Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Background of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a deaerator
device, and more particularly to a compact deaerator device
for effectively separating gas from a fluid by centrifugal
action.
It is common to circulate a cooling fluid through
an engine and an associated heat exchanger or radiator core,
but frequently gas is entrained in the fluid. This decreases
the volume of fluid circulated by the pump and decreases the
efficiency of the closed loop cooling system as the fluid
and entrained air recirculates therethrough. This can cause
undesirable heating of the engine and can lead to such a
diverse and undesirable side effect as pitting of the
internal surfaces of certain engine components.
While various radiator top tank constructions have
been employed to separate air and gas bubbles from the fluid
coolant by utilizing baffles and swirl chambers, such con-
structions have not been satisfactory from the standpoint
that they have increased the size and expense of the radiator
` 20 system to an excessive degree.
Exemplifying the prior art in the field of devices
for separating gas from a fluid are U.S. Patent Nos. 1,279,859
i;sued September 24, 1918 to J. K. Putnam; 2,316,729 issued
April 13, 1943 to H. C. Tryon; 2,494,427 issued January 10,
1950 to J. B. Bidwell, et al; and 3,028,716 issued April 10,
1962 to R. W. Sanderson, et al. However, such prior construc-
tions are excessively long, complex, and costly, or have
been relatively ineffective in separating the gas bubbles
from the fluid at a desirably low pressure drop. More
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specifically, some prior art deaerators have had centrally
located plugs or pipes which have interfered with the
desired straight-through fluid flow path. Other deaerators
have had restrictive passages for the gas bubbles to go
through. These major disadvantages contribute to excessive
pressure drop or ineffectiveness.
In view of the above, it would be advantageous to
provide merely the addition of a simple and compact device
to any exlsting engine cooling system. Preferably, such a
device should be capable of convenient insertion in series
with the existing hoses or conduits of the engine cooling
system and should not create an excessive pressure drop by
ncorporating bends or walls which require a substantial
change in direction of the cooling fluid.
lS Summary_of the Invention
The present invention is directed to overcoming
one or~more of the problems as set forth above.
According to one~aspect of the present invention
,: :
there~is provided a deaerator device comprising: a tubular
20~ cas~ing~havlng a~substantiaLly~uninterrupted cylindrical ~ -
inner~wàll,~ a central axis, an axially open inlet end, an
axlally~open outlet end, and a radial opening therethrough;
a hel1cal blade connec~ted to said inner wall, said helical
blade~having an outlet edge and a radially inner spiraling
25~ edge~deflnlng an unobstructed central opening on the axis,
saLd~unobstructed central opening being defined solely by
said radially inner spiraling edge, said helical blade
being of a construction sufficient for moving entrained gas
bubbles reIatively freely and convergingly toward the axis
30~ and~said central opening as fluid to be treated flows
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axially into said axially open inlet end through said tubular
casing and axially out said axially open outlet end; and a
vent pipe having an entry end located adjacent said outlet
edge of said helical blade on the axis, said vent pipe
S extending inwardly through said radial opening and being of a
construction sufficient for receiving the gas bubbles
emanating axially from said central opening and communicating :
the gas bubbles radially outwardly of the tubular casing.
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Advantageously, the instant deaerator device
provides a substantially straight-through flow path for a
relatively low pressure drop across lt, and is constructed
so that it can be conveniently connected in series with a
hose line of an engine cooling system or the like. Moreover,
it not only is axially and radially compact, but also has a
high degree of effectiveness.
Other advantages of the present invention will
become more readily apparent upon reference to the accompanying
drawings and the following description.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of
an engine cooling system incorporating the deaerator device
of the present invention thereon.
15 FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic and enlarged view of the
deaerator device shown in FIG. 1 with a portion broken open
to better illustrate details of its internal construction.
Detailed Description
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a deaerator
: :
~20 device lO constructed in accordance with the present invention
in series with a pressurized engine cooling system 12. The
engine cooling system generally includes a ~luid-cooled
engine 14, a heat exchanger or radiator 16, and motor means
17 such as a conventional engine driven pump for circulating
fluid in a substantially closed loop therebetween. ~ore
particularly, the radiator has a dual compartment top or
Lnlet tank 18 with a conventional filler and pressure relief
~;~ cap 19 releasably connected to the top thereof, a bottom or
outlet tank 20, and a core 21 interposed between the tanks
with a plurality of fluid passages of the usual type there-
in. The top tank is divided into an upper section 22 and a
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lower section 23 by a horizontal partition 24, and a venting
standpipe 25 extends through the partition toward the top
of the upper section. A shunt line 26 extends from the
bottom of the upper section to the bottom tank for filling
purposes.
A flexible conduit or hose 28 is releasably connected
to the radiator bottom tank 20 and to the engine 14 adjacent
the pump 17 for communicating fluid from the radiator 16 to
the pump and subsequently through various internal passages
in the enginer not shown, as representatively shown by the
flow indicating arrows. After passing through the engine and
being heated thereby, the fluid passes outwardly to a flexible
outlet conduit or hose 30 releasably connected to the engine.
The deaerating device 10 is releasably coupled in series
between this outlet hose and another conduit or hose 32
l releasably coupled to the lower section 23 of the top tank
l 18 to generally complete the closed loop recirculating
cooling system 12.
Preferably, the hoses 28, 30 and 32 are of rubber
or elastomeric material and telescopically overlap their
respectlvely associated and preferably rigid metal parts so
that a plurality of encircling hose clamps 34 can be utilized
therewith. Particularly, in a well known manner, such
clamps are individually adjustable by a screwdriver or
I 25 wrench to tightly and sealingly couple the ends of the hoses
thereto.
Turning now to FIG. 2, it may be noted that the
deaerator device 10 generally includes a single tubular
casing 36, a single helical blade 38 within the casing, and
a vent pipe 40. The axially compact tubular casing is
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generally cylindrical in construction with an inlet end 42,
an outlet end 44, and an annular hose engaging coupling or
ridge 46 at each of these ends. Preferably, the tubular
casing is made of metal and the annular ridges are integrally
formed therein. The hose clamps 34 encircle and tightly
clamp the respective hoses 30 and 32 to the exterior surface
of the tubular casing immediately adjacent and axially in-
wardly of these ridges to provide a more positive seal
thereat. Moreover, the tubular casing also has a substantially
uninterrupted cylindrical internal wall 48 having a pre-
selected diameter A arranged along a central axis 50, and a
radial opening 52 is provided therethrough.
The helical blade 38 is preferably constructed
of either metal or plastic material having an inlet edge 56,
and outlet edge 58, and preferably at least one and not more
than about three revolutions therebetween. In accordance
with one aspect of the invention the helical blade has turns
; of constant slope between the opposite edges 56 and 58, a
substantially constant external diameter so that it can make
sealed engagement with the internal wall 48 of the tubular
casing 36, and a substantially constant internal diameter
at a radially inner spiraling edge 59 serving to define an un-
obstructed cylindrical axial opening 60 for the free passage
of fluld centrally therethrough along the axis 50. The axial
or central opening 60 preferably has a preselected diameter B
having a range of from 10% to 25% of the preselected diameter
A of the internal wall 48. Preferably also, the inlet edge 56
of the blade is located adjacent to the inlet end 42 of the
tubular casing, and the outlet edge 58 is located between 50%
and 75% of the overall length L of the casing from the inlet end.
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Referring now to the vent pipe 40, it may be noted to
extend through the opening 52 in the tubular casing 36. The
pipe has a right angle radius bend so that it is substantially
normal to the casing at the opening 52 and is substantially
5 parallel to and concentric with the axis 50 at an entry end
64. The entry end of the intake pipe has a preselected inside
diameter C and is located adjacent the outlet edge 58 of the
blade. Preferably, the entry end is stabilizingly secured to
the helical blade substantially at the outlet edge. A
10 flexible conduit or hose 66 is releasably connected to the
vent pipe exteriorly of the tubular casing and is in
communication with the top of the upper section 22 of the top
tank 18 as is shown in FIG. 1.
Two embodiments of the deaerator device 10 have the
15 following parameters:
Example 1 Example 2
I.D. of casing 36 (A) 59.3 mm (2.33") 59.3 mm (2.33")
I.D. ofopening 60 (B) 11.1 mm (0.44") 11.1 mm (0.44")
I.D. of pipe 62 (C) 6.2 mm (0.25") 6.2 mm (0.25")
Overallaxial length (L) 152.4 mm (6.00") 152.4 mm (6.00")
20 Helix lead (D)42.0 mm (1.65") 57.2 mm (2.25")
Revolutions of blade 2 1.5
In each of the above noted examples, the tubular
casing 36 is substantially an uninterrupted cylindrical tube
with the overall length L being preferably limited to less
25 than about three times the inside diameter A of the casing.
This provides an extremely compact deaerator device while
simultaneously having maximum effectiveness. While a tubular
casing having an overall length greater than three times the
inside diameter of the internal wall 48 could be constructed,
30 it would either be more difficult or impossible to install
between the engine 14 and radiator 16 in the extremely limited
space normally provided on a vehicle, for example.
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In operation, a fluid such as heated water with
entrained gas bubbles therein is delivered upwardly to the
deaerator device lO by the pressurized engine cool;ng system
12. The helical blade 38 thereby imparts a swirling motion
to the water so that the water is forced radially outwardly
by centrifugal action and the lighter gas bubbles are displaced -
and converge radially inwardly toward the axis 50 as the
water moves axially through the tubular casing 36. Subse-
quently, the gas bubbles congregate in a converging manner
within the axial opening 60, whereupon the water and gas
bubbles are collected at the entry end 64 of the vent pipe
40. In this way the major portion of the recirculating
water flow, for example more than 70%, without excessive
aeration is directed to the lower section 23 or liquid part
of the top tank 18, while the remainder is directed from the
vent pipe 40 to the top of the upper section 22 or gaseous
part of the top tank via the hose 66.
It is contemplated that the entry end 64 of the
vent pipe 40 may be divergingly flared as shown in FIG. 2,
or may be otherwise presented with a compact conical intake
collector, not shown, to better funnel the gas bubbles
emanating from the juxtaposed opening 60 within the helical
blade 38 into the vent pipe. It is to be understood that the
facing cross sectional areas of the opening 60 and the vent :~
pipe can be tailored to match the parameters of the cooling
- system 12.
Other aspects, objects and advantages will become
apparent from a study of the specification, drawings and
appended claims.
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