Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gases

• US 4,487,617 A
• Filed: 08/22/1983
• Issued: 12/11/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: The Bendix Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Knight, David J., Dienes, Larry E., Wurst, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SPITZER, ROBERT H
• Application Number:
  US06/525,186
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 55/33, 55/163, 55/208, 55/267, 55/269, 55/316, 55/319, 55/387, 55/DIG. 17, 55/274, 55/275
• US Class Current: 96/113
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/80 Water
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40003 Methods relating to valve switching
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0431 Beds with radial gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0446 Means for feeding or distributing gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/261 by adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/004 Draining and drying devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/17 Compressed air water removal

Abstract

Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gas (10) includes a housing (12) having an open end closed by an end cover (14). A desiccant canister (16) is mounted on a plate (24) which is clamped between the end cover (14) and the housing (12) so that the canister (16) is received within the housing (12). A circuitous passage (78) communicates an inlet port (76) with a sump cavity (68) which is communicated with the canister (16). Heat is transferred from the gas to the walls of the passage (78) as the gas passes therethrough. The passage (78) cants toward the sump (68) so that moisture tends to drain into the latter. A dump valve (110) periodically communicates the sump cavity (68) with atmosphere to thereby regenerate the desiccant in the canister (16) and to void the contaminants from the sump cavity (68).

Claims

1. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses comprising an open ended housing, a desiccant canister in said housing, and an end cover closing the open end of said housing, said end cover defining a sump cavity therewithin, an inlet port carried by said end cover and communicated with a source of compressed gas, a circuitous passage communicating the inlet port with the sump cavity, said desiccant canister cooperating with said housing to define a gas receiving cavity therebetween, a delivery port carried by said end cover and communicating with said gas receiving cavity, passage means communicating the sump cavity with the desiccant canister, and dump valve means for controlling communication between said sump cavity and a region maintained at a pressure level lower than the pressure level in said sump cavity when compressed gas is communicated to the inlet port, said dump valve means being responsive to a pressure signal for controlling communication between said sump cavity and said region, said circuitous passage being defined by side walls and a bottom wall, said bottom wall canting from said inlet port towards said pump cavity whereby contaminants tend to drain toward said sump cavity, said circuitous passage including segments overlapping one another connected by bends at the ends of said segments.

2. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inlet port communicates with a pocket defined in said end cover, said circuitous passage defining an entrance communicating with said pocket, said entrance being oriented such that gas entering said inlet port is deflected into said entrance.

3. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses as claimed in claim 1, wherein said passage means is oriented with respect to the sump cavity such that gas flowing into the sump cavity from the circuitous passage is deflected into said passage means by the walls of the sump cavity.

4. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses as claimed in claim 1, wherein said region is the ambient atmosphere, said end cover including a channel communicating said sump cavity with ambient atmosphere and a control port communicated to a source of control pressure, said dump valve being responsive to the pressure level at said control port to control communication through said channel.

5. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses as claimed in claim 4, wherein said desiccant canister is mounted on a plate, means clamping said plate between the housing and the end cover, said passage means being defined by openings in said end cover and in said desiccant canister, said clamping means orienting said plate with respect to said end cover, and means carried by said end cover and by said housing sealingly engaging said plate.

6. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses as claimed in claim 1, wherein said desiccant canister is mounted on a plate, means clamping said plate between the housing and the end cover, said passage means being defined by openings in said end cover and in said desiccant canister, said clamping means orienting said plate with respect to said end cover, and means carried by said end cover and by said housing sealingly engaging said plate.

7. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses comprising an open ended housing, a desiccant canister in said housing, and an end cover closing the open end of said housing, said end cover defining a sump cavity therewithin, an inlet port carried by said end cover and communicated with a source of compressed gas, a circuitous passage communicating the inlet port with the sump cavity, said desiccant canister cooperating with said housing to define a gas receiving cavity therebetween, a delivery post carried by said end cover and communicating with said gas receiving cavity, passage means communicating the sump cavity with the desiccant canister, and dump valve means for controlling communication between said sump cavity and a region maintained at a pressure level lower than the pressure level in said sump cavity when compessed gas is communicated to the inlet port, said dump valve means being responsive to a pressure signal for controlling communication between said sump cavity and said region, said region being the ambient atmosphere, said end cover including a channel communicating said sump cavity with ambient atmosphere and a control port communicated to a source of control pressure, said dump valve being responsive to the pressure level at said control port to control communication through said channel, said desiccant canister being mounted on a plate, means clamping said plate between the housing and the end cover, said passage means being defined by openings in said plate and in said desiccant canister, said clamping means orienting said plate with respect to said end cover, and sealing means carried by said housing sealingly engaging said plate, said desiccant canister cooperating with said plate to receive said sealing means therebetween, said sealing means being exposed to the pressure levels in said passage means and in said gas receiving cavity and normally preventing communication therebetween, said sealing means distorting when the pressure level in said passage means exceeds the pressure level in said gas receiving cavity by more than a predetermined amount indicative of a clogged condition of said desiccant canister to permit the pressure in the passage means to by-pass said desiccant canister and communicate directly into the gas receiving cavity.

8. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses comprising an open ended housing, a desiccant canister in said housing, and an end cover closing the open end of said housing, said end cover defining a sump cavity therewithin, an inlet port carried by said end cover and communicated with a source of compressed gas, a circuitous passage communicating the inlet port with the sump cavity, said desiccant canister cooperating with said housing to define a gas receiving cavity therebetween, a delivery port carried by said end cover and communicating with said gas receiving cavity, passage means communicating the sump cavity with the desiccant canister, and dump valve means for controlling communication between said sump cavity and a region maintained at a pressure level lower than the pressure level in said sump cavity when compressed gas is communicated to the inlet port, said dump valve means being responsive to a pressure signal for controlling communication between said sump cavity and said region, said desiccant canister being mounted on a plate, means clamping said plate between the housing and the end cover, said passage means being defined by openings in said plate and in said desiccant canister, said clamping means orienting said plate with respect to said end cover, and sealing means carried by said housing sealingly engaging said plate, said desiccant canister cooperating with said plate to receive said sealing means therebetween, said sealing means being exposed to the pressure levels in said passage means and in said gas receiving cavity and normally preventing communication therebetween, said sealing means distorting when the pressure level in said passage means exceeds the pressure level in said gas receiving cavity by more than a predetermined amount indicative of a clogged condition of said desiccant canister to permit the pressure in the passage means to by-pass said desiccant canister and communicate directly into the gas receiving cavity.

9. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses comprising an open ended housing, an end cover for closing the end of said housing, a plate, a desiccant canister mounted on said plate, means clamping said plate between the end cover and the housing, said desiccant canister extending from said plate into said housing and cooperating with the walls of the latter to define a gas receiving cavity therebetween, an inlet port, a delivery port, and a control port mounted in said end cover, first passage means through said end cover and said plate and into the desiccant canister for communicating said inlet port with said desiccant canister, second passage means communicating said delivery port with said gas receiving cavity, said clamping means orienting said plate so that the portion of the second passage means extending through the plate is brought into registry with the corresponding portion extending through the end cover, and dump valve means responsive to the pressure level at said control port for controlling communication between said first passage means and a region maintained at a pressure level lower than the pressure level in said first passage means when compressed gas is communicated to said inlet port, said desiccant canister cooperating with said plate to receive a circumferentially extending seal therebetween, said seal being exposed to the pressure levels in said first passage means and in said gas receiving cavity and normally preventing communication therebetween, said seal distorting when the pressure level in said first passage means exceeds the pressure in said gas receiving cavity by more than a predetermined amount indicative of a clogged condition of said desiccant canister to permit the pressure in the first passage means to by-pass said desiccant canister and communicate directly into the gas receiving cavity.

10. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gas as claimed in claim 9, wherein said region is the ambient atmosphere, said end cover including a channel communicating said first passage means with ambient atmosphere, said dump valve means controlling communication through said channel.

11. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses comprising an open ended housing, an end cover for closing the end of said housing, a plate, a desiccant canister mounted on said plate, means clamping said plate between the end cover and the housing, said desiccant canister extending from said plate into said housing and cooperating with the walls of the latter to define a gas receiving cavity therebetween, an inlet port, a delivery port, and a control port mounted in said end cover, first passage means through said end cover and said plate and into the desiccant canister for communicating said inlet port with said desiccant canister, second passage means communicating said delivery port with said gas receiving cavity, said clamping means orienting said plate so that the portion of the second passage means extending through the plate is brought into registry with the corresponding portion extending through the end cover, and dump valve means responsive to the pressure level at said control port for controlling communication between said first passage means and a region maintained at a pressure level lower than the pressure level in said first passage means when compressed gas is communicated to said inlet port, pressure differential responsive means being provided between said first passage means and said gas receiving cavity normally preventing communication therebetween but being responsive to a differential between the first passage means and said gas receiving cavity of more than a predetermined amount indicative of a clogged condition of said desiccant canister to permit the pressure in the first passage means to by-pass said desiccant canister and communicate directly into the gas receiving cavity.

12. Mechanism for cleaning and drying compressed gasses comprising an open ended housing, a desiccant canister in said housing, and an end cover closing the open end of said housing, said end cover defining a sump cavity therewithin, an inlet port carried by said end cover and communicated with a source of compressed gas, a circuitous passage communicating the inlet port with the sump cavity, said desiccant canister cooperating with said housing to define a gas receiving cavity therebetween, a delivery port carried by said end cover and communicating with said gas receiving cavity, passage means communicating the sump cavity with the desiccant canister, and dump valve means for controlling communication between said sump cavity and a region maintained at a pressure level lower than the pressure level in said sump cavity when compressed gas is communicated to the inlet port, said dump valve means being responsive to a pressure signal for controlling communication between said sump cavity and said region, said circuitous passage including segments overlapping one another connected by bends at the ends of said segments.