Water separator

Claim 2

For a water separator of the type that includes a coalescer mounted upstream relative to the flow stream of the water separating means and water collecting means and also includes a sensor and control for admitting warm air to the coalescer whenever the pressure drop attains a predetermined value caused by the ice that accretes thereon, and the pressure drop across the coalescer is sufficient to cause recrystallization of the melted water so as to discharge ice particles from the water separator through the water separating means, the improvement comprising a screen element mounted in proximity to but spaced downstream of said coalescer and upstream of said water separating means and sized to prevent the recrystallized water from egressing therefrom and having a relatively low pressure drop such that the remelted water crystals discharge therefrom as water.

Claim 3

For a water separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coalescer is a cylindrically shaped member and said screen element is similarly shaped and concentrically disposed relative thereto.

Claim 4

For a water separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said screen is characterized by being substantially 14 by 14 mesh and 51 percent open construction 14 X 14, 51 percent open mesh.

Claim 5

For a water separator as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sensor measures the pressure drop across both said coalescer and said screen.

Claim 6

In combination, a water separator having a casing defining a cavity portion, an air inlet and air outlet in said casing, water separating and collecting means including means imparting a swirl to the air flow in said cavity portion having an air inlet, said air inlet of the casing being in communication with said air inlet of the water separating and collecting means, a coalescer disposed in and supported adjacent to and substantially coextensive with the inlet of said water separating and collective means having a pressure drop characteristic such that when ice accreted therein is melted, the effect of the lower pressure caused by the pressure drop recrystallizes the melted water, a screen generally coeXtensive with but spaced downstream from said coalescer disposed adjacent to and in close proximity with said coalescer having porosity characteristic of restraining the recrystallized water discharging from said coalescer and a low pressure drop relative to the pressure drop of the coalescer such that melting of the recrystallized water passes through said screen as water.

Claim 7

In combination, a water separator having a casing defining a cavity portion, an air inlet and air outlet in said casing, water separating and collecting means including means imparting a swirl to the air flow in said cavity portion having an air inlet, said air inlet of the casing being in communication with said air inlet of the water separating and collecting means, a coalescer disposed in and supported adjacent to and substantially coextensive with the inlet of said water separating and collective means having a pressure drop characteristic such that when ice accreted therein is melted, the effect of the lower pressure caused by the pressure drop recrystallizes the melted water, a screen generally coeXtensive with but spaced downstream from said coalescer disposed adjacent to and in close proximity with said coalescer having porosity characteristic of restraining the recrystallized water discharging from said coalescer and a low pressure drop relative to the pressure drop of the coalescer such that melting of the recrystallized water passes through said screen as water.

Claim 8

The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said coalescer and said screen are annular in shape and mounted coaxially.

Claim 9

The combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said swirl imparting means includes swirl vanes transversely disposed relative to said coalescer and said screen, guide means supporting said swirl vanes and concentrically mounted in said cavity for guiding and turning the air discharging from said screen into said guide vanes.