Scanning for Ideas: See-through filter lets filter element and fluid be checked
Engineers at Clear View Filtration, Spokane, Wash. , designed their patent-pending fluid filter so that race teams can visually check the fluid pumping through the filter. This lets them quickly determine the fluid’s condition. A quick blast of compressed air or CO2 into a convenient inlet valve clears away the fluid and lets the team inspect the filter element and what it has collected, which can reveal excessive engine-component wear. These two checks cannot be made with conventional filters.
The filter’s housing is machined out of 6061 T6 aluminum for durability. The sight window is a highgrade plastic that resists chemicals, heat, scratches, and impacts. And the filter is a stainless-steel mesh (60 or 115-micron holes) that can be easily cleaned and reused. The filter base has 12 machined slots. If contaminants clog one or more of the slots, the oil or other fluid can still pass freely through the remaining clear holes. If too many of these slots or the filter element gets clogged, a relief valves opens, letting unfiltered fluid pass through. This prevents motor failure due to a completely clogged filter.
The filter withstands working pressures of 150 psi at 200°F. The company builds five different types of filters for use with engines, transmissions, hydraulic units, and other fluid systems. The company can also adapt filters for custom applications to handle specific pressures, volumes, or types of fluids.
The filter measures 6-in. long and 5-in. wide, weighs 3.5 lb, and costs about $385.