Separation assembly with a single-piece impulse turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12030063-B2
Application number	US-201916966082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2019
Priority date	Feb 2, 2018
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A separation assembly comprises a housing, a jet that expels a fluid within the housing, and a turbine positioned within the housing and positioned so as to be contacted by the fluid expelled from the jet. The fluid causes the turbine to rotate about a center rotational axis within the housing. The turbine comprises a first axial end, a second axial end, and a plurality of vanes extending axially relative to the center rotational axis from the first axial end to the second axial end. The plurality of vanes defines axially-extending channels between each of the plurality of vanes. The first axial end is axially open such that fluid can flow unblocked axially through the first axial end and into the channels. The jet is positioned such that at least a portion of the fluid enters into the turbine through the first axial end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A separation assembly comprising:
a housing;
a jet that expels a fluid within the housing; and
a turbine positioned within the housing and positioned so as to be contacted by the fluid expelled from the jet, the fluid causing the turbine to rotate about a center rotational axis within the housing,
the turbine comprising a first axial end, a second axial end, and a plurality of vanes extending axially relative to the center rotational axis from the first axial end to the second axial end, the plurality of vanes defining axially-extending channels between each of the plurality of vanes, the first axial end being axially open such that fluid can flow unblocked axially through the first axial end and into the axially-extending channels,
wherein the jet is positioned such that at least a portion of the fluid enters into the turbine through the first axial end,
each of the plurality of vanes extends axially between a top end and a bottom end, the top end closer to the first axial end of the turbine than the bottom end, wherein each of the plurality of vanes comprise an impingement surface on a first side thereof and a backside on a second side thereof, wherein the fluid from the jet is directed to the impingement surface, the portion of the impingement surface at the top end of each of the plurality of vanes is further forward than the rest of the impingement surface in a rotational direction of the turbine, and
the turbine defines an axial gap between each of the plurality of vanes and within the axially-extending channel that extends axially unimpeded straight from the first axial end to the second axial end of the turbine.

2. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the turbine is formed as a single piece.

3. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes comprises a vertical top portion that extends parallel to the center rotational axis.

4. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein adjacent vanes of the plurality of vanes do not overlap each other in an axial direction that is parallel to the center rotational axis.

5. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein neither the first axial end nor the second axial end of the turbine are closed off such that fluid can flow unblocked axially between and through the first axial end and the second axial end.

6. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the turbine does not comprise a plate or ring that extends along any portion of the radial length of the plurality of vanes.

7. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the jet is positioned at an angle relative to a horizontal radial-tangential plane of the turbine, and wherein the horizontal radial-tangential plane of the turbine is perpendicular to the center rotational axis.

8. The separation assembly of claim 7 , wherein the angle of the jet is 22° to 26° relative to the horizontal radial-tangential plane of the turbine.

9. The separation assembly of any one of claim 1 , wherein the jet is angled downward toward the first axial end of the turbine.

10. The separation assembly of any claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes comprises a chamfer between the backside and the top end of each of the plurality of vanes.

11. The separation assembly of claim 10 , wherein the top end is substantially perpendicular to respective top portions of the impingement surface and the backside.

12. The separation assembly of claim 10 , wherein the chamfer is angled relative to and extends substantially linearly between the top end and the backside.

13. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the turbine comprises 13 to 15 vanes that are spaced about a hub of the turbine.

14. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the top end of each of the plurality of vanes is further forward in the rotational direction of the turbine than the bottom end of each of the plurality of vanes at the same radial distance from the center rotational axis.

15. The separation assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes curve relative to an axial direction between the top end and the bottom end of each of the plurality of vanes, wherein the axial direction is parallel to the center rotational axis.

16. The separation assembly of any one of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes curve relative to a radial direction between an inner radial edge and an outer radial edge.

17. A turbine for use in a separation assembly, the turbine sized for positioning within housing of the separation assembly and positionable so as to be contacted by fluid expelled from a jet of the separation assembly, thereby causing the turbine to rotate about a center rotational axis within the housing, the turbine comprising:
a first axial end,
a second axial end, and
a plurality of vanes extending axially relative to the center rotational axis from the first axial end to the second axial end, the plurality of vanes defining axially-extending channels between each of the plurality of vanes, the first axial end being axially open such that fluid can flow unblocked axially through the first axial end and into the axially-extending channels,
each of the plurality of vanes extends axially between a top end and a bottom end, the top end closer to the first axial end of the turbine than the bottom end, wherein each of the plurality of vanes comprise an impingement surface on a first side thereof and a backside on a second side thereof, wherein the fluid from the jet is directed to the impingement surface, the portion of the impingement surface at the top end of each of the plurality of vanes is further forward than the rest of the impingement surface in a rotational direction of the turbine, and
the turbine defines an axial gap between each of the plurality of vanes and within the axially-extending channel that extends axially unimpeded straight from the first axial end to the second axial end of the turbine.

18. The turbine of claim 17 , wherein the turbine is formed as a single piece.

19. The turbine of claim 17 , wherein adjacent vanes of the plurality of vanes do not overlap each other in an axial direction that is parallel to the center rotational axis.

Assignees

• Cummins Filtration Ip Inc

Inventors

• Herman Peter K
• Parikh Chirag D

Classifications

• F05B2240/241

  of impulse type · CPC title

• F05B2220/30

  in turbines · CPC title

• F03B1/02

  Buckets; Bucket-carrying rotors · CPC title

• B04B1/08

  of conical shape · CPC title

• Y02E10/20

  Hydro energy · CPC title