초록 ▼

Gases produced by a combustion engine, e.g. crankcase gases, are conducted through a separation chamber formed and surrounded by a centrifugal rotor, by means of which the gases are caused to rotate, so that particles suspended in the gases are separated by means of centrifugal force. The centrifuga

Gases produced by a combustion engine, e.g. crankcase gases, are conducted through a separation chamber formed and surrounded by a centrifugal rotor, by means of which the gases are caused to rotate, so that particles suspended in the gases are separated by means of centrifugal force. The centrifugal rotor is caused to rotate by means of a pressure fluid that is generated by means of the combustion engine.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of cleaning a stream of gases, which have been produced by a combustion engine, from at least one of solid and liquid particles suspended therein, the gases being conducted through a separation chamber formed and surrounded by a rotating member, by means of which the gases are caused to

1. A method of cleaning a stream of gases, which have been produced by a combustion engine, from at least one of solid and liquid particles suspended therein, the gases being conducted through a separation chamber formed and surrounded by a rotating member, by means of which the gases are caused to rotate, so that particles in the separation chamber are separated from the gases by means of centrifugal force, comprising:using the combustion engine to generate a pressurized fluid other than that constituted by exhaust gases pressurized in the combustion chamber of the combustion engine, andcausing a stream of the pressurized fluid other than said stream of gases to be cleaned to drive the rotating member. 2. A method according to claim 1, including the step of generating pressurized air as said pressurized fluid. 3. A method according to claim 2, including the further steps of supplying a first part of the pressurized air to the combustion chamber of the combustion engine, and utilizing a second part of the pressurized air to drive the rotating member. 4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of using the combustion engine to generate the pressurized fluid comprises the steps of:supplying a compressor adapted to pressurize the air to be used as said pressurized fluid; andusing exhaust gases from said combustion engine to drive said compressor. 5. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of supplying a pump; and wherein the step of using the combustion engine to generate the pressurized fluid comprises the step of:employing the combustion engine to drive said pump for pressurizing the fluid to be used as said pressurized fluid. 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said pressurized fluid is a pressurized liquid fuel and said method includes the steps of supplying a first part of said pressurized liquid fuel to the combustion chamber of the combustion engine by means of said pump, and using a second part of the pressurized liquid fuel to drive the rotating member. 7. A method according to claim 5, in which the pressurized fluid is a lubricating oil intended for the combustion engine, wherein said lubricating oil is pressurized by the steps of:presenting the lubricating oil to said pump;employing the pump to pressurize the lubricating oil; andusing at least part of the lubricating oil pressurized by the pump to drive said rotating member. 8. A method according to claim 5, in which the pressurized fluid is a cooling water intended for the combustion engine, wherein said cooling water is pressurized by the steps of:presenting the cooling water to said pump;employing the pump to pressurize the cooling water; andusing at least part of the cooling water pressurized by the pump to drive the rotating member. 9. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of causing said pressurized fluid to drive the rotating member includes supplying said pressurized fluid to a chamber in a rotatable housing connected with said rotating member, at least a part of the pressurized fluid being caused to leave the housing through an outlet which is so directed and placed in relation to a rotational axis around which the housing is rotatable that the pressurized fluid flowing out through the outlet keeps the housing and the rotating member in rotation. 10. A method according to claim 9, in which lubricating oil intended for lubricating the combustion engine is utilized as said pressurized fluid, said method including the further step of removing particles suspended in said lubricating oil by means of centrifugal force resulting from the rotation of the housing. 11. A method according to claim 1, including the step of conducting the gases to be cleaned from a crankcase in the combustion engine through said separation chamber in the rotating member. 12. A method according to claim 5, further including the steps of:supplying a turbine wheel drivingly connected or coupled to the rotating member; andcausing said pressurized flu id to actuate said turbine wheel for driving the rotating member. 13. A method according to claim 12 including the further step of using a liquid to actuate said turbine wheel for driving the rotating member. 14. A plant for cleaning of gases produced by a combustion engine from at least one of solid and liquid particles suspended therein, comprising:a centrifugal separator having a rotor which is rotatable around a rotational axis and which delimits and surrounds a separation chamber, and gas conducting members for conducting said gases from the combustion engine into the separation chamber of the rotor, so that the gases are brought into rotation therein,a fluid pressurization device,the combustion engine being adapted for operating said pressurization device for generating a pressurized fluid other than that constituted by exhaust gases which have been pressurized in the combustion chamber of the combustion engine,the centrifugal separator having a driving device for said rotor, which driving device is adapted to bring the rotor in rotation by means of at least a part of the pressurized fluid, andpressurized fluid conducting members adapted to conduct pressurized fluid from said pressurization device to said driving device for rotation of the rotor. 15. A plant according to claim 14, in which said gas conducting members are adapted to conduct gases from a crankcase of the combustion engine to the separation chamber of the rotor. 16. A plant according to claim 14, in which said pressurization device includes a compressor for compression of air. 17. A plant according to claim 14, in which said pressurization device includes a pump adapted for pressurizing liquid. 18. A plant according to claim 14, in which said driving device comprises a housing which is rotatable around a rotational axis and has an inlet for said pressurized fluid and at least one outlet situated at a distance from the rotational axis and directed in a way such that fluid flowing out therethrough will cause the housing to rotate. 19. A plant according to claim 18, in which the rotor is carried by said rotatable housing. 20. A plant according to claim 19, in which said pump is adapted to pump lubricating oil intended for the combustion engine into the rotatable housing for cleaning of the lubricating oil and simultaneous driving of the rotor of the centrifugal separator intended for cleaning of said gases. 21. A plant according to claim 14, in which said separation chamber includes a stack of frusto-conical separation discs placed coaxially with the rotor and axially spaced from each other. 22. A plant according to claim 21, in which the rotor has a gas inlet and a gas outlet situated such that gases supplied to the rotor through the gas inlet are caused to flow through the spaces between the frusto-conical separation discs in a direction from the rotational axis of the rotor. 23. A method according to claim 5, including the step of generating a pressurized liquid as said pressurized fluid. 24. A plant according to claim 14 wherein said driving device includes a motor (M) having a turbine wheel that is coupled to said rotor (R) forming part of the centrifugal separator. 25. A plant according to claim 24, in which said pressurization device includes a pump that is operable to pressurize liquid. 26. A method of cleaning gases, which have been produced by a combustion engine, from at least one of solid and liquid particles suspended therein, the gases being conducted through a separation chamber formed and surrounded by a rotating member, by means of which the gases are caused to rotate, so that particles in the separation chamber are separated from the gases by means of centrifugal force, comprising the steps of:supplying a pump;employing the combustion engine to drive said pump;presenting to said pump a lubricating oil intended for lubricating the combustion engine;pumping the lubricating oil; anddriving the rotating member with at least part of the pumped lub ricating oil. 27. The method according to claim 26, including the step of conducting the gases to be cleaned from a crankcase in the combustion engine through the separation chamber in the rotating member. 28. A method of cleaning gases, which have been produced by a combustion engine, from at least one of solid and liquid particles suspended therein, the gases being conducted through a separation chamber formed and surrounded by a rotating member, by means of which the gases are caused to rotate, so that particles in the separation chamber are separated from the gases by means of centrifugal force, comprising the steps of:supplying a pump;employing the combustion engine to drive said pump;presenting to said pump a cooling liquid intended for cooling the combustion engine;pumping the cooling liquid; anddriving the rotating member with at least part of the pumped cooling liquid. 29. The method according to claim 28, including the step of conducting the gases to be cleaned from a crankcase in the combustion engine through the separation chamber in the rotating member. 30. A method of cleaning gases, which have been produced by a combustion engine, from at least one of solid and liquid particles suspended therein, the gases being conducted through a separation chamber formed and surrounded by a rotating member, by means of which the gases are caused to rotate, so that particles in the separation chamber are separated from the gases by means of centrifugal force, comprising the steps of:supplying a compressor;employing the combustion engine to drive said compressor;presenting air to said compressor;compressing the air; anddriving the rotating member with at least part of the compressed air. 31. The method according to claim 30, including the step of conducting the gases to be cleaned from a crankcase in the combustion engine through the separation chamber in the rotating member.