DESC:Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for increasing thermal conductivity of an air Treatment and Control unit, here after called as airtrec. More particularly, the present invention relates to the method for increasing thermal conductivity of the airtrec of a pneumatic braking system for enhancing drying efficiency.

Background of the invention

Generally, compressed air from a compressor is passed through an airtrec towards the pneumatic operating elements. The airtrec removes moisture from the compressed air and enables the pneumatic operating elements to work efficiently. The compressed air delivered from the compressor can be more than 100 degrees Celsius. Drying performance of the airtrec depends on temperature of the received compressed air from the air compressor. Specifically, the airtrec performs efficiently, if the received compressed air from the compressor is at about 65-70 degrees Celsius. In existing technology, a metal pipe of approximately 5 meters in length is used. The metal pipe is connected between the compressor and the airtrec. The metal pipe dissipates heat of compressed air to the atmosphere by exposing its outer surface to the atmosphere. The metal pipe receives hot compressed from the air compressor and supplies cold compressed air to the airtrec.
However, when the vehicle tonnage capacity increases due to demand, achieving the temperature drop from the compressor to the airtrec inlet by using the metal pipe of 5-meter length becomes difficult. At higher temperature, the airtrec does not work efficiently, thereby leaving behind some moisture in the air. This moisture corrodes end components, including metals and alloys of aluminium, iron and ferrous mixed components of the pneumatic system, thereby reducing life of the components.

Therefore, there is a need to provide a method for increasing thermal conductivity of the airtrec to overcome at least some of the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and controls desired temperature of input compressed air of the airtrec.

Objects of the invention

Object of the present invention is to provide a method for increasing thermal conductivity of an air treatment and control unit (airtrec) used in pneumatic braking system for reducing temperature of compressed air.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the method for increasing thermal conductivity of the airtrec by increasing surface area of the components.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide the method for increasing thermal conductivity of the airtrec, thereby improving drying efficiency by controlling the temperature of the delivered compressed air from the compressor within a desired range.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide the method for increasing thermal conductivity to increase heat dissipation rate of the airtrec thereby preventing corrosion of the elements of the airtrec.

Further object of the present invention is to provide the method for increasing thermal conductivity of an airtrec used in a pneumatic system, which is economical in operation easily.

One more object of the present invention is to provide the method for increasing thermal conductivity in an airtrec, which is easy to operate.

Summary of the invention:

According to the present invention a method for increasing thermal conductivity of an airtrec is provided. The method comprises steps of increasing surface area of the casted elements of the airtrec by sand blasting or etching, coating thermal conductive material on the increased surface area of the elements, thereby increasing thermal conductivity of the elements of the airtrec. Further, the method improves drying efficiency of the airtrec by increasing rate of heat dissipation by the elements of the airtrec. Furthermore, the method increases life of the elements by increasing corrosion resistance of the elements and decreasing temperature of the compressed air in the airtrec by increasing rate of heat dissipation.

Brief Description of drawings

The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an air treatment and control unit (airtrec);

Figures 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d shows perspective views of various elements of the airtrec of figure 1;

Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the airtrec of figure 1; and

Figure 3 shows a flowchart a method for increasing thermal conductivity of the airtrec in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

An embodiment of this invention, illustrating its features, will now be described in detail. The words "comprising," "having," "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

The terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.

The present invention is to provide a method for increasing thermal conductivity of an air treatment and control unit (airtrec) used in pneumatic braking system for reducing temperature of compressed air by increasing surface area of the components.
Further, the method improves drying efficiency by controlling the temperature of the delivered compressed air from the compressor within a desired range, thereby preventing corrosion of the elements of the airtrec. Furthermore, the method is economical in execution.

Referring now to figure 1, an air treatment and control unit, herein after referee as an “airtrec 100” in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The method 200 (refer figure 3) is provided to increase thermal conductivity of the airtrec 100 (hereinafter referred as a “method”). The airtrec 100 comprises an outer cover 10, a body 20, and a condenser/separator or condenser housing 30. The outer cover 10 is connected to the body 20 by an attaching means (not shown). Further, the body 20 is connected to the condenser/separator or condenser housing 30 by the attaching means. The attaching means can be nut-bolt, studs, screws, rivets and the like which is obvious to person skilled in art. The condenser/separator or condenser housing 30 is secured below the body 20 of the airtrec 100. The body 20 includes an inlet 22 as shown in figure 1c. The inlet 22 is connected to a compressor output (not shown in figure). A compressor (not shown) is driven by an engine and draws air from surrounding atmosphere. The compressed air from the compressor is routed into the airtrec 100 of the pneumatic braking system through the inlet 22. The received compressed air from the inlet 22 is passed to the condenser/separator or condenser housing 30.

Referring now to figure 2, the condenser/separator or condenser housing 30 passes the compressed air to a cartridge unit 40. The cartridge unit 40 is disposed inside the outer cover 10 of the airtrec 100. For improving drying efficiency of the airtrec 100, the temperature of the compressed air should be maintained in the range of 65-70 Degrees Celsius. If the temperature is not maintained within that range, the drying efficiency is hampered, thereby not reducing moisture in the air, causing corrosion of the elements of the pneumatic braking system. For reducing the temperature of the air to desired level and the corrosion, a method 200 for increasing thermal conductivity of the airtrec100 is used.

Referring now to figure 3, a flow chart of the steps adopted in the method 200 is illustrated. The method 200 is described in conjunction with the airtrec 100 of figures 1 and 2 for the sake brevity. The method 200 starts at step 210.

At step 220, raw castings of either selective element or all the elements, such as the outer cover 10, the body 20, and the condenser/separator or condenser housing 30 of the airtrec 100 are obtain by casting process.

At step 230, the surface area of the casted elements (the outer cover 10, the body 20, and the condenser/separator housing 30) is increased. The surface area of the casted elements is increased by sand blasting technique or incorporating coarse particles in the surface, through etching or a combination of the sand blasting and the etching, or any other obvious to the person skilled in the art can be use. The internal stresses developed in the casted parts are relieved in this step.

At step 240, the selective elements (the outer cover 10, the body 20, and the condenser/separator or condenser housing 30) with an enhanced surface area are subjected to a machining operation. In the machining operation irregular projections developed on the surface of casted elements are removed. Machining operation is to be carried out on elements (body 20, condenser housing 30) for Mounting threads, creation of sealing surfaces, grooves and other machining operations. housing Further, some irregular shapes 25 (shown in figure 1c) of the surface of casted elements are created to increase surface area of the elements. Increase in surface area increases heat dissipation capacity.

In step 250, the machined elements (the outer cover 10, the body 20, and the condenser/separator housing 30) are subjected to a coating operation. The machined elements are coated with a thermal conductive material. The thermal conductive material can be copper or nickel phosphorus or a combination or any other material having high thermal conductivity which is obvious to person skilled in the art. The coating operation is carried out by an electro less nickel plating technique (not shown) and an electro forming technique (not shown) which are obvious to person skilled in the art. The thickness of the coated thermal conductive material is approximately in a range of 100 to 300 microns. It may be obvious to the person skilled in the art to use any other material for thermally conductive coating with varying thicknesses. Also, the coating on the surface of the elements increases lubrication resistance, corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance of the elements as well as the.

In step 260, the coated elements (the outer cover 10, the body 20, and the condenser/separator housing 30) are subjected to a blackening operation, which is obvious to a person skilled in art. The blackening operation increases the corrosion resistance of the coated elements and avoids the copper oxide formation. The blackening operation minimise light reflection of the coated elements. The coated elements after blackening is ready for assembling to get the airtrec 100.

In step 270, the elements (the outer cover 10, the body 20, and the condenser/separator housing 30) after blackening are assembled to get the airtrec 100. The assembled airtrec 100 dissipates heat to the atmosphere at a faster rate as the elements are coated with material having more thermal conductivity. Due to the heat dissipation of the elements of the airtrec100 to the atmosphere at a faster rate, the compressed air in the airtrec100 cools down at the faster rate. The possibility of getting desired range of temperature that is 65 to 70 degree Celsius of the compressed air increases. So, the drying efficiency of the airtrec 100 is increased. The desired temperature of the air also prohibits formation of moisture in the airtrec 100 thereby avoiding corrosion of the elements in the pneumatic system. The method 200 also enhances the corrosion resistance of the components significantly.

In an alternative embodiment, the condenser/separator or Condenser housing 30, the outer body cover10 and the selective elements of the airtrec 100 includes fins on either or both the surfaces of the condenser/separator or Condenser housing 30, the outer body cover10 for increasing surface area of the selected elements. The selective elements with fins are subjected to the steps 220 to 270 to increase the thermal conductivity of the selective elements with fins.
The method 200 ends at step the 280.

The method 200 has an advantage of increasing rate of heat dissipation of the elements of the airtrec 100 by increasing thermal conductivity of the airtrec 100, thereby increasing drying efficiency of the airtrec 100. Further, the method 100 reducing temperature of the compressed air in the airtrec 100, thereby reducing corrosion of the elements of the airtrec 100. Furthermore, the method 200 increasing the life of the elements of the airtrec by increasing corrosion resistance of the elements.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.
,CLAIMS:We Claim:

1. A method for increasing thermal conductivity of an air drying unit, air treatment and control unit (Airtrec) for removing moisture in the compressed air, the method comprising the steps of:
casting one or more selective elements of the Airtrec;
increasing surface area and relieving internal stresses of casted elements of the Airtrec;
machining of casted elements to remove irregularities on a surface of elements of the airtrec; Machining of said casted and other elements to provide machining features mounting threads, sealing surfaces, grooves and other machining operations of the airtrec;
coating a thermal conductive material on the surface of selective machined elements of the airtrec to increase thermal conductivity of the airtrec; and
blackening of the surface of the elements coated with the thermal conductive material.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface area of casted elements is increased by sand blasting.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface area of casted elements of the airtrec is increased by etching of surface.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selective elements with irregular shapes of the airtrec are machined for increasing surface area of the selective element.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface area of casted elements of the airtrec is increased by combination of sand blasting, coarse particles and etching.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selective elements of the airtrec include fins extending from either surfaces of selective elements to increase the surface area of the airtrec.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selective elements of the airtrec include fins extending from both the surfaces of selective elements to increase the surface area the airtrec.

8. The method as claimed in claims 6 and 7, wherein the selective elements of the airtrec including fins are coated with the thermal conductive material.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal conductive material is selected from the group of copper, nickel phosphorus or a combination.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the thickness of coated thermal conductive material is between a range of 100 microns to 300 microns.