Coolant recycling system and method

Claim 1

An apparatus for recycling and cleaning a coolant utilized in conjunction with a machine tool to effect removal of tramp oil from the coolant, said apparatus comprising: a frame; tank means stationarily supported on said frame and defining there a recycling chamber adapted for holding a batch of dirty coolant, said chamber having substantially vertical height and substantially uniform horizontal cross section throughout this height, means communicating with the lower portion of said chamber to effect removal of coolant therefrom; first nozzle means stationarily mounted adjacent the bottom of said chamber for discharging directly into the dirty coolant a first airstream which creates a first upwardly directed stream of air bubbles; second nozzle means stationarily disposed adjacent the bottom of said tank in sidewardly disposed relationship from said first nozzle means for discharging therefrom directly into said dirty coolant a second airstream which creates a second upwardly directed stream of air bubbles of a larger size than said air bubbles of said first stream; wherein said first and second nozzle means are constructed and arranged such that the first and second bubble streams agitate the dirty coolant and cause upward movement of oil particles so that said tramp oil tends to collect on the surface of the dirty coolant within a collection area disposed over said first stream of air bubbles; said collection area being of a smaller cross sectional area than said chamber horizontal cross section.

Claim 2

An apparatus for recycling and cleaning a coolant utilized in conjunction with a machine tool to effect removal of tramp oil from the coolant, said apparatus comprising: a frame; tank means stationarily supported on said frame and defining there a recycling chamber adapted for holding a batch of dirty coolant, said chamber having substantially vertical height and substantially uniform horizontal cross section throughout this height, means communicating with the lower portion of said chamber to effect removal of coolant therefrom; first nozzle means stationarily mounted adjacent the bottom of said chamber for discharging directly into the dirty coolant a first airstream which creates a first upwardly directed stream of air bubbles; second nozzle means stationarily disposed adjacent the bottom of said tank in sidewardly disposed relationship from said first nozzle means for discharging therefrom directly into said dirty coolant a second airstream which creates a second upwardly directed stream of air bubbles of a larger size than said air bubbles of said first stream; wherein said first and second nozzle means are constructed and arranged such that the first and second bubble streams agitate the dirty coolant and cause upward movement of oil particles so that said tramp oil tends to collect on the surface of the dirty coolant within a collection area disposed over said first stream of air bubbles; said collection area being of a smaller cross sectional area than said chamber horizontal cross section.

Claim 11

A method of cleaning machine tool coolant to effect separation and removal of contaminating oil, comprising the steps of: providing a batch of coolant contaminated by oil particles mixed therein; depositing said batch of coolant into a recycling chamber having substantially vertical height and substantially uniform horizontal cross section throughout this height; injecting a first airstream into the chamber adjacent the bottom thereof to create a first stream of air bubbles which move vertically upwardly through the coolant to the surface thereof so as to effect agitation of the coolant and upward separation of the oil particles; injecting a second airstream into said chamber adjacent the bottom thereof and in sidewardly spaced relationship from said first airstream to create a second stream of air bubbles of a larger size than said air bubbles of said first stream which move vertically upwardly through the coolant toward the surface thereof and for causing the oil particles which collect on the surface to concentrate within a collection area on the surface which is disposed over the first stream of bubbles and is smaller than the area of said chamber horizontal cross section; removing the oil which collects in said collection area; and thereafter removing the cleaned coolant from said recycling chamber.

Claim 12

A method of cleaning machine tool coolant to effect separation and removal of contaminating oil, comprising the steps of: providing a batch of coolant contaminated by oil particles mixed therein; depositing said batch of coolant into a recycling chamber having substantially vertical height and substantially uniform horizontal cross section throughout this height; injecting a first airstream into the chamber adjacent the bottom thereof to create a first stream of air bubbles which move vertically upwardly through the coolant to the surface thereof so as to effect agitation of the coolant and upward separation of the oil particles; injecting a second airstream into said chamber adjacent the bottom thereof and in sidewardly spaced relationship from said first airstream to create a second stream of air bubbles of a larger size than said air bubbles of said first stream which move vertically upwardly through the coolant toward the surface thereof and for causing the oil particles which collect on the surface to concentrate within a collection area on the surface which is disposed over the first stream of bubbles and is smaller than the area of said chamber horizontal cross section; removing the oil which collects in said collection area; and thereafter removing the cleaned coolant from said recycling chamber.

Claim 19

An apparatus for recycling and cleaning a coolant utilized in conjunction with a machine tool to effect removal of tramp oil from the coolant, said apparatus comprising: a frame; tank means stationarily supported on said frame and defining therein a recycling chamber containing a batch of dirty coolant, said chamber having substantially vertical height and substantially uniform horizontal cross section throughout this height, first and second nozzle means jointly defining at least three nozzle members which are stationarily disposed adjacent the bottom of said tank means in sidewardly disposed relationship relative to one another, said at least three nozzle members being disposed substantially in a horizontal pattern to create a plurality of upwardly directed bubble streams which effectively cause agitation of the dirty coolant within the recycling chamber throughout substantially the entire cross section thereof; and filter means stationarily mounted on said tank means adjacent the upper end of said chamber for removing solid contaminants from said dirty coolant, said filter means permitting said dirty coolant to flow therethrough by gravity into said chamber; wherein said first and second nozzle means are constructed and arranged such that said first nozzle means discharges directly into the dirty coolant a first airstream which creates a first upwardly directed stream of air bubbles, said second nozzle means discharges directly into the dirty coolant a second airstream which creates a second upwardly directed stream of air bubbles of a larger size than said air bubbles of said first stream and the bubble streams agitate the dirty coolant and cause upward movement of oil particles so that said tramp oil tends to collect on the surface of the dirty coolant within a collection area disposed over said first stream of air bubbles; said collection area being of a smaller cross sectional area than said chamber horizontal cross section.

Claim 20

An apparatus for recycling and cleaning a coolant utilized in conjunction with a machine tool to effect removal of tramp oil from the coolant, said apparatus comprising: a frame; tank means stationarily supported on said frame and defining therein a recycling chamber containing a batch of dirty coolant, said chamber having substantially vertical height and substantially uniform horizontal cross section throughout this height, first and second nozzle means jointly defining at least three nozzle members which are stationarily disposed adjacent the bottom of said tank means in sidewardly disposed relationship relative to one another, said at least three nozzle members being disposed substantially in a horizontal pattern to create a plurality of upwardly directed bubble streams which effectively cause agitation of the dirty coolant within the recycling chamber throughout substantially the entire cross section thereof; and filter means stationarily mounted on said tank means adjacent the upper end of said chamber for removing solid contaminants from said dirty coolant, said filter means permitting said dirty coolant to flow therethrough by gravity into said chamber; wherein said first and second nozzle means are constructed and arranged such that said first nozzle means discharges directly into the dirty coolant a first airstream which creates a first upwardly directed stream of air bubbles, said second nozzle means discharges directly into the dirty coolant a second airstream which creates a second upwardly directed stream of air bubbles of a larger size than said air bubbles of said first stream and the bubble streams agitate the dirty coolant and cause upward movement of oil particles so that said tramp oil tends to collect on the surface of the dirty coolant within a collection area disposed over said first stream of air bubbles; said collection area being of a smaller cross sectional area than said chamber horizontal cross section.