Oil filtration system

• US 7,674,387 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu America Corporation (Komatsu)
• Original Assignee: Komatsu America Corporation (Komatsu)
• Inventors: Boatman, Robert Murray, Schmidt, Paul Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Prince; Fred
• Application Number:
  US11/007,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20050126968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 210/767, 210/774, 210/168, 210/175, 210/180, 210/181, 210/252, 210/259, 210/416.1, 210/416.5, 210/167.01, 210/167.02, 210/167.04, 210/167.06, 210/167.07
• US Class Current: 210/774
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 36/02 Combinations of filters of different kinds B01D29/50, B01D33/35 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 39/06 by filtration filters in general B01D; magnetic separators B03C1/00; centrifugal separators or filters B04B5/005
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 7/38 with a separate pump; Central lubrication systems

Abstract

An oil filtration system includes three separate tanks. A first of these tanks is to receive oil from a wheel motor of the mining or construction vehicle. A second of these tanks is to receive the oil from the first tank after the oil in the first tank has been sufficiently heated so as to remove moisture therefrom. And, a third of these tanks is to receive the oil from the second tank after the oil has been sufficiently filtered so as to remove particles and debris therefrom. The third tank can hold the filtered oil therein until it is ready to be supplied back to the wheel motor.

Claims

1. A method of filtering oil, comprising:

in a first tank, heating oil to a temperature sufficient to remove moisture therefrom;

conveying said oil from said first tank into a second tank;

heating said oil in said second tank with a heater arranged within said second tank until said oil obtains a predetermined temperature;

then

passing said oil from said second tank through a first filter; and

then

conveying said oil into a third tank,

wherein said heating of said oil in said second tank comprises holding said oil in said second tank while heating said oil such that said oil does not flow from said second tank toward said first filter.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

conveying said oil from said first tank into a second tank comprises pumping said oil, via a first pump, from said first tank into said second tank.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein

passing said oil from said second tank through a first filter comprises pumping said oil, via a second pump, from said second tank through said first filter, and

conveying said oil into a third tank comprises pumping said oil, via said second pump, into said third tank.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein

pumping said oil into said third tank comprises pumping said oil into said third tank in response to opening a first valve that is positioned downstream of said first filter and upstream of said third tank.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

pumping said oil from said second tank through said first filter and pumping said oil into said third tank comprises re-circulating said oil through said first filter in response to closing said first valve, without any of said oil being conveyed to said third tank, and then pumping said oil into said third tank.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

using a particle counter to determine an amount of particles in said oil after said oil has been pumped through said first filter via said second pump.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

using a particle counter to determine an amount of particles in said oil comprises pumping said oil, via said second pump, to said particle counter in response to closing said first valve and opening a second valve that is positioned downstream of said first filter and upstream of said particle counter.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

holding said oil in said second tank until said oil obtains a predetermined temperature comprises holding said oil in said second tank while heating said oil.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

heating said oil in said third tank.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

pumping said oil, via a third pump, from said second tank through a second filter; and

then

pumping said oil, via said third pump, into said third tank.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

pumping said oil into said third tank comprises pumping said oil into said third tank in response to opening a third valve that is positioned downstream of said second filter and upstream of said third tank.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

pumping said oil from said second tank through said second filter and pumping said oil into said third tank comprises re-circulating said oil through said second filter in response to closing said third valve, without any of said oil being conveyed to said third tank, and then pumping said oil into said third tank.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

using said particle counter to determine an amount of particles in said oil after said oil has been pumped through said second filter via said third pump.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein

using said particle counter to determine an amount of particles in said oil after said oil has been pumped through said second filter comprises pumping said oil, via said third pump, to said particle counter in response to closing said third valve and opening a fourth valve that is positioned downstream of said second filter and upstream of said particle counter.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said second filter has a greater filtration capacity than that of said first filter, and further comprising:

after pumping said oil through said first filter via said second pump, pumping said oil through said second filter via said third pump.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said second filter has a filtration capacity equal to that of said first filter, and further comprising:

simultaneously pumping said oil through said first filter via said second pump and pumping said oil through said second filter via said third pump.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein

heating oil in a first tank to a temperature sufficient to remove moisture therefrom comprises heating 680 Viscosity oil to 130 F.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein

conveying said oil into a third tank comprises conveying said 680 Viscosity oil into said third tank after said oil has been filtered so as to correspond to ISO Specification of 18/13.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein

heating oil in a first tank to a temperature sufficient to remove moisture therefrom comprises heating 1000 Viscosity oil to 160 F.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein

conveying said oil into a third tank comprises conveying said 1000 Viscosity oil into said third tank after said oil has been filtered so as to correspond to ISO Specification of 18/13.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein

conveying said oil into a third tank comprises conveying said oil into said third tank after said oil has been filtered so as to correspond to ISO Specification of 18/13.