Diffuser for recirculated liquids
A diffuser for separating a gas component and a liquid component of a liquid-gas mixture to reduce slosh in vehicle systems is described herein. The diffuser includes a wall with a gas end, a liquid end, and multiple vanes partially extending from the liquid side to the gas side. The vanes are spaced apart from each other by a given distance to permit the liquid to flow toward the liquid end via capillary action.
1. A system, comprising:
a tank comprising a return line inlet; and
a diffuser sized to cover the return line inlet and located within the tank proximal to the return line inlet, the diffuser comprising:
a wall comprising a gas end and a liquid end,
multiple vanes partially extending from the liquid end to the gas end, and
a space between consecutive vanes of the multiple vanes, wherein the space is configured to induce liquid flow by capillary action based on one or more characteristics of a liquid component of a recirculated liquid.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a return line connected to the tank at the return line inlet.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the return line extends in a direction opposite the diffuser.
4. The system of claim 1 , the diffuser and the return line inlet having the same size.
5. The system of claim 1 , the diffuser being larger than the return line inlet.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the space between the consecutive vanes is between about 1 nanometer and 0.1 meters.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics includes one or both of surface tension or polarity of the liquid component.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gas end is open.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gas end comprises one or more vents.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more vents includes a hole, a slit, or both.
11. The system of claim 1 , the gas end further comprising a flange comprising openings to adjoin the diffuser to an inner wall of the tank.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vanes of the diffuser and an inner wall of the tank are spaced apart to induce capillary action on a liquid component of the recirculated liquid flowing from the diffuser to the inner wall.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vanes extend outwardly from the wall.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein a side of the wall comprising the vanes faces the return line inlet.
15. The system of claim 1 , the diffuser and an inner wall of the tank having the same degree of curvature.
16. A diffuser sized to cover a return line inlet of a tank the diffuser comprising:
a wall comprising a gas end and a liquid end;
multiple vanes partially extending from the liquid end to the gas end; and
a space between consecutive vanes of the multiple vanes, wherein the space is configured to induce liquid flow by capillary action based on one or more characteristics of a liquid component of a recirculated liquid.
17. The diffuser of claim 16 , wherein the wall is configured to cover the entirety of the return line inlet.
18. The diffuser of claim 16 , wherein the wall is configured to cover more than the entirety of the return line inlet.
19. The diffuser of claim 16 , wherein the one or more characteristics includes one or both of the surface tension or polarity of the liquid component.
20. The diffuser of claim 16 , wherein the gas end is open.
21. The diffuser of claim 16 , wherein the gas end comprises one or more vents.
22. The diffuser of claim 21 , wherein the one or more vents are a hole, a slit, or both.
23. The diffuser of claim 16 , wherein the gas end further comprising a flange comprising openings.
24. The diffuser of claim 16 , wherein the vanes are configured to extend outwardly from the wall.