Air and oil separation device

Abstract

An oil separator device includes at least a first chamber and a second chamber. An air-oil mixture may enter the body via the first chamber and may impact one or more interior surfaces within the body thereby causing at least a portion of the oil to be separated from the air-oil mixture. The separated oil may be directed to an oil reservoir and permitted to exit the body via an oil outlet. The remainder of the air-oil mixture may be directed toward the second chamber and be permitted to exit the body as working air via an outlet in communication with the second chamber. The oil separator device may include one or more baffles disposed between one or more of the first chamber, the second chamber, and the oil reservoir. A connector tube including one or more cylindrical members may facilitate communication between the first and second chambers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oil separator device comprising:
 a body including a first end, a second end, a first chamber, and a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber;   an inlet for receiving an air-oil mixture, the inlet in fluid communication with the first chamber;   an air outlet in fluid communication with the second chamber; and   a first baffle oriented in a lateral plane and extending across at least a portion of the body, the first baffle including a solid center portion and at least one peripheral opening disposed about the solid center portion, the at least one peripheral opening facilitating communication between the first chamber and an oil reservoir,   wherein the air-oil mixture entering the first chamber via the inlet impinges upon one or more internal components of the oil separator device, thereby separating oil from the air-oil mixture as the air-oil mixture travels from the first chamber toward the second chamber, and oil separated from the air-oil mixture passes through the at least one peripheral opening and is collected in the oil reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The oil separator device of  claim 1 , further comprising a perforated tube providing fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, the perforated tube including at least one opening extending through a surface thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The oil separator device of  claim 1 , wherein the first chamber is positioned between the second chamber and the oil reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . The oil separator device of  claim 1 , wherein the oil separator device is configured to receive the air-oil mixture from a compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The oil separator device of  claim 4 , wherein the compressor is an oil flooded rotary screw air compressor including one or more rotors driven by a primary mover. 
     
     
         6 . The oil separator device of  claim 4 , wherein the oil separator device is configured to return oil separated from the air-oil mixture to the compressor via an oil outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The oil separator device of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet includes an air inlet tube extending at least partially across an inner diameter of the first chamber such that the air-oil mixture enters an upper region of the first chamber and is directed toward an interior surface of the body. 
     
     
         8 . The oil separator device of  claim 1 , further comprising a separator element positioned in the second chamber and configured to remove oil from the air that enters the second chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The oil separator device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second baffle oriented substantially parallel with respect to the first baffle and positioned between the first and second chambers, the second baffle including a discharge opening configured to facilitate communication between the first and second chambers. 
     
     
         9 . The oil separator device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one third baffle disposed within the oil reservoir and oriented substantially perpendicularly with respect to the first and second baffles. 
     
     
         10 . An oil separator device comprising:
 a body including a first end, a second end, a first chamber, and a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber;   an inlet for receiving an air-oil mixture, the inlet in fluid communication with the first chamber;   an air outlet in fluid communication with the second chamber;   a tube providing fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, the tube including a first opening positioned in the first chamber, a second opening in fluid communication with the second chamber, and at least one intermediate opening positioned on an outer surface of the tube; and   an outer baffle extending around a perimeter of the tube and spaced apart from an outer surface of the tube.   
     
     
         11 . The oil separator device of  claim 10 , wherein a body axis extends between the first end and the second end of the body, the oil separator device further comprising a first baffle oriented in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the body axis. 
     
     
         12 . The oil separator device of  claim 11 , wherein the first baffle includes a solid center portion and at least one peripheral opening disposed about the solid center portion, the at least one peripheral opening facilitating communication between the first chamber and an oil reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The oil separator device of  claim 11 , further comprising a second baffle oriented substantially parallel with respect to the first baffle and positioned between the first and second chambers, the second baffle including an opening configured to facilitate communication between the first and second chambers. 
     
     
         14 . The oil separator device of  claim 13 , wherein the second opening of the tube is configured to align with the opening of the second baffle. 
     
     
         15 . The oil separator device of  claim 10 , wherein the inlet includes an inlet tube extending at least partially across an internal diameter of the first chamber such that the air-oil mixture is directed toward an interior surface of the body upon entering the oil separator device via the inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The oil separator device of  claim 10 , wherein the first chamber is positioned between the second chamber and an oil reservoir. 
     
     
         17 . The oil separator device of  claim 16 , wherein the oil reservoir includes a drain configured to allow oil separated from the air-oil mixture to exit the oil separator device. 
     
     
         18 . The oil separator device of  claim 17 , wherein a body axis extends between the first end and the second end of the body, the oil separator device further comprising at least one baffle positioned within the oil reservoir and oriented in a plane that is substantially parallel to the body axis. 
     
     
         19 . The oil separator device of  claim 10 , further comprising an oil outlet configured to permit oil separated from the air-oil mixture to exit the oil separator device. 
     
     
         20 . A mining drill, comprising:
 a base;   a mast coupled to the base and extending upwardly therefrom;   a drill pipe supported by the mast and configured to extend through a ground surface and into a borehole;   an air compressor supported by the base and operable to generate compressed air that may be used during operation of the drill;   a lubrication system in communication with the air compressor and configured to provide oil to the air compressor; and   an oil separator in fluid communication with the air compressor and configured to separate oil from the air supplied by the air compressor, the oil separator including,   a body including a first end, a second end, a first chamber, and a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber;   an inlet for receiving an air-oil mixture from the air compressor, the inlet in fluid communication with the first chamber;   an air outlet in fluid communication with the second chamber;   a tube providing fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, the tube including a first opening positioned in the first chamber, a second opening in fluid communication with the second chamber, and at least one intermediate opening positioned on an outer surface of the tube; and   an outer baffle extending around a perimeter of the tube and spaced apart from an outer surface of the tube.