesion of particles, the clogging of the textile can be slowed down, in particular avoided. This clogging is also referred to as sooting. By avoiding the clogging, both the lifetime and the separation rate of the particle separator can be improved. In particular, when using the particle separator as an oil separator, it has been found that coarse particles, such as soot, lead to rapid clogging of the textile and thus reduce the separation rate. Surprisingly, this could be prevented with the measure according to the disclosure. The inventors have also found that the problem of clogging is particularly prevalent in particle separators with moving valve members, and particularly severe in spring-biased valve members. Surprisingly, especially in these embodiments, the problem of clogging/sooting could be solved by the coating of the textile according to the disclosure. Therefore, this aspect of the disclosure relates more particularly to a spring-biased particle separator, in particular an oil separator, comprising a valve member and the textile layer coated according to the disclosure. In particular, it has been found that with the measure according to the disclosure, clogging/sooting is prevented through the removal of coarse particles are removed involuntarily due to the smooth surface and the lack of cohesion at higher volume flows. Thus, this aspect of the disclosure provides a self-cleaning function of the textiles. Furthermore, the coating of the textile particular has an oil repellent effect.
In one embodiment, the coating may be applied by spraying or coating, preferably printing, by impregnating the textile, steaming or lacquering. Alternatively, or additionally, the coating may be a silane-based solution, for example a liquid or powder coating material, in particular a lacquer, such as a silicon lacquer. In one embodiment, the coating, in particular the silicon varnish coating, may be applied during blowing of the fleece fibers, so that in particular each fiber of the fleece may be provided with the coating.
In one embodiment of this or the previously described aspect of the disclosure, the textile comprises a polyester material, particularly a thermoplastic, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In an exemplary embodiment, the textile may be a PFTE fleece.
Advantageously, the coated fleece may be used in both the previously described aspect of the present disclosure and the subsequently described aspect of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, two fleeces coated according to the disclosure are used, one of which may be arranged on an inflow housing part and another of which may be arranged on a lid housing part of the particle separator. In an exemplary embodiment, the fleece on the cover housing part and/or on the inflow housing part may be flowed against in the closed state via a leakage flow.
Another aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combinable with the previously described aspects and embodiments thereof, also relates to a particle separator for cleaning a gas stream laden with particles, such as fluid particles. The particle separator comprises a gas stream inlet, where the gas stream enters the particle separator with an inflow direction. Further, the particle separator comprises a gas stream outlet where the gas stream exits the particle separator. Furthermore, the particle separator comprises a gas stream divider designed to divide the gas stream into at least two partial gas streams, in particular into a leakage flow and a large volume flow, as well as a deflection guide structure arranged downstream of the gas stream divider, which deflects one partial gas stream more strongly than at least one further partial gas stream. Furthermore, the particle separator comprises a textile, in particular fleece, arranged such that at least a portion of the more strongly deflected gas stream impinges on the textile, and a further textile, in particular fleece, arranged such that at least a portion of the less strongly deflected gas stream impinges on the further textile. In an exemplary embodiment, the gas stream inlet, the gas stream outlet and/or the textile are designed as described above in their dimensioning, material selection and positioning.
The particle separator according to this aspect of the disclosure may be a static particle separator or a particle separator having a closed state and at least one open state as previously described. In particular, the gas stream divider may be configured to divide the gas stream into two partial leakage flows in a closed state. In this case, the deflection guide structure can be designed to deflect the two partial leakage flows to different extents in the closed state. Alternatively, or additionally, the gas stream divider may be configured to divide the gas stream in an open state, in particular in a partially open state, into at least one leakage flow and one large volume flow. Furthermore, the gas stream divider can be designed to divide the gas stream into at least two partial flows only in certain states, in particular in the closed and/or partially opened state. For example, the gas stream divider can be designed not to subdivide the gas stream in a fully open state.
The deflection guide structure can be designed to deflect one partial gas stream and deflect the other partial gas stream less or not at all. In particular, the deflection guide structure can be designed to allow one partial gas stream to pass essentially without deflection and to deflect the other at least one partial gas stream. By substantially deflection-free is meant in particular a deflection of less than 45°, 30°, 15°, 10° or 5° relative to the inflow direction.
In one embodiment, the gas stream divider and the baffle structure may be formed by a valve member and a valve seat of the particle separator. In particular, the gas stream divider and the baffle structure may be implemented by the exemplary embodiment of the valve member and the valve seat described previously and below. In particular, the gas stream divider may be implemented by at least one passage opening formed in the valve member. In particular, the at least one passage opening realizing the gas stream divider may be formed at the transition between the cup and the valve member collars of the valve member. As a result, a portion of the gas stream that has substantially not been diverted over the cup can be divided via the at least one passage opening from the remaining gas stream, which may be subsequently diverted over the valve member collar.
In particular, the deflection guide structure can be formed by the valve member collar, which deflects the remaining gas stream with respect to the inflow direction. At the downstream end of the valve collar, contouring can be provided as described above so that the more strongly deflected partial gas stream can also exit the particle separator as a partial leakage flow in the closed state of the particle separator.
In an exemplary embodiment, the downstream end of the valve member collar may be in sealing contact with the valve seat in the closed state so that no splitting of the gas stream occurs in this condition. In this embodiment, splitting only occurs when the valve member is moved from a closed position to an open position.
In an exemplary embodiment, the two textiles according to this aspect of the disclosure are arranged such that the two partial gas streams flow substantially directly towards them. In this context, substantially direct flow means in particular that the partial gas streams flow towards the respective textile immediately after leaving the gas stream divider and/or the deflection guide structure.
In one embodiment, the deflection guide structure deflects the more strongly deflected gas stream by at least 90°, in particular by at least 100°, 110°, 120°, 130° or at least 140°, in particular by essentially 180° with respect to the inflow direction. Alternatively, or additionally, the less strongly deflected partial gas stream may be deflected by less than 60°, 45°, 30°, 15° or 5°. In particular, the less strongly deflected partial gas stream passes through a flow channel between the valve member and the valve seat, especially in the closed or partially opened state, and leaves this channel through at least one passage openings in the valve member, via which the less strongly deflected partial gas stream meets the further textile directly. Alternatively, or additionally, the gas stream divider and the deflection guide structure are designed in such a way that the more strongly deflected gas stream flows through a gap, in particular a collar-shaped gap, between the valve seat and the valve member and flows at the downstream end of the valve seat and/or valve member onto the textile associated with the more strongly deflected gas stream. In an exemplary embodiment, the gas stream divider and the deflection guide structure are designed in such a way that the less strongly deflected partial gas stream flows through the passage openings onto the further textile at least in the closed state and/or in the partially opened state and/or the more strongly deflected partial gas stream flows via the downstream end of the valve member and/or valve seat onto the textile associated with the more strongly deflected partial gas stream at least in the closed state, in the partially opened state and/or in the fully opened state.
According to exemplary embodiments of the aspects of the disclosure described above, the deflection guide channel, the conduit channel, the gas stream divider and/or the deflection guide structure may be formed, at least in sections, by a movable valve member for adjusting the volume flow passing through the particle separator. In particular, the valve member may be preloaded into the closed state, in particular spring-biased.
As described above, the particle separator may include a valve seat defining the gas stream inlet and a valve member. The valve member may be displaceable in particular between a closed position, in which the valve member may be brought into stop contact with the valve seat, and at least one open position, in which the valve member may be moved out of the stop contact in an axial actuating direction. The stop contact has in particular an axial stop contact and a radial stop contact.
The radial stop contact may be formed in particular by a radial stop contact surface of the valve member, in particular the cup, and a radial stop contact surface of the valve seat, in particular the hollow body. For this purpose, the valve seat, in particular hollow body, has at least one radial projection on its inner side. In particular, the radial stop contact surface of the hollow body may be formed by the surface facing the cup closing state. In particular, the radial abutment contact surface of the hollow body may be formed complementary to the radial abutment contact surface of the cup in order to form a planar radial abutment contact in the closed state. In particular, the hollow body can have a plurality of radial projections offset from one another in the circumferential direction to form the radial stop contact. In order to permit the previously described leakage flow in the closed state, the at least one radial projection may be, in particular, not formed as a projection that is continuous in the circumferential direction, so that at least one leakage flow channel is also formed between the cup and the hollow body in the closed state.
The axial stop contact may be formed in particular by an axial stop contact surface of the valve member, in particular the deflecting screen, and an axial stop contact surface of the inflow housing part, in particular the valve seat. For this purpose, a stop flange may be formed on the inflow housing part. The surface of the stop flange facing the deflector screen or shield in the actuating direction forms the axial stop contact surface of the inflow housing part. The stop flange may adjoin the valve seat collar downstream and extend from the latter in the closing direction, where it merges into a radial web of the inflow housing part. The axial stop contact surface of the deflector shield may be formed by its side facing the stop flange in the closing direction. The deflector shield may be contoured with projections - to form the stop contact surface - and recesses - to ensure leakage flow in the closed state.
In particular, the valve member has a rotational cup facing the gas stream to be cleaned. In an exemplary embodiment, the valve member also has a rotationally shaped deflection screen adjoining the cup, which deflects the counterflow in the at least one open position in the direction of the textile, in particular the textile associated with the more strongly deflected partial gas stream. In particular, the deflection screen may be configured to deflect the gas stream by at least 90°, in particular by at least 100°, 110°, 120°, 130° or 140°, in particular by substantially 180°, with respect to the inflow direction. In particular, the deflection shield may be referred to as a valve collar and may be formed with one or more of the previously described valve collar features.
In one embodiment, the deflector shield extends axially against the axial direction of adjustment by less than 60%, in particular less than 55% or less than 50% of the axial dimension of the cup.
According to one embodiment, the particle separator comprises an inflow housing part having the valve seat and a textile receptacle, in particular a recess, for the textile. In particular, the textile receptacle may be formed as an annular recess in the inflow housing part. In particular, the valve seat described above, the valve member described above, and/or the stop flange described above extend radially within the textile receptacle, or are circled by it. In particular, the textile receptacle circumferentially circumvents the valve seat, the valve member and/or the stop flange. In particular, an annular textile, especially an annular fleece, may be inserted in the valve seat.
In one embodiment, the particle separator further has a cover housing part with a textile receptacle and opposite the inflow housing part, in particular a depression, for a further textile, in particular for the further textile described above. The further textile receptacle may be formed in particular as an annular recess in the cover housing part. In particular, the further textile receptacle circumferentially surrounds a guide pin of the valve member. In particular, the further textile receptacle and the further textile arranged therein are arranged opposite the at least one passage opening provided in the valve member, in particular in order to direct a leakage flow, partial leakage flow and/or less strongly deflected partial flow emerging from this at least one passage opening directly onto the further textile.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the aspect of the present disclosure described as the first aspect, the textile receptacle of the inflow housing part may be dimensioned and/or arranged such that both the leakage flow in the closed state and the large volume flow in the at least one open state flows in the direction of the textile receptacle. According to an embodiment of the aspect of the present disclosure described as the second aspect, the textile receptacle of the inflow housing portion may be dimensioned and/or arranged such that the gas stream flows in the direction of the textile receptacle. According to an embodiment of the aspect of the present disclosure described as third, the textile receptacle of the inflow housing part may be dimensioned and/or arranged such that one of the two partial streams flows in the direction of the textile receptacle.
According to one embodiment, the valve member may be movable and/or dimensioned such that it is free from abutting contact with the textile. This means in particular the textile associated with the inflow housing part. In particular, the valve member may be free from an engaging contact with the textile in the closed state. Embodiments in which the valve member may be in engaging contact with the further textile in the fully open state are in particular intended to be covered by this embodiment.
For this purpose, the inflow housing part can have a stop flange, in particular adjacent to the textile receptacle, with which the valve member can come into stop contact, in particular in the closed state. As described above and below, the valve member can have a contouring at its contact point with the stop flange in order to allow a leakage flow along the stop contact in the closed state. Alternatively, or additionally, the contouring may be formed on the stop flange. The inventors of the present disclosure have found that by avoiding a stop contact between the valve member and the textile, particularly in the closed state, adhesion, particularly freezing at cold temperatures, of the valve member with the textile can be prevented so that the textile is not torn loose from its anchorage when the valve member is moved to an open state. In particular, the stop flange can comprise plastic, in particular be made of plastic, especially for this purpose.
The disclosure further relates to a particle separation system comprising two of the previously described particle separators for cleaning a gas stream loaded with particles, such as fluid particles, wherein the particle separators are in fluid communication with each other.
According to one embodiment, the two particle separators are fluidly connected to each other in such a way that the gas stream to be cleaned can be divided into the at least two particle separators upstream of the particle separation system and/or a gas stream from one particle separator can pass into at least one further particle separator.
Further, the disclosure relates to a method of cleaning a gas stream laden with particles, such as soot particles, wherein the gas stream may be introduced into a particle separator according to any of the aspects of the disclosure previously described or a particle separation system according to any of the embodiments previously described.
According to one embodiment of the method, the particle separator remains in a closed state up to a gas stream of 30 l/min, in particular in the closed state described in connection with the aspect of the disclosure described as the first aspect. Alternatively, or in addition, in the method, at a gas stream of more than 30 l/min and at most 70 l/min, the particle separator may be placed in a partially open state, in particular in the at least one open state according to the aspect of the disclosure described as the first aspect. Alternatively, or additionally, the particle separator may be brought into a fully open state at a gas stream of more than 70 l/min.
According to one embodiment of the method, the particle separator may be displaced between the closed state and the at least one open state in dependence on the gas volume flow.
The method may be configured/executed to operate a particle separator and/or particle separation system according to any of the previously described aspects of the disclosure.
Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a fuel cell system for a motor vehicle, comprising a fuel cell and a particle separator arranged in a particle-carrying conduit system, which may be formed according to one or more of the previously described aspects of the disclosure. In particular, the conduit system carries a particle-laden gas stream. In particular, the particle carrying conduit system may be a hydrogen supply for the anode of the fuel cell. In particular, the particle separator may be fed by an anode exhaust gas stream from which the particle separator removes water and feeds it back to the anode via an ejector together with hydrogen, in particular to wet the anode with water.
Further, the disclosure relates to a fuel cell vehicle having the fuel cell system described above. In this regard, the fuel cell vehicle may comprise the fuel cell system described above and may further comprise a cooling system for the fuel cell, an oxygen supply for the cathode of the fuel cell, and/or an electrical system for storing electrical energy provided by the fuel cell and/or for converting the energy into a driving power of the fuel cell vehicle.
Further, the disclosure relates to a crankcase ventilation system for a motor vehicle comprising a crankcase having a flow outlet port for removing blow-by gases from the crankcase and a particle separator or particle separation system according to one or more of the previously described aspects of the disclosure fluidly communicating with the flow outlet port for cleaning the blow-by gas of oil particles.
In accordance with the aspect of the disclosure described as the second aspect, the textile 87 disposed in the inflow housing portion 125 and/or the textile 87 disposed in the cover housing portion may be provided with the previously described coating that reduces adhesion of particles to the textile. The conduit described in connection with this aspect of the disclosure may include the entire separator chamber 115, which in turn may include the bypass chamber 141 and the collar-shaped gap 128.
With respect to the aspect of the disclosure described as a third aspect, the gas stream divider in
A valve member collar 67, which can also be referred to as a deflecting shield 67, adjoins or opens into the jacket 61, in particular at the end of the jacket 61 pointing in the actuating direction A. The valve member collar 67 may be of a rotational design and extend, in particular arcuately, starting from the jacket 61 initially substantially in radial direction R and subsequently substantially in closing direction S. The valve member collar 67 and the cup 57, in particular the jacket 61, delimit an annular space 69 of the valve member 55, which is open in closing direction S. The valve member collar 67 may be designed in such a way that it can be rotated in the closing direction.
In an exemplary embodiment, an end of the collar 67 facing in the closing direction S forms a substantially circumferential axial stop contact surface 71 of the valve member 57 for the stop contact between the valve member 57 and the valve seat 73. A stop contact between the valve member 55 and the valve seat 73 can be seen from the particle separator 31 shown on the right in
As can be seen in
Passage openings 159 are provided in the valve member 55 for allowing leakage flow in the closed position. These passage openings 159 can be provided in addition to or as an alternative to the previously described contouring 74. In the example shown here, the passage openings 159 are formed as four bores which are introduced into the valve member 55 at equidistant intervals in the circumferential direction. These extend through the valve member 55 in the actuating direction A. In the present case, the through-holes 159 are formed in the part of the valve collar 67 directly adjoining the jacket 61 in the radial direction R. The through-holes 159 are formed in the valve collar 67. In this way, it can be ensured in particular that partial flows of the leakage flow exiting through the passage openings 159 are deflected by the valve member to a lesser extent than partial flows of the leakage flow exiting via the contouring 74.
In
The particle separators 51 of the particle separation system 53 are arranged parallel to each other and are in fluid communication with each other. By arranged parallel to each other it is meant that the particle separators 51 are arranged in such a way that a gas stream impinging on the particle separation system 53 can enter both particle separators 51 simultaneously, or can split into the two particle separators 51. Each particle separator 51 has a gas stream inlet 27 via which a gas stream impinging on the particle separation system 53 can be split into both particle separators 51. Even though
The particle separator 51 comprises a housing 110, in particular a two-part housing. The housing 110 comprises an inflow housing part 111 and a cover housing part 113 connectable or connected thereto. The inflow housing part 111 and the cover housing part 113 can be detachably connected to each other, in particular via a clip connection (not shown). In particular, the inflow housing portion 111 may be connected to a crankcase via a tongue and groove connection (not shown). In an exemplary embodiment, the inflow housing portion 111 may be connected to a crankcase via a tongue-and-groove connection. The particle separator 51 includes a valve seat 73 defining the gas stream inlet 27. The valve seat 73 may be part of the housing 110, in particular part of the inflow housing part 111. In an exemplary embodiment, the valve seat 73 and the inflow housing part 111 are made of one piece. In the illustrated particle separation system 53, the valve seats 73 of the two particle separators 51 and the inflow housing parts 111 are made of one piece. The cover housing parts 113 of the two particle separators 51 are also made in one piece. For example, injection molding processes are used.
The housing 110 defines a separation chamber 115 for separating particles from the gas stream and for supporting and guiding the valve member 55. The valve member 55 may be mounted in the separation chamber 115. In the closed state, the valve member 55 may be in abutting contact with the valve seat 73. In the abutting contact, the radial and axial stop contact surfaces 71, 72 of the valve member 55 and the radial and axial stop contact surfaces 77, 78 of the valve seat 73 are in contact with each other. In the process, the valve member 55 may be pressed against the valve seat 73 by a spring 83, which may be designed, for example, as a helical spring and may be supported on the valve member 55 by an axial end 84. With an axial end 82 opposite to the axial end 84, the spring 83 may be supported on the cover housing part 113. If a gas stream with sufficient pressure acts against the valve member 55, the latter may be moved in actuating direction A from the closed state to an open state. In the process, the gas stream acts against the spring force of the spring 83, whereby, for example, a multi-spring arrangement, such as a series connection of at least two springs 83, can also be provided. When the valve member 55 may be displaced in the actuating direction A, the spring 83, which may be supported between the valve member 55 and the cover housing part 113, is compressed. With increasing displacement of the valve member 55 in the actuating direction A, the spring force acting against the displacement movements of the valve member 55 increases. By using springs with a progressively wound spring characteristic and/or by using several springs connected in series, the spring characteristic can be adapted to a desired response behavior of the valve member 55.
The spring 83 may be slipped over the guide pin 79, which extends from the cup 57, in particular from the cup base 59, in the direction of adjustment A. A passage opening 131 for the guide pin 79 may be provided on a part of the housing opposite the cup base 59 in the direction of adjustment A, in particular the cover housing part 113, into or through which the guide pin 79 projects. The passage opening 131 may be dimensioned in such a way that it guides the valve member 55 during displacement in the actuating and/or closing direction A, S.
In
At least one guide lug 97 extends in the radial direction R at an upper end 80 of the guide pin 79 as viewed in the direction of adjustment A, wherein a plurality of guide lugs 97 are provided by way of example, which are arranged substantially distributed in the circumferential direction U on the guide pin 79. The guide lugs 97 serve in particular to guide the guide pin 79, in a housing of the particle separator 51, it being possible for the guide lugs 97 to engage in particular in guide grooves (not shown) provided for this purpose.
The space requirement of the spring 83, in particular in the direction of adjustment A, may be reduced in that the spring 83 may be supported on the cup 57, in particular on the cup base 59, a support point 117 being formed at a lowest position, as viewed in the direction of adjustment A, on a cup side pointing in the direction of adjustment A. Alternatively or additionally, the space requirement for the spring 83 may be reduced by the fact that the support point 117 of the spring 83 and/or the cup base 59 projects axially past the stop point 71, 77 in the closed position of the valve member 55 in the opposite direction to the actuating direction A. In this way, in particular, the total extension of the particle separator 51 required for the travel of the spring 83 can be partially displaced in the closing direction S in favor of the extension in the actuating direction A. In particular, this can also reduce the overall axial extent of an arrangement, in particular of a crankcase ventilation system 29 comprising a particle separator 51 and a gas stream source adjoining the particle separator 51 upstream, such as a crankcase from which blow-by gas streams into the separation device. In this case, advantage is taken of the fact that the displacement in favor of the axial extension in the actuating direction A in the closing direction S projects into an already available installation space of the gas stream source, so that the actuating travel of the spring 83 can be increased without reducing the overall axial extension of the arrangement.
The valve seat 73 may be rotationally symmetrical. In particular, the valve seat 73 comprises a hollow body 119 which may be shaped complementary to the cup 57 of the valve member 55. The cup 57 and/or the hollow body 119 taper in the closing direction S. In this case, the cup 57 and the hollow body 119 are shaped in particular complementarily to one another. For displacement of the valve member 55 in the closing and/or opening position, the cup 57 may be telescopically displaceable into the hollow body 119. Due to the complementary design of the cup 57 and the hollow body 119, the valve member 55 may be guided by the valve seat 73, in particular by the hollow body 119, in the actuating/closing direction A, S during displacement in the actuating/closing direction. It should be understood that some relative movement of the guided valve member 55 in a direction oriented transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the actuating/closing direction A, S is possible. In this context, “guided” means in particular that the movement of the guided part, the valve member 55, in other directions is at least limited by the guide or that a centering of the part, the valve member 55, takes place.
As can be seen in
The valve seat 73 further comprises a valve seat collar 121 which opens into the hollow body 119. In this case, the valve seat collar 121 extends from an end 122 of the hollow body 119, viewed in the actuating direction A, first in an arcuate manner in the radial direction R and then substantially in the closing direction S. In this case, the hollow body 119 and the valve seat collar 121 delimit an annular space 123 which is open in the closing direction S. The hollow body 119 and the valve seat collar 121 project into the annular space 115 which may be delimited by the valve member 55. In particular, the hollow body 119 and the valve seat collar 121 are enclosed by the valve member 55 in the radial direction R in the closed position.
In the particle separator 51 shown in
The radial abutting or stop contact may be formed by a radial stop contact surface 72 of the cup 57 and a radial stop contact surface 78 of the hollow body 119. For this purpose, the hollow body 119 has at least one radial projection 76 on its inner side. In this case, the radial stop contact surface 78 of the hollow body may be formed by the surface facing the cup 57 in the closed state. The radial stop contact surface 78 of the hollow body 119 may be complementary to the radial stop contact surface of the cup to form a planar radial abutment contact in the closed state. As can be seen from
The axial abutting or stop contact may be formed by an axial stop contact surface 71 of the deflector screen 67 and an axial stop contact surface 77 of the inflow housing part 111. A stop flange 125 may be formed on the inflow housing part 111 for this purpose. The surface of the stop flange 125 facing the deflecting screen in the actuating direction A forms the axial stop contact surface 77 of the inflow housing part 111. The stop flange 125 adjoins the valve seat collar 121 downstream and extends from the latter in the closing direction S, where it merges into a radial web 125 of the inflow housing part 111. The axial stop contact surface 71 of the deflector shield 67, may be formed by its side facing the stop flange 127 in the closing direction. The deflector shield has a contour with projections - for forming the stop contact surface 77 - and recesses 75 - for ensuring the leakage flow in the closed state.
To form the textile receptacle 126 described above in the inflow housing part 111, the radial web 125 may be bounded downstream by an axial web 130, which extends from the radial web 125 in the actuating direction A. The axial web 130 may be located between the radial web 125 and the axial web 130. As a result, a textile receptacle 126 may be formed in the inflow housing part 111 between the stop flange 127 and the radial web 125. In an exemplary embodiment, the textile receptacle 126 delimits an annular gap 126. When using a single particle separator 51, the axial web 130 can surround the radial web 125 in the circumferential direction U for this purpose, as indicated in
The valve members 55 and valve seats 73 shown in
The separator space 115 bounded by the housing 110 may be divided by the valve member 55 into a flow space between the valve member 55 and the valve seat 73 and into a bypass space 141 between the valve member 55 and the cover part 113. The gas stream flows through the flow space along the flow guide surfaces 99, 129 between the valve seat 73 and the valve member 55. Via the contouring 74, and the passage openings 159 in the valve member 55, the gas stream can enter the bypass space 141 even in the closed position of the valve member 55, in which particles can also be separated. Due to the contouring 74 of the stop surface 71 and the passage openings 159, a gas stream can also pass from one separation device 51 to the other in the closed position of both valve members 55, and vice versa.
In addition to the textile in the inflow housing portion 111, in
Downstream of the valve member 55, a separating nozzle 133 with a constant flow cross-section may be provided for atomizing and/or defined discharge of the gas stream. In particular, the separating nozzle forms at least one gap between the cover housing part 113 and the inflow housing part 111 in the assembled state. Due to a substantially immovable attachment between cover housing part 113 and inflow housing part 111, the cross-section of the gap, and thus the flow cross-section of the separator nozzle 133, remains substantially constant regardless of the position of the valve member 55. Due to the constant flow cross-section, a minimum degree of particle separation via the at least one separator nozzle 133 can be ensured even when the valve member 55 is completely open. The separator nozzle 133 may be formed downstream of the stop contact between valve member 55 and valve seat 73.
As can be seen in
Furthermore,
To prevent a pressure increase in the crankcase 15 due to blow-by gases accumulating therein, the gas stream 23 may be discharged via the crankcase ventilation system 29. The particle separator 51 may be connected to the crankcase 15 via a return line 31 to return separated oil to the crankcase 15. For this purpose, the return line 31 fluidically connects a return outlet 33 of the particle separator 51 to a return inlet 35 of the crankcase 15. Via a return line 7, the gas stream cleaned of oil may be supplied to a fresh air supply 3 of the internal combustion engine 1. The resulting fresh air stream 41 may be compressed by a compressor wheel 39 and fed to the internal combustion engine 1 via the cylinder head 11 via an intercooler 43. Combustion gases that do not enter the crankcase 15 between piston 17 and cylinder 13 are fed as exhaust gas 45 via an exhaust outlet 5 to a turbocharger 47, which drives compressor wheel 39 in fresh air supply 3 via a shaft 49.
It should be made clear that the installation position of the particle separator 51 according to the disclosure when used as an oil separator, in particular in motor vehicles, is not limited to the installation position shown in
On the cathode side, the fuel cell system 161 has an oxygen supply 185. This feeds air from the environment 187 via an air filter 189 to a compressor 191, from where the air is fed to the cathode 173 via an intercooler 193 and a humidifier 195. Gases 197 escaping from the cathode are removed via the humidifier 195. In the process, water may be transferred from the gas stream exiting the cathode to the gas stream entering the cathode. Downstream of the humidifier, the cathode exhaust gas stream 197 may be fed to a turbine 199 through which the compressor 191 is driven. Prior to entering the turbine 199, fresh air may be supplied to the cathode exhaust gas stream via a stack bypass valve 201. Downstream of the turbine 199, the cathode exhaust gas stream 197 may be discharged back to the environment 187 via a throttle valve 203 and a silencer 205.
Further, the fuel cell system 161 includes a cooling system 207. This supplies a cooling medium 211 to a corresponding interface 209 of the fuel cell 163. The fuel cell 163 may be cooled via the cooling medium 211. When the cooling medium 211 exits the fuel cell 163, it may be fed to a heat sink 215 via a three-way valve 213 and may be fed back from the heat sink 215 to the interface 209 via a cooling pump 217. The three-way valve 213 can be used to partially or fully bypass the heat sink 215.
In order to use the previously described fuel cell system 22 on a fuel cell vehicle 169, the fuel cell 163 may be coupled to an electrical system 219 to provide traction power to the fuel cell vehicle 169. For this purpose, via an interface 221 to the electrical system 219, electrical energy 223 from the fuel cell 163 may be supplied via a fuel cell boost converter 225 and an inverter 227 to an electric motor 229 that provides the traction drive power to the fuel cell vehicle 169. If required, a battery 233 with battery converter 231 can be connected. Further, if required, the electrical system 219 may be coupled to the compressor 191 and turbine 199 of the oxygen supply 185 via a compressor inverter 235.
The features disclosed in the foregoing description, figures, and claims may be significant both individually and in any combination for the realization of the disclosure in the various embodiments.
References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an exemplary embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
The exemplary embodiments described herein are provided for illustrative purposes, and are not limiting. Other exemplary embodiments are possible, and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments. Therefore, the specification is not meant to limit the disclosure. Rather, the scope of the disclosure is defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
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| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102021125569.4 | Oct 2021 | DE | national |
