Effluent processing apparatus for a vehicle air brake charging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10933351-B2
Application number	US-201815966544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2018
Priority date	Apr 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

An effluent processing apparatus comprises a separator device arranged to receive an effluent mixture to separate oil and water from the effluent mixture and thereby to provide clean air. A member selectively allows either only oil or only water of the separated oil and water to pass from a first side of the member through openings in the member to a second side of the member. A sump is arranged to (i) receive and retain the oil on the first side if only water passes from the first side to the second side, and (ii) receive and retain the oil on the second side if only oil passes from the first side to the second side. Clean air from the separator device is exhausted through an air outlet to atmosphere, and water is drained through a water outlet to atmosphere.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An effluent processing apparatus comprising:
a separator device arranged to receive at the origin of a spiral shaped channel an effluent mixture containing air, oil, and water to separate oil and water from the effluent mixture and thereby to provide clean air;
a member comprising a mesh of oleophilic material disposed below the spiral shaped channel for selectively allowing only oil of the separated oil and water from the separator device to pass from a first side of the member through openings in the member to a second side of the member;
a sump arranged to receive and retain the oil on the second side of the member when only oil passes from the first side to the second side;
an air outlet at the termination of the spiral shaped channel through which clean air from the separator device is exhausted to atmosphere; and
a water outlet through which water is drained to atmosphere.

2. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the member comprises a mesh of hydrophilic material to allow only water of the separated oil and water from the separator device to pass from a first side of the mesh through openings in the mesh to a second side of the mesh.

3. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the separator device includes one or more baffles positioned relative to the member to deflect the effluent mixture to create impact force to assist in separating oil, water, and air.

4. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the member comprises a super-oleophobic mesh having an oil contact angle between about 150 degrees and about 180 degrees.

5. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the member comprises super-hydrophobic mesh having a water contact angle between about 150 degrees and about 180 degrees.

6. An effluent processing apparatus comprising:
a separator device arranged to receive at the origin of a spiral shaped channel an effluent mixture containing air, oil, and water from a purge valve of an air dryer to separate oil and water from the effluent mixture and thereby to provide clean air;
a mesh screen arranged below the spiral shaped channel to receive the separated oil and water from the separator device to allow the oil to flow through mesh openings in the mesh screen and to prevent the water from flowing through mesh openings in the mesh screen;
a sump arranged below the mesh screen to receive and retain oil that has flowed through the mesh openings in the mesh screen;
an air outlet at the termination of the spiral shaped channel through which clean air from the separator device is exhausted to atmosphere; and
a water outlet at the termination of the spiral shaped channel through which water that has been prevented from flowing through mesh openings in the mesh screen is drained to atmosphere.

7. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the mesh screen comprises oleophilic material that allows only oil in the separated oil and water from the separator device to flow through mesh openings in the mesh screen.

8. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the mesh openings in the mesh screen has an average opening size between about 8.0×10-4 inches (0.002 centimeters) and 8.0×10-3 inches (0.02 centimeters).

9. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the mesh screen is disposed above the sump and has a cone shape in which apex of the cone-shaped mesh screen points down such that water that has been prevented from flowing through mesh openings in the mesh screen flows downward towards the apex of the cone-shaped mesh screen to drain to atmosphere.

10. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the water outlet is disposed at the apex of the cone-shaped mesh screen and directs water downwards to drain to atmosphere.

11. An effluent processing apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a normally-open drain valve disposed in the vicinity of the apex of the cone-shaped mesh screen and above the water outlet, wherein the drain valve remains open in response to absence of pressure in the vicinity of the apex of the cone-shaped mesh screen to allow the collected water to drain through the water outlet to atmosphere.

Assignees

• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Llc

Inventors

• Hoffman Fred W
• Howe Stephen
• Perry David W
• Ashley Gregory R

Classifications

• B01D45/12

  by centrifugal forces (centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C) · CPC title

• B01D53/0407

  Constructional details of adsorbing systems · CPC title

• B01D17/045 Primary

  with coalescers · CPC title

• B60T17/004 Primary

  Draining and drying devices · CPC title

• B01D2259/4566

  for use in transportation means · CPC title