The invention relates to a mist separator apparatus that removes mist and liquid from structures containing the same.
Many types of equipment that cut or otherwise form workpieces fabricated from hard material such as metal, ceramics or plastics sometimes require a cooling fluid to cool both the cutting tool and the workpiece as it is being cut or formed. One type of equipment is a wafer slicing machine 2 as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 for purposes of explanation only. Generally, the wafer slicing machine 2 includes a housing 4 and a cutting assembly 6. A saw blade 8 connected to a shaft 10 is enclosed within the housing 4 and a motor 12 disposed exteriorly of the housing 4 drives the saw blade 8 to cut workpiece 14. Because a significant amount of heat is generated when cutting the workpiece 14 with the rotating saw blade 8, a liquid coolant 18, such as water or oil, is sprayed onto the rotating saw blade 8 and the workpiece 14 through a nozzle 20.
Much of the liquid coolant 18 which now contains minute particles of the workpiece 14 accumulates at the bottom of the housing 4. A mist M is also generated as a result of spraying the liquid coolant 18 onto the rotating saw blade 8 and the workpiece 14. For the wafer slicing machine 2 to operate efficiently, the liquid coolant 18 that now contains minute particles of the workpiece 14 must be drained from the housing 4 and the mist, some of which also contains minute particles of the workpiece 14, must be exhausted from the housing 4.
A conventional drain/exhaust system 22 is illustrated in FIG. 1. A header 24 is attached exteriorly near the bottom of the housing 4 so that accumulated liquid coolant containing minute particles of the workpiece 14 can drain from the housing 4 through a drain pipe 26. Also, the mist M migrates from the housing 4 through the header 24 and into a leading exhaust pipe 28 into a canister 30. While in the canister 30, the heavier mist droplets tend to settle toward the bottom of the canister 30 while the lighter mist droplets are exhausted through a trailing exhaust pipe 32. As commonly known in the art, a slight vacuum is applied to the trailing exhaust pipe 32 to draw the lighter mist droplets therethrough.
As the heavier mist droplets accumulate at the bottom of the canister 30, a sludge-like material forms. If sufficiently wet, the sludge flows through a canister drain pipe 34 for disposal.
Unfortunately, if excessive mist droplets are being exhausted through the trailing exhaust pipe 32, the sludge-like material tends to thicken and, as a result, does not effectively drain from the canister 30. Thus, a door 36 on the canister 30 must be opened to gain access into the canister 30 so it can be purged of the stagnate sludge-type material. Cleaning the canister 30 is messy and labor-intensive. Ironically, excessive mist droplets being exhausted through the trailing exhaust pipe 32 is known to be detrimental to the exhaust portion of the drain/exhaust system 22.
There is a need in the industry to provide a mist separator that removes a mist and a liquid material more efficiently and effectively from cutting or forming equipment. It would advantageous if the mist separator apparatus eliminates the use of the canister in order to eliminate the need to periodically clean the sludge-like material therefrom. It would also be advantageous if the mist separator apparatus can simultaneously reduce the amount of mist being exhausted through the vacuum-driven exhaust system while simultaneously increasing the amount of mist precipitating as liquids so the liquids can drain through the drainage system. There is also a need to provide a mist separator apparatus that inhibits the mist from directly entering into the drain/exhaust system. It would be advantageous to provide a mist separator apparatus that allows the liquid to initially drain into a drainage system and allow the mist to precipitate in a mist collecting container system which is initially separate and distinct from the drainage system. It would also be advantageous to provide a mist separator apparatus that directs the precipitating mist in the mist collecting container to merge downstream with the draining liquids. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides these advantages.