Magnetically driven rotating separator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8940068-B2
Application number	US-201113167814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2011
Priority date	Jan 27, 2010
Publication date	Jan 27, 2015
Grant date	Jan 27, 2015

Abstract

A gas-liquid rotating separator has first and second sets of magnetically permeable members magnetically interacting with each other to effect rotation of a separator element. A nonauthorized replacement separator element missing the second set of magnetically permeable members will not effect designated operation, thus ensuring, at maintenance servicing, installation of an authorized replacement separator element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas-liquid rotating separator separating liquid from a gas-liquid mixture, comprising:
a separator assembly comprising a housing having an inlet receiving said gas-liquid mixture, a gas outlet discharging separated gas, and a drain outlet discharging separated liquid,
a rotating separator element in said housing and effecting separation of gas and liquid, said separator element positioned within said housing such that a circumferential surface of said separator element forms a gap with an inside surface of said housing,
a first set of one or more magnetically permeable members provided on an exterior surface of said housing, and
a second set of one or more magnetically permeable members provided on said circumferential surface of said separator element, said first and second sets of magnetically permeable members magnetically interacting with each other to effect rotation of said separator element,
wherein designated operation of said separator including rotation of said separator element requires both of said first and second sets of magnetically permeable members, including said second set of magnetically permeable members on said separator element, and
wherein said separator element rotates about an axis and extends axially along said axis between first and second axial ends having respective first and second axial endcaps that rotate about said axis, said second set of magnetically permeable members is on said second axial endcap, and said first set of magnetically permeable members is on said housing proximate said second axial endcap.

2. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 1 wherein said first set of magnetically permeable members is on said housing and provides a stator of an electric motor, and said second set of magnetically permeable members provides a rotor of said electric motor, wherein designated operation of said electric motor rotating said separator element requires both said first set of magnetically permeable members on said housing and said second set of magnetically permeable members on said separator element.

3. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 2 wherein said first set of magnetically permeable members extends along a first periphery, said second set of magnetically permeable members extends along a second periphery, and said first periphery surrounds said second periphery.

4. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 2 wherein said separator element rotates about an axis and extends axially along said axis, and said first set of magnetically permeable members circumscribes and is spaced radially outwardly of said second set of magnetically permeable members.

5. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 2 wherein said first set of magnetically permeable members comprises a plurality of poles magnetized by electrical coil current flow, and said second set of magnetically permeable members comprises a plurality of permanent magnets.

6. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 1 wherein said first set of magnetically permeable members circumscribes and is spaced radially outwardly of and radially faces said second set of magnetically permeable members.

7. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 1 wherein said first set of magnetically permeable members axially faces said second set of magnetically permeable members.

8. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 2 wherein said second axial endcap has a hub extension extending axially therefrom along said axis, said second set of magnetically permeable members is on said hub extension, said housing has an endplate facing said second axial endcap and said first set of magnetically permeable members is on said endplate.

9. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 8 wherein said endplate has a recessed cup section having said first set of magnetically permeable members spaced therearound and defining a central hollow pocket into which said hub extension including said second set of magnetically permeable members extends axially.

10. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 1 wherein said rotating separator element is a centrifuge.

11. A gas-liquid rotating separator separating liquid from a gas-liquid mixture, comprising:
a separator assembly comprising a housing having an inlet receiving said gas-liquid mixture, a gas outlet discharging separated gas, and a drain outlet discharging separated liquid,
a rotating separator element in said housing and effecting separation of gas and liquid said separator element positioned within said housing such that a circumferential surface of said separator element forms a gap with an inside surface of said housing,
a first set of one or more magnetically permeable members provided on an outside surface of said housing, and
a second set of one or more magnetically permeable members provided on said circumferential surface of an endcap of said separator element, said first and second sets of magnetically permeable members magnetically interacting with each other to effect rotation of said separator element,
wherein said first set of one or more magnetically permeable members comprises a plurality of permanent magnets and providing a rotating magnetic flux field magnetically interacting with said second set of magnetically permeable members on said separator element and causing rotation of said separator element.

12. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 11 wherein said separator element rotates about an axis, and said first and second sets of magnetically permeable members face each other and circumscribe said axis.

13. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 12 wherein said first and second sets of magnetically permeable members radially face each other.

14. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 12 wherein said first and second sets of magnetically permeable members axially face each other.

15. A gas-liquid rotating separator separating liquid from a gas-liquid mixture, comprising:
a separator assembly comprising a housing having an inlet receiving said gas-liquid mixture, a gas outlet discharging separated gas, and a drain outlet discharging separated liquid,
a rotating separator element in said housing and effecting separation of gas and liquid, said separator element positioned within said housing such that a circumferential surface of said separator element forms a gap with an inside surface of said housing,
a first set of one or more magnetically permeable members provided on an exterior surface of said housing, and
a second set of one or more magnetically permeable members, said first and second sets of magnetically permeable members magnetically interacting with each other to effect rotation of said separator element, said second set of magnetically permeable members being on said circumferential surface of said separator element, said circumferential surface being part of an endcap of said separator element,
wherein said rotating separator element is an annular coalescer element.

16. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 15 wherein said annular coalescer element is an inside-out flow coalescer element.

17. The gas-liquid rotating separator according to claim 15 wherein said annular coalescer element has an annular shape selected from the group consisting of circular, oval, oblong, racetrack, pear, triangular, rectangular, and other closed-loop shapes.

18. A separator element for a gas-liquid rotating separator separating liquid from a

Assignees

• Smith Bradley A
• Badeau Kurt M A
• Tews Howard E
• Zoch Roger L
• Cummins Filtration Ip Inc

Inventors

• Smith Bradley A
• Badeau Kurt M A
• Tews Howard E
• Zoch Roger L

Classifications

• F01M2013/0438

  with a filter · CPC title

• F01M13/04 Primary

  having means for purifying air before leaving crankcase, e.g. removing oil · CPC title

• F02M25/06

  adding lubricant vapours · CPC title

• B04B7/12

  Inserts, e.g. armouring plates · CPC title

• F01M2013/0422

  Separating oil and gas with a centrifuge device · CPC title