Concentrator

• US 20100050750A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Research International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Research International Incorporated
• Inventors: Jung, Charles C., Saaski, Elric W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,791,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/61.750
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2205 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/4077 by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0618 of the filter type G01N15/0643 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/4088 filtration

Abstract

A concentrator that is operable to concentrate particles of target material from a high flow rate sampled airflow into a low flow rate secondary airflow. The concentrator may have an array of radially arranged blades. Each blade may have a sampled airflow inlet that uses centrifugal force to concentrate the particles into a central portion of the sampled airflow passing through it. Downstream, the blade may also have primary airflow outlets and knife-edged secondary airflow inlets that divide the sampled airflow into a pair of lateral, high flow rate primary airflows from which the particles have been depleted, and a central, low flow rate secondary airflow which carries the concentrated particles.

Claims

1. A concentrator, wherein said concentrator comprises an air processor that comprises:

a sampled airflow inlet port that is operable to receive a sampled airflow that contains particles containing target material; and

a secondary airflow inlet port that is located downstream from said sampled airflow inlet port;

wherein said sampled airflow inlet port and said secondary airflow inlet port share a common plane of symmetry;

wherein said sampled airflow inlet port is operable to use centrifugal force to concentrate at least some of said particles containing target material into a central portion of said sampled airflow as said sampled airflow flows towards, and through, said sampled airflow inlet port as a non-collimated sampled airflow;

wherein said secondary airflow inlet port is operable to extract a secondary airflow from at least a portion of said central portion of said sampled airflow; and

wherein said secondary airflow flows through said secondary airflow inlet port.

2. The concentrator of claim 1, wherein said air processor further comprises left and right sampled airflow inlet lobes through which at least part of said sampled airflow flows before entering said sampled airflow inlet port;

and wherein each of said sampled airflow inlet lobes is operable to impart a rotary motion to a respective part of said sampled airflow.

3. The concentrator of claim 1, wherein said sampled airflow inlet port is formed by a pair of parallel rods.

4. The concentrator of claim 1, wherein said secondary airflow inlet port is further operable to divide said sampled airflow into equal right and left primary airflows;

wherein said sampled airflow and said secondary air flow each have a respective flow rate; and

wherein said flow rate of said secondary air flow falls in a range of from less than about 1% to less than about 10% of said flow rate of said sampled airflow.

5. The concentrator of claim 1, wherein said air processor further comprises a central longitudinal axis and at least two hollow blades;

wherein each said blade comprises a respective said sampled airflow inlet port;

a respective said secondary airflow inlet port, and a respective secondary airflow outlet port;

wherein a respective said secondary airflow exits from said secondary airflow outlet port of each said blade;

wherein said blades are radially arranged about said axis; and

wherein said respective said secondary airflows flow radially inwardly toward each other and toward said axis.

6. The concentrator of claim 1, wherein said sampled airflow inlet port has a pair of sides;

wherein each of said sides has a smoothly varying arcuate profile;

wherein said sampled airflow inlet port has a pressure drop; and

wherein said pressure drop is minimized by said smoothly varying arcuate profiles of said sides as compared to if said sides did not have said smoothly varying arcuate profiles.

7. The concentrator of claim 6, wherein said sampled airflow inlet port is formed by a pair of parallel rods.

8. The concentrator of claim 1, wherein said air processor further comprises at least one-hollow blade and a hollow outer hub having an outer hub central cavity;

wherein said blade comprises said sampled airflow inlet port and said secondary airflow inlet port;

wherein said sampled airflow inlet port of said blade is located in said outer hub;

wherein said secondary airflow inlet port of said blade is further operable to divide said sampled airflow into equal right and left primary airflows;

wherein said primary airflows flow into said outer hub central cavity;

wherein said air processor further comprises a pair of end plates;

wherein one of said end plates comprises a primary airflow outlet that is in fluid communication with said outer hub central cavity; and

wherein at least part of said primary airflows flow out of said outer hub central cavity through said primary airflow outlet.

9. The concentrator of claim 8, wherein said air processor further comprises an inner hub having an inner hub central cavity;

wherein said blade extends between said inner and outer hubs;

wherein said blade comprises a secondary airflow outlet port;

wherein said secondary airflow flows from said secondary airflow outlet port into said inner hub central cavity; and

wherein said secondary airflow flows out of said inner hub central cavity through an opening in one of said end plates.

10. The concentrator of claim 9, wherein said air processor further comprises a fan that is operable to apply a respective negative air pressure to said primary airflows and to said secondary airflow;

wherein said negative air pressure of said primary airflows is greater than said negative air pressure of said secondary airflow, to provide a negative pressure difference between said primary airflows and said secondary airflow;

wherein said air processor further comprises a filter assembly;

wherein said filter assembly comprises a filter;

wherein said filter assembly is operable to use said negative pressure difference to urge said secondary airflow to flow out of said inner hub central cavity and through said filter; and

wherein said filter is operable to remove at least some of said particles containing target material from said secondary airflow that flows out of said inner hub central cavity.

11. The concentrator of claim 10, wherein said second one of said end plates comprises an end plate secondary airflow outlet port that is in fluid communication with said outer hub central cavity;

wherein said filter assembly further comprises a filter adapter that is operable to provide fluid communication between said inner hub central cavity and said end plate secondary airflow outlet port.

12. The concentrator of claim 8, wherein said concentrator further comprises a fan that is operable to urge said primary airflows to flow out of said outer hub central cavity through said primary airflow outlet.

13. The concentrator of claim 12, wherein said concentrator further comprises a fan plenum for said fan;

wherein said fan plenum has a central longitudinal axis;

wherein said fan is operable to urge said primary airflows to flow out of said concentrator as a jet of air that flows at least generally parallel to said axis;

wherein said concentrator has a circular sensing radius;

wherein said jet of air produces an induced draft effect around said concentrator; and

wherein said induced draft effect increases said circular sensing radius to a size that is greater than would be the case if said concentrator did not produce said induced draft effect.

14. The concentrator of claim 1, wherein said air processor further comprises a central longitudinal axis;

a hollow outer hub; and

at least two hollow blades;

wherein each said blade comprises a respective said sampled airflow inlet port and a respective said secondary airflow inlet port;

wherein said sampled airflow inlet port of each said blade is located in said outer hub; and

wherein said at least two blades are radially arranged about said axis.

15. The concentrator of claim 14, wherein said outer hub has an outer surface;

wherein said concentrator further comprises a hollow shroud that is operable to provide an air chamber around at least a portion of said outer surface of said outer hub;

wherein said air chamber is in fluid communication with said sampled airflow inlet port of each said blade; and

wherein said shroud comprises a shroud inlet that is operable to receive said sampled airflow.

16. The concentrator of claim 15, wherein said shroud comprises an at least generally cylindrical shroud outer wall;

and wherein said shroud inlet is located in said shroud outer wall.

17. The concentrator of claim 15, wherein said shroud comprises a shroud end surface;

and wherein said shroud inlet is located in said shroud end surface.

30. The concentrator of claim 8, wherein said air processor further comprises a fan that is operable to apply a respective negative air pressure to said primary airflows and to said secondary airflow;

wherein said respective negative air pressures of said primary airflows are greater than said respective negative air pressure of said secondary airflow, to provide a negative pressure difference between said primary airflows and said secondary airflow;

wherein said air processor further comprises a filter assembly;

wherein said filter assembly comprises a filter;

wherein said filter assembly is operable to use said negative pressure difference to urge said secondary airflow to flow out of said inner hub central cavity and through said filter; and

wherein said filter is operable to remove at least some of said particles containing target material from said secondary airflow that flows out of said inner hub central cavity.

18-29. -29. (canceled)

31. A method for increasing a number of particles containing target material in sample air located within a sample space;

wherein said sample space comprises a sample space inner surface and contents located within said sample space;

wherein said contents comprise an outer surface;

wherein at least some of said particles containing target material in said sample space are initially located on at least one of said sample space inner surface and said outer surface of said contents; and

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(a) providing a vibration apparatus for said sample space;

(b) using said vibration apparatus for stimulating one or more acoustic resonances within said sample space;

(c) using said acoustic resonances to vibrate at least one of said sample space inner surface and said outer surface of said contents an amount sufficient to cause at least some of said particles containing target material that are initially located on at least one of said sample space inner surface and said outer surface of said contents to be released into said sample air; and

(d) removing from said sample air a sampled airflow containing at least some of said particles containing target material that were released into said sample air.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said method further comprises the step of selecting said vibration apparatus to comprise at least one of a mechanical vibrator, an electromagnetic vibrator, a magnetorestrictive solenoid, a piezoelectric solenoid, an acoustic transducer, and acoustic energy.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said method further comprises:

the step of selecting said sample space to comprise a shipping container.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said method further comprises the step of selecting said vibration apparatus to comprise at least one of a mechanical vibrator, an electromagnetic vibrator, a magnetorestrictive solenoid, a piezoelectric solenoid, an acoustic transducer, and acoustic energy.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein said sample space further comprises a sample space outlet port;

and wherein the method further comprises the steps of;

(e) selecting said sample space to comprise a shipping container;

(f) providing a concentrator, wherein said concentrator comprises an input duct;

(g) connecting said input duct to said sample space outlet port;

(h) using said input duct to perform step (d); and

(i) using said concentrator for receiving said sampled airflow and for concentrating at least some of said particles containing target material that were released into said sample air.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

(j) using said concentrator for removing from said sampled airflow at least some of said particles containing target material that were released into said sample air.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said sample space further comprises a sample space inlet port;

and wherein the method further comprises the steps of;

(j) providing said concentrator with an output duct;

(k) connecting said output duct to said sample space inlet port; and

(l) using said output duct to return at least a portion of said sampled airflow back to said sample space.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said sample space further comprises a sample space inlet port;

and wherein the method further comprises the steps of;

(k) providing said concentrator with an output duct;

(l) connecting said output duct to said sample space inlet port; and

(m) using said output duct to return at least a portion of said sampled airflow back to said sample space.

39. An interrogation apparatus for a sample space;

wherein said sample space comprises a shipping container;

wherein said shipping container comprises a top, an inlet port, an outlet port, and an interior containing contents and sample air;

wherein at least part of said sample air is located between said contents and said top of said shipping container;

wherein said inlet port is operable to deliver an axially directed input airflow jet into said sample air that is located between said contents and said top of said shipping container;

wherein said sample space inlet and outlet ports are located so as to enable said axially directed input airflow jet to cause a circulation of said sample air within said shipping container; and

wherein said outlet port is operable to receive a sampled airflow from said sample air that is located between said contents and said top of said shipping container and to deliver said sampled airflow to an air sampler that is operable to remove from said sampled airflow at least some of any particles containing target material that are present in said sampled airflow.

40. The interrogation apparatus of claim 39;

wherein said shipping container further comprises a roof, a pair of doors, four sidewalls and a bottom; and

wherein said inlet port and said outlet port are each located in a common one of said roof, said doors, said sidewalls and said bottom.

41. The interrogation apparatus of claim 39;

wherein said shipping container further comprises a roof, a pair of doors, four sidewalls and a bottom; and

wherein said inlet port and said outlet port are each located in a different one of said roof, said doors, said sidewalls and said bottom.

42. The interrogation apparatus of claim 39, wherein said air sampler comprises an output port;

and wherein said interrogation apparatus further comprises an output duct that is operable to convey at least part of said sampled airflow from said air sampler to said inlet port.

43. The interrogation apparatus of claim 39, wherein said shipping container comprises an inner surface;

wherein said contents comprise an outer surface;

wherein at least some of said any particles containing target material that are present in said sampled airflow are initially located on at least one of said inner surface of said shipping container and said outer surface of said contents; and

wherein said interrogation apparatus further comprises a vibration apparatus for vibrating at least one of said inner surface of said shipping container and said outer surface of said contents to cause at least some of said any particles containing target material that are initially located on at least one of said inner surface of said shipping container and on said outer surface of said contents to be released into said sample air.

44. The interrogation apparatus of claim 43, wherein said vibration apparatus comprises acoustic energy;

and wherein said acoustic energy is introduced into said shipping container through at least one of said inlet port and said outlet port of said shipping container.

45. The interrogation apparatus of claim 44, wherein said acoustic energy is selected to be operable to stimulate an acoustic resonance within at least a portion of said sample air.

46. The interrogation apparatus of claim 45, wherein said acoustic energy is selected to be operable to cycle between odd harmonic resonances within at least a portion of said sample air.

47. The interrogation apparatus of claim 43, wherein said vibration apparatus comprises at least one of a mechanical vibrator, an electromagnetic vibrator, a magnetorestrictive solenoid, a piezoelectric solenoid, and an acoustic transducer.

48. A method for interrogating a sample space;

wherein said sample space comprises a shipping container;

wherein said shipping container comprises a top, an inlet port, an outlet port, and an interior containing contents and sample air;

wherein at least part of said sample air is located between said contents and said top of said shipping container; and

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(a) using said inlet port for delivering an axially directed input airflow jet into said sample air part that is located between said contents and said top of said shipping container;

(b) causing a circulation of said sample air within said shipping container by using said axially directed input airflow jet, and by suitably locating said inlet port and said outlet port of said container;

(c) using said outlet port for receiving a sampled airflow from said sample air that is located between said contents and said top of said shipping container; and

(d) using an air sampler for receiving said sampled airflow from said outlet port and for removing from said sampled airflow at least some of any particles containing target material that are present in said sampled airflow.