Filter apparatus

Abstract

A fluid filter comprising a housing defining a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a filter element defining an upstream surface communicating with the fluid inlet and a downstream cylindrical surface communicating with the fluid outlet, the filter element comprising a stack of filter disks defining a hollow volume interiorly thereof and a longitudinal axis, and backflushing means for removing filtered out sediment from the filter element comprising an axially displaceable backflushing nozzle assembly disposed within the hollow volume comprising a rotating head coupled to the fluid inlet and having fluid outlet means, arranged to provide a generally radially directed pressurized jet and rotational motion of the rotating head.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A filter comprising: 
 a housing in communication with an inlet, a drain and an outlet and having an upper aperture;    a filter element disposed in said housing for separating particles from the fluid flowing from said inlet passage through said filter element to said outlet passage and having an external circumferential surface and an internal cylindrical surface defining a hollow internal volume and a central axis, one of said surfaces being in communication with the outlet and the other surface being in communication with the inlet and with the drain; and    a movable cleaning mechanism comprising a hollow longitudinal means extending through said upper aperture, one end of said longitudinal means being connected to a rotatable discharge device disposed in-said internal volume and having at least one opening for discharging a tangential jet, the other end of said longitudinal means being connected to an external means adapted to communicate with an external pressurized fluid source and with an external source of power such that during a cleaning operation said external source of power effects the linear movement of said rotatable discharge device and simultaneously the pressurized fluid flowing from said external pressurized fluid source discharged from said opening effects the rotational movement of said rotatable discharge device around said central axis within said internal volume.    
     
     
         2 . The filter of  claim 1  wherein said rotatable discharge device comprises at least one additional opening for discharging a jet of pressurized fluid to splash on the inner surface of said filter element.  
     
     
         3 . The filter of  claim 2  wherein said additional opening is adapted to discharge a substantially direct jet of pressurized fluid to splash along the inner surface of said filter element to dislodge particles accumulated on said filter element.  
     
     
         4 . The filter of  claim 1  wherein at least two openings are defined on said rotatable discharge device, one of said openings being adapted to discharge a tangential jet of pressurized fluid to effect the rotational movement of said rotatable discharge device, the other opening being adapted to splash pressurized fluid on the inner surface of said filter element.  
     
     
         5 . The filter of  claim 1  wherein at least one opening for discharging a tangential jet is defined on said rotatable discharge device and at least one additional opening is defined on said rotatable discharge device adapted to discharge pressurized fluid to splash on the inner surface of said filter element to dislodge particles accumulated on the filter element.  
     
     
         6 . The filter of  claim 1  wherein at least two eccentric openings are defined on said discharge device and are adapted to discharge pressurized fluid in the form of tangential jets.  
     
     
         7 . A filter comprising: 
 a housing having an inlet passage, an outlet passage and an aperture;    a filter element disposed within said housing in order to separate particles from the fluid flowing from said inlet passage through said filter element to said outlet passage said filter element having an external circumferential surface and an internal cylindrical surface defining a hollow internal volume and a central axis interiorly thereof, one of said surfaces being in communication with the inlet passage and the other surface being in communication with the outlet passage; and    a displaceable discharge mechanism comprising a hollow means extending through said aperture, one end of said hollow means being connected to an external means adapted to communicate with an external source of pressurized fluid and an eternal source of power, the other end being connected to a rotatable discharge device disposed in said internal volume and having at least one eccentric opening for discharging an eccentric jet;    characterized in that during a cleaning operation said external power source effects a linear movement of said rotatable discharge device and simultaneously pressurized fluid from said external source of pressurized fluid flowing through said eccentric opening effects the rotation of said rotation of said rotatable discharge device around the central axis.    
     
     
         8 . The filter of  claim 7  wherein said rotatable discharge device defines at least one additional opening adapted to splash a jet on the internal surface of said filter element in order to sweep particles from the filter element.  
     
     
         9 . The filter of  claim 7  wherein said rotatable discharge device comprises at least two first and second openings for discharging pressurized fluid, the first opening being adapted to effect the rotational movement of said rotatable discharge device and the second opening being adapted to discharge a jet of pressurized fluid to splash on the internal surface of said filter element in order to dislodge particles accumulated on said filter element.  
     
     
         10 . The filter of  claim 7  wherein said rotatable discharge device comprises at least two eccentric openings adapted to discharge pressurized fluid in order to rotate said rotatable discharge device and to dislodge particles accumulated on said filter element.  
     
     
         11 . The filter of  claim 7  wherein said rotatable discharge device comprises at least two nozzles adapted to discharge tangential jets of pressurized fluid.  
     
     
         12 . The filter of  claim 7  wherein said rotatable discharge device comprises at least one opening adapted to splash a jet of pressurized fluid on said internal cylindrical surface of said filter element in order to dislodge the accumulated particles from said filter element.  
     
     
         13 . The filter of  claim 12  wherein said rotatable discharge device comprises at least one eccentric nozzle to effect the rotational movement of said discharge device and at least one nozzle adapted to splash pressurized fluid jet on said inlet cylindrical surface of said filter element in order to dislodge accumulated particles from said filter element.  
     
     
         14 . A filter apparatus comprising: 
 a housing having an inlet passage and a drain passage for nonfiltered fluid, an outlet passage for the filtered fluid and an upper aperture;    a filter element disposed within said housing in order to separate particles from the fluid flowing from said inlet passage through said filter element to said outlet passage, said filter element having a circumferential external surface and an internal cylindrical surface defining a hollow internal volume and a central axis, one of said surfaces being in communication with the outlet passage and the other surface being in communication with the inlet and drain passages; and    a cleaning mechanism comprising a hollow means extending through said aperture and connected on one end to an external means adapted to be in communication with an external source of pressurized fluid and an external source of power, and on the other end to a discharge device disposed in said internal volume having at least one opening for discharging pressurized fluid;    characterized in that during a cleaning operation said external source of power effects the linear movement of said discharge device and simultaneously pressurized fluid from said external pressurized fluid source discharged from said opening splashes fluid on said internal cylindrical surface of said filter element.    
     
     
         15 . The filter of  claim 14  wherein said discharge device comprises at least two openings for discharging pressurized fluid to impinge the internal surface.  
     
     
         16 . The filter of  claim 14  wherein said discharge device comprises at least one eccentric opening to discharge an eccentric jet.  
     
     
         17 . The filter of  claim 14  wherein said discharge device comprises at least one opening adapted to discharge a tangential jet.  
     
     
         18 . The filter of  claim 16  wherein said eccentric jet effects the rotational movement around the central axis of said discharge device.