High bulk coalescing filter media and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016296856-A1
Application number	US-201415038267-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 26, 2014
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coalescence filter for purifying a fluid which contains a carrier and at least one liquid contaminant by coalescing of the at least one contaminant, wherein the coalescence filter includes an inlet for supplying the fluid to a filter element present in the coalescence filter, wherein the filter element includes a primary coalescence medium which is provided for coalescing of the at least one contaminant in the primary coalescence medium during the displacement of the fluid through the primary coalescence medium, wherein the coalescence filter further includes an outlet for discharging the coalesced contaminant from the filter element, wherein the primary coalescence medium comprises at least one layer of a porous material, wherein the primary coalescence medium has a total thickness of at least 3.5 mm.

First claim

1 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . A coalescence filter for purifying a fluid which contains a carrier and at least one liquid contaminant by coalescing of the at least one contaminant, wherein the coalescence filter includes an inlet for supplying the fluid to a filter element present in the coalescence filter, wherein the filter element includes a primary coalescence medium which is provided for coalescing of the at least one contaminant in the primary coalescence medium during the displacement of the fluid through the primary coalescence medium, wherein the coalescence filter further includes an outlet for discharging the coalesced contaminant from the filter element, wherein the primary coalescence medium comprises at least one layer of a porous material, wherein the primary coalescence medium has a total thickness of at least 3.5 mm, preferably at least 4 mm, preferably at least 5 mm, more preferably at least 6 mm, most preferably at least 7 mm, in particular at least 7.5 mm, measured at a pressure of 2N/cm 2 .

23 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium has a thickness of 50 mm at a maximum, preferably 40 mm at a maximum, more preferably 30 mm at a maximum, most preferably 25 mm at a maximum, in particular, 20 mm at a maximum.

24 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the pores in the primary coalescence material have an average pore diameter of between 2 and 100 μm, preferably between 3 and 70 μm, more preferably between 5 and 50 μm, most preferably between 5 and 35 μm, in particular between 5 and 30 μm.

25 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium has an air permeability of at least 30 l/m 2 .s, preferably at least 50 l/m 2 .s, more preferably at least 100 l/m 2 .s.

26 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium has an air permeability of 2000 l/m 2 .s at a maximum, preferably 1750 l/m 2 .s at a maximum.

27 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium includes a plurality of layers of a same porous material, preferably at least 4 layers, more preferably at least 6 layers, most preferably at least 10 layers.

28 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium includes one or more layers of a first coalescence medium and one or more layers of a second coalescence medium, which is different from the first coalescence medium.

29 . The coalescence filter according to claim 28 , wherein the first coalescence medium is wetting with respect to the contaminant to be coalesced, and the second coalescence medium is non-wetting with respect to the contaminant to be coalesced.

30 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium has a density of between 0.08 and 0.50 g/cm 3 , preferably between 0.10 and 0.25 g/cm 3 , more preferably between 0.12 to 0.17 g/cm 3 .

31 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium is made of one or more layers of a porous fibrous material, which substantially includes fibers of an average diameter of 0.25-20 μπl, preferably 0.5-10 μπl.

32 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the coalescence filter includes a layer of a drainage material, preferably adjacent to and along a downstream surface of the primary coalescence medium along which coalesced contaminant exits the primary coalescence medium, for receiving and draining the coalesced contaminant.

33 . The coalescence filter according to claim 32 , wherein the drainage layer is manufactured of a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic, an organic or inorganic material, a metallic material or a metal alloy, or a blend of two or more of said materials and chemically modified forms thereof.

34 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the coalescence filter includes a layer of a protective material, adjacent to and along an upstream surface of the primary coalescence medium along which the fluid is supplied to the primary coalescence medium.

35 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium is manufactured from a material chosen from the group of wetting or non-wetting, hydrophobic, hydrophilic, oleophobic or oleophilic fibrous materials or a blend of two or more thereof.

36 . The coalescence filter according to claim 22 , wherein the primary coalescence medium is manufactured from an oleophilic or an oleophobic fibrous material or a blend thereof.

37 . A coalescence medium according to claim 22 for use in a coalescence filter according to claim 22 .

38 . A method for purifying a fluid which contains a carrier and at least one contaminant, wherein the fluid is conducted through a coalescence filter according to claim 22 , for reducing the concentration of the at least one contaminant by coalescing of this contaminant in the coalescence filter.

39 . The method according to claim 38 , wherein the fluid is chosen from the group of compressed air contaminated with one or more hydrocarbons, contaminated water or contaminated hydrocarbons.

40 . The method according to claim 38 , wherein the at least one contaminant belongs to the group of liquids, aerosols, macro drops or mixtures of two or more of these materials.

41 . The method according to claim 38 , wherein the supply of fluid to the coalescence filter is continuous.

Assignees

• Atlas Copco Airpower Nv

Inventors

• Bultinck Evi
• De Wolf Isabelle
• Goris Ken
• Wouters Jo
• Kasper Gerhard

Classifications

• C02F2101/32

  Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil · CPC title

• C02F1/40

  Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16) · CPC title

• C02F1/001

  Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00) · CPC title

• B01D17/0202

  by ab- or adsorption · CPC title

• B01D46/003

  including coalescing means for the separation of liquid · CPC title