Oil-purifying device with oil diffusing assembly and high-surface-area structure

Abstract

An oil-purifying device incorporating a housing that includes an evaporation chamber. In one implementation, there are an oil intake port and an oil exit port, both in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber. There are also at least two ventilation ports in gaseous communication with the evaporation chamber. The oil-purifying device may include an oil diffusing assembly to receive oil from the oil intake port and distribute it. In one implementation, the oil diffusing assembly includes perforated oil journals. The oil-purifying device may include a heating device to heat the oil to increase the rate of evaporation of contaminants. The oil-purifying device may also include a high-surface-area structure to increase a surface area of the oil for improved evaporation of contaminants. In one implementation, the high-surface-area structure includes a metallic or synthetic material with a rough filamentous surface upon which to deposit oil.

1 . An oil-purifying apparatus, comprising:
 a housing defining an evaporation chamber to receive contaminated oil;   an oil intake port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   an oil exit port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   a ventilation port in gaseous communication with the evaporation chamber; and   an oil diffusing assembly to receive contaminated oil from the oil intake port.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a high-surface-area structure to increase a surface area of the contaminated oil, a heating mechanism to heat the oil, or a metering jet detachably coupled to the oil intake port to control a rate of flow of the oil. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the oil diffusing assembly includes at least one perforated oil journal. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one perforated oil journal includes a plurality of perforated oil journals disposed in a radial configuration about a central axis. 
     
     
         5 . The oil-purifying device of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one perforated oil journal comprises a plurality of perforated oil journals disposed within a plane, the plane positioned to allow oil from the perforated oil journals to drip toward a surface of the evaporation chamber. 
     
     
         6 . An oil-purifying apparatus, comprising:
 a housing defining an evaporation chamber to receive contaminated oil;   an oil intake port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   an oil exit port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   a ventilation port in gaseous communication with the evaporation chamber; and   a high-surface-area structure to increase a surface area of the contaminated oil.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one of an oil diffusing assembly to receive contaminated oil from the oil intake port, a heating mechanism to heat the oil, or a metering jet detachably coupled to the oil intake port to control a rate of flow of the oil. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the high-surface-area structure includes filamentous material. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the high-surface-area structure includes a sponge-like material with a plurality of cavities and a variegated surface for disposing at least some of the oil onto. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the high-surface-area structure includes at least one rough surface of the evaporation chamber for disposing at least some of the oil onto. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the high-surface-area structure includes columnar structures that are arranged in a steeple-shaped structure on a floor of the evaporation chamber. 
     
     
         12 . An oil-purifying apparatus, comprising:
 a housing defining an evaporation chamber to receive contaminated oil;   an oil intake port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   an oil exit port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   a ventilation port in gaseous communication with the evaporation chamber; and   a thin-film resistive metal heating mechanism to heat the oil.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one of an oil diffusing assembly to receive contaminated oil from the oil intake port, a high-surface-area structure to increase a surface area of the contaminated oil, or a metering jet detachably coupled to the oil intake port to control a rate of flow of the oil. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the heating mechanism heats the oil to a temperature between about 200 degrees and 250 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the thin-film resistive metal of the heating mechanism is insulated with an electrically-insulating film. 
     
     
         16 . An oil-purifying apparatus, comprising:
 a housing defining an evaporation chamber to receive contaminated oil;   an oil intake port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   an oil exit port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   a ventilation port in gaseous communication with the evaporation chamber; and   a replaceable metering jet detachably coupled to the oil intake port to control a rate of flow of the oil.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one of an oil diffusing assembly to receive contaminated oil from the oil intake port, a high-surface-area structure to increase a surface area of the contaminated oil, or a heating mechanism to heat the oil. 
     
     
         18 . An oil-purifying device, comprising:
 a housing defining an evaporation chamber to receive contaminated oil;   an oil intake port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   an oil exit port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   means for receiving oil from the oil intake port and dispersing it within the evaporation chamber;   means for increasing a surface area of oil dispersed within the evaporation chamber; and   means for venting evaporated contaminants from the evaporation chamber.   
     
     
         19 . An oil-purifying device comprising:
 a housing defining an evaporation chamber to receive contaminated oil;   an oil intake port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   an oil exit port in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber;   at least two ventilation ports in gaseous communication with the evaporation chamber;   at least one perforated oil journal in fluid communication with the oil intake port;   a metering jet detachably coupled to the oil intake port to control a rate of flow of the oil; and   a high-surface-area structure to increase a surface area of the contaminated oil   wherein the oil intake port is adapted to be coupled, when in use, with an oil conveyance that extends from an oil source toward an exterior of the housing.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein a gaseous pressure at a first port of the at least two ventilation ports is greater than a gaseous pressure at a second port of the at least two ventilation ports.