EP-4735142-A1 - LIQUID SEPARATOR DEVICE AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

A liquid separator device, a method of using the liquid separator device, and a system including at least one liquid separator device, are disclosed.

Inventors

• ROBB, James Duncan Fitzhardinge
• WITHERS, Simon James

Assignees

• Pall Corporation

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240604

Claims (6)

1. 1 . A liquid separator device comprising (a) a hollow inlet duct having a first open inlet duct end and a second open inlet duct end, the second open inlet duct end further comprising a first housing end cap; (b) a hollow separation duct having an inner separation duct wall, an outer separation duct wall, a plurality of venturi flow radial slits passing through the outer and inner separation duct walls; a first open separation duct end, a second open separation duct end; a separation cavity from the first open separation duct end to the second open separation duct end bounded by the inner separation duct wall, wherein the first housing end cap of the second open inlet duct end is arranged coaxially in the first open separation duct end, with a first annular space betw een the first housing end cap and the first open separation duct end; (c) a vortex generator comprising a plurality' of helical vanes, arranged concentrically w ithin the hollow' inlet duct, and retained axially betw een the first open separation duct end and the second open inlet duct end including the first housing end cap; (d) a hollow outlet duct having a first open outlet duct end and a second open outlet duct end; (e) a hollow' housing having an inner housing wall, an outer housing w all, a first open housing end, an oppositely arranged second open housing end, w ith a horizontal axis betw een the first open housing end and the oppositely arranged second open housing end, and a third open housing end arranged perpendicular to the horizontal axis or parallel to the horizontal axis, wherein the separation duct is arranged concentrically along the horizontal axis within the hollow housing; (f) the first housing end cap of the second open inlet duct end connected concentrically to the first open housing end; (g) a second housing end cap connected concentrically to both the second open housing end and the hollow' outlet duct; (h) a hollow collection sump having a first open sump end and a second open sump end, wherein the first open sump end is connected to the third open housing end, the hollow collection sump including an orifice restricting flow therethrough; (i) a collection cavity within the hollow 7 housing, surrounding the outer wall of the hollow separation duct, bounded by the first housing end cap of the second open inlet duct end, the second housing end cap, and the first open sump end; wherein the second open separation duct end is arranged coaxially with respect to the first open outlet duct end, with a second annular space betw een the second open separation duct end and the first open outlet duct end, the second annular space providing a fluid flow' path from the separation cavity to the collection cavity.
2. 2. A liquid separator system, comprising a fuel cell having an anode side and a cathode side, and the w ater separation device of claim 1 in fluid communication with the cathode side, w herein the water separation device is arranged upstream of the cathode side.
3. 3. A liquid separator system, comprising a fuel cell having an anode side and a cathode side, and the liquid separator device of claim 1 in fluid communication w ith the anode side, w herein the liquid separator device is arranged dow nstream of the anode side.
4. 4. The liquid separator system of claim 2, further comprising an additional liquid separator device of claim 1 arranged downstream of the anode side.
5. 5. A method for processing fluid, the method comprising passing a fluid comprising liquid and gas into the liquid separator device of claim 1, and separating liquid from gas, including passing separated gas through the hollow 7 outlet duct, and passing separated liquid through the hollow 7 collection sump or hollow collection sump port.
6. 6. The method of claim 5, w herein the liquid comprises water, and the gas comprises hydrogen.

Description

LIQUID SEPARATOR DEVICE AND METHOD OF USE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] For applications involving fuel cells, liquid (e.g., water) is separated from gas (e.g., hydrogen). However, there may still be some gas associated with the separated water after passing through the fuel cell and/or it may be desirable to separate some water from gas before gas associated with the remaining water is passed through the fuel cell. For some applications, it may be desirable to process fluid containing water and gas to separate water from gas before and/or after passing water and gas through the fuel cell. [0002] The invention provides a liquid separator device suitable for use upstream and/or dow nstream of a fuel cell. [0003] The present invention provides for ameliorating at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art. These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description as set forth below. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] An aspect of the invention provides a liquid separator device comprising (a) a hollow inlet duct having a first open inlet duct end and a second open inlet duct end, the second open inlet duct end further comprising a first housing end cap; (b) a hollow separation duct having an inner separation duct wall, an outer separation duct wall, a plurality of venturi flow radial slits passing through the outer and inner separation duct walls; a first open separation duct end, a second open separation duct end; a separation cavity from the first open separation duct end to the second open separation duct end bounded by the inner separation duct wall, wherein the first housing end cap of the second open inlet duct end is arranged coaxially in the first open separation duct end, with a first annular space betw een the first housing end cap and the first open separation duct end: (c) a vortex generator comprising a plurality' of helical vanes, arranged concentrically within the hollow inlet duct, and retained axially between the first open separation duct end and the second open inlet duct end including the first housing end cap; (d) a hollow outlet duct having a first open outlet duct end and a second open outlet duct end; (e) a hollow' housing having an inner housing w all, an outer housing wall, a first open housing end, an oppositely arranged second open housing end, with a horizontal axis between the first open housing end and the oppositely arranged second open housing end, and a third open housing end arranged perpendicular to the horizontal axis or parallel to the horizontal axis, wherein the separation duct is arranged concentrically along the horizontal axis within the hollow housing; (f) the first housing end cap of the second open inlet duct end connected concentrically to the first open housing end; (g) a second housing end cap connected concentrically to both the second open housing end and the hollow outlet duct; (h) a hollow collection sump having a first open sump end and a second open sump end, wherein the first open sump end is connected to the third open housing end, the hollow collection sump including an orifice restricting flow therethrough; (i) a collection cavity within the hollow housing, surrounding the outer wall of the hollow separation duct, bounded by the first housing end cap of the second open inlet duct, the second housing end cap, and the first open sump end; w herein the second open separation duct end is arranged coaxially with respect to the first open outlet duct end, with a second annular space between the second open separation duct end and the first open outlet duct end, the second annular space providing a fluid flow path from the separation cavity7 to the collection cavity. [0005] In another aspect of the invention, a liquid separator device is provided comprising (a) a hollow inlet duct having a first open inlet duct end and a second open inlet duct end, the second open inlet duct end further comprising a first housing end cap; (b) a hollow7 separation duct having an inner separation duct wall, and an outer separation duct wall further comprising a collar having an outw ardly extending tapered collar wall and a collar lip, a plurality of venturi flow radial openings passing through the collar lip and the inner separation duct w all; a first open separation duct end and a second open separation duct end, wherein the collar is arranged betw een the first open separation duct end and the second open separation duct end; a separation cavity from the first open separation duct end to the second open separation duct end bounded by the inner separation duct wall, wherein the first housing end cap of the second open inlet duct end is arranged coaxially in the first open separation duct end, w ith a first annular space between the first housing end cap and the first open separation duct end; (c) a vortex generator comprising a plurality of helical vanes, arranged concentrically within the hollow7 inlet duct, and retained axia