Apparatus and method for removing particulates from a fluid stream

• US 20070227105A1
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayne D. Jacobson
• Original Assignee: Wayne D. Jacobson
• Inventors: Jacobson, Wayne D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,387,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/345
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/12 by centrifugal forces centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/103 Bodies or members, e.g. bulkheads, guides, in the vortex chamber cores B04C5/107
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/14 Construction of the underflow ducting; Apex constructions; Discharge arrangements ; discharge through sidewall provided with a few slits or perforations provided with a great number of slits or perforations B04C5/10
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/26 for series flow

Abstract

An assembly for cleaning particulates from fluid streams has a primary and secondary centrifuge collectors and may employ negative pressure to produce the fluid stream. The primary centrifuge collector forms an outer vortex to remove larger particles, then an inner vortex to produce higher centrifugal forces upon and to remove a portion of the particulates. In the secondary centrifuge collector, a plurality of secondary centrifuge collector units are present. The partially cleaned fluid stream enters one of the secondary centrifuge collector units, where swirl vanes form an outer vortex. The fluid flow travels along the secondary vortex to the bottom of the secondary centrifuge collector unit, where the direction of the fluid flow is reversed and the fluid flow is subjected to a higher energy inner vortex. The centrifugal forces exerted by these vortices convey the particulates to the walls of the secondary centrifuge units, where the particulates are evacuated initially by gravity for disposal. The cleaned fluid flow may then be released into the environment.

Claims

1. An assembly for separating particulates from a fluid stream, comprising:

a primary centrifuge collector receiving said fluid stream having said particulates, said primary centrifuge comprising an outer housing and an egress conveying said fluid stream away from said primary centrifuge collector, said primary centrifuge collector removing a first portion of said particulates; and

a secondary centrifuge collector comprising a plurality of secondary centrifuge units positioned within a secondary centrifuge collector housing, each secondary collector unit receiving a portion of said fluid stream from said primary centrifuge collector and removing a second portion of said particulates from said fluid stream, each said secondary centrifuge collector unit comprising an outer cylinder and a vaned outlet element disposed concentrically with respect to the outer cylinder.

2. The assembly of claim 1, in which the secondary centrifuge collector comprises upper and lower mounting plates, the outlet elements mounted to the upper plate and the outer cylinders mounted to the lower plate.

3. The assembly of claim 1, each of the secondary centrifuge collector units further comprising a reflexive plate remotely positioned from the outlet element.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein particulates separated by said primary and secondary centrifuge collectors are conveyed from said primary and secondary centrifuge collectors by gravity.

5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising ducting conveying said fluid stream from the primary centrifuge collector to the secondary centrifuge collector.

6. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an auger for conveying removed particulates from said primary and secondary centrifuge collectors.

7. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fan imparting negative pressure to generate said fluid stream.

8. The assembly of claim 1, in which the secondary centrifuge collector comprises four of said secondary centrifuge units.

9. The assembly of claim 1, in which each of said outlet elements taper from a maximum diameter to a minimum diameter to form a terminal cone frustum.

10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fan for inducing a negative pressure to form said fluid stream.

11. A secondary centrifuge, comprising a housing and a plurality of secondary centrifuge units disposed within the housing, each of said units comprising:

an outer cylinder; and

a vaned outlet element generally concentric to the outer cylinder for receiving a vortexed air stream induced by said vanes, the vortexed air stream centrifugally separating particulates therefrom.

12. The secondary centrifuge of claim 11, each of the secondary centrifuge units further comprising a reflexive plate disposed in the outer cylinder remote from the outlet element.

13. The secondary centrifuge of claim 11, in which each of the outlet units includes a tapered frustum.

14. The secondary centrifuge of claim 13, in which the housing comprises a tapered lower portion, the lower portion receiving particulates separated from said air stream.

15. A method of cleaning particulates from an air stream by centrifugal force, comprising:

passing said air stream through a vertical primary centrifuge or primary centrifuge collector, thereby removing a first portion of said particulates from said air stream; and

conveying said air stream emerging from said vertical primary centrifuge or said primary centrifuge through a secondary centrifuge collector having a plurality of secondary centrifuge units disposed within a secondary centrifuge collector housing, a portion of said air stream entering an outer cylinder of one of said units and impinging against a plurality of vanes to induce an outer vortex, said outer vortex extending to a bottom of said outer hopper, then said air stream conveyed in an inner vortex, the inner vortex directionally counter to said outer vortex, said air stream in said inner vortex exiting said outer cylinder through an outlet unit, said inner and said outer vortices centrifugally removing a second portion of said particulates from said air stream.

16. The method of claim 15, in which said air stream is under negative pressure.

17. The method of claim 15, in which said air stream is conveyed from said vertical primary centrifuge or said primary centrifuge collector to said secondary centrifuge collector by a first duct system.

18. The method of claim 17, in which said air stream is conveyed away from said secondary centrifuge collector by a second duct system.

19. The method of claim 18, in which said air stream is conveyed to an induced draft fan by said second duct system and in which said air stream is released to the environment from said fan.

20. A method of manufacturing an assembly for separating particulates from a fluid stream, comprising:

providing a primary centrifuge collector, and

disposing a secondary centrifuge collector downstream from said primary centrifuge collector, said secondary centrifuge collector having a plurality secondary centrifuge collector units disposed within a housing, each of said units comprising an outer cylinder receiving said fluid stream from said primary centrifuge collector an outlet element generally concentric to the outer cylinder.