Filter Cap Additive Delivery System

Abstract

A additive delivery system and method which includes a additive gel, a filter and a fluid/gel chemistry exchange region, wherein the exchange region subjects the additive gel to different types or combinations of contact with the fluid in order to control the additive release rate, maintain a uniform release rate, maintain the physical integrity of the gel or combinations thereof.

1 . A delivery system for supplying one or more additives to a fluid comprising an additive gel, a filter having a housing, and a fluid/gel chemistry exchange region located outside of the region of the filter housing that experiences the direct flow of the fluid where the fluid contacts the gel. 
   
   
       2 . The system, of  claim 1  wherein the exchange region allows for fluid/gel contacting which comprises:
 a) indirect fluid flow,   b) direct fluid flow, or   c) combinations thereof.   
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  where the exchange region is selected so as to control the release rate of additives from the additive gel into the fluid, to maintain a uniform release rate of additives, to maintain the physical integrity of the additive gel, or combinations thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system comprises a filter gel cap that contains the gel, wherein the filter gel cap is mountable and removable from the crown of the filter housing, wherein the filter housing has one or more openings on the crown of the filter that allow fluid to pass from the filter, contact the additive gel and return to the filter. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the number, size, shape, orientation, location, pattern, or combinations thereof of the openings on the crown of the filter housing are selected so as to control and maintain the desired additive gel component release rate and additive gel physical integrity. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the cap of the filter housing comprises an annular space along the outer wall of the filter cap housing, wherein the annular space is created by the outer wall of the filter cap housing body and an interior wall that forms a cylinder within the filter cap, wherein the interior wall is connects to the outer wall on one end and is open on the other, and wherein the additive gel is placed within the annular space, whereby the fluid comes into contact with the additive gel in the filter by passing over the open end of the interior wall, contacting the additive gel in the annular space and passing back over the wall to the interior of the filter. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the filter cap with the gel-containing annular space has a mountable and removable lid that allows for direct access to the gel-containing annular space. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the interior wall that forms the annular gel-containing space contains one or more openings that allow fluid to pass from the filter housing into the annular space and contact the additive gel, and wherein the number, size, shape, orientation, location, pattern, or combinations thereof of the openings are utilized to control and maintain the desired additive gel component release rate and additive gel physical integrity. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the interior wall that forms the annular gel-containing space forms an upper lip that acts as a diverter edge, wherein the diverter edge is designed to affect the fluid flow around the edge and so into the gel-containing annular space. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the additive gel is contained within a gel cup, wherein one or more gel cups may be inserted into and removed from the system, the gel cup having one or more openings to allow contact of the fluid that passes through the filter with the gel. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8  wherein at least some of the openings in the interior wall of the annular space are unobstructed by the additive gel inside the space so as to allow some of the fluid to enter the annular space through the openings and dissolve one or more additive components in the gel. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a fluid flow diverter edge at the open end of the interior wall that forms the gel-containing annular space, wherein the diverter edge acts to divert the flow of the fluid passing through the filter and near the opening of the annular gel-containing space, providing control over the gel/fluid chemistry exchange region. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the filter is a cartridge filter that is mounted inside a canister type housing that has inlet and outlet passages for permitting fluid to flow through the housing and around the cartridge. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the delivery system is used to condition the fluid in devices comprising internal combustion engines, natural gas engines, stationary engines, metal working coolant systems, industrial lubricated systems, oil or fuel filters, hydraulic systems, or transmission systems. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the filter is an oil filter and the fluid is engine lubricating oil. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the device utilizing the filter is a diesel passenger car engine. 
   
   
       17 . A method for releasing additives into a fluid comprising operating a device that utilizes a fluid, wherein the device utilizes the system of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       18 . A filter cap that contains a fluid additive gel which can be mounted onto a fluid filter in such a way as to allow a fluid to pass between the fluid filter and the filter cap, wherein the filter cap, when mounted onto said filter, contains a fluid/gel chemistry exchange region located outside of the region of the interior of the filter that experiences the direct flow of the fluid, where the fluid contacts the gel.