APPARATUS FOR SEPARATION AND PROCESSING OF MATERIALS

• US 20140225286A1
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cydaf Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Cydaf Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Paxton, Richard George
• Granted Patent: US 9,370,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 261/79.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/0217 by centrifugal force
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 19/0057 the centrifugal movement being caused by a vortex, e.g. using a cyclone, or by a tangential inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2411 having a tangential inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/267 by using a cyclone
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 47/00 Separating dispersed particles from gases, air or vapours by liquid as separating agent B01D45/10 takes precedence; fractionating columns or parts thereof B01D3/16
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/232 using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B03D 1/1418 using centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/06 Axial inlets
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/10 with perforated walls
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/103 Bodies or members, e.g. bulkheads, guides, in the vortex chamber cores B04C5/107
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/13 formed as a vortex finder and extending into the vortex chamber exits with bulkheads preventing reverse flow vortex B04C3/00; Discharge from vortex finder otherwise than at the top of the cyclone; Devices for controlling the overflow
• 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 5/28 for parallel flow

Abstract

This invention relates to a tubular cyclonic separation device the style of which was presented in PCT/ZA2003/000160 and which enables all of the inlet and outlet connections to be completely contained within a tubular profile, the diameter of which is that of the body of the cyclonic section. This disclosure adds further novel and inventive developments to the cyclonic device which enable it to be used as a separating device for systems involving all three phases (gas, liquid and solid) and where two, three or more different product streams may be separated, all within the same cylindrical profile. These further inventive developments also relate to the use of externally supplied gas and/or additional liquid phases which are injected through the walls of the cyclonic body using specifically located slots and/or holes in combination with specifically located stepped edges. These further novel and inventive developments enable the concepts of froth floatation (FF) and Dispersed Air Floatation (DAF) to be exploited within an enhanced gravitational field together with the options for washing the separated froth and/or the separated heavier fractions, all within the same cyclonic unit. As part of the novel and inventive introduction of the stepped edges, means are provided whereby gas bubbles smaller than 30 microns can be created on a large scale and with a reduced energy input relative to typical conventional equipment. Also the size of the gas bubbles may be controlled together with the intensity of any particle on particle interactions that may be created. This latter has many potential applications within FF and/or DAF processes, including applications within oil and tar separation from solid surfaces and within many ore preparation and ore leaching processes. The tubular profile enables processing and separation to be achieved “within the pipe line” or for very closely packed arrangements to be assembled within carrier vessels.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in the separation and processing of a feed material, the apparatus including a cylindrical cyclone tube having, at one end thereof, a feed material inlet for receiving feed material and a first outlet for removing separated fractions of less dense material;

and at an opposite end thereof, a second outlet for removing separated fractions of higher density material;

a means for imparting tangential velocity to the feed material that is introduced through the inlet and for initiating a vortex spiral within the cyclone tube;

one or more axially spaced secondary inlets located in the wall of the cyclone tube for delivering an externally supplied substance or substances into the cyclone tube;

one or more stepped edges, orientated within the cyclone tube at an angle 10°

to 170°

relative to the direction of the vortex spiral within the cyclone tube;

wherein the vortex spiral creates an annulus whereby the higher density material migrates towards the perimeter of the cyclone tube and the less dense material migrates towards the core such that separation and/or processing of the feed material is achieved.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for imparting tangential velocity to the feed material consists of a plurality of axial flow spinner blades located around a core.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the feed material is either in the form of a gas or a liquid, or a combination of two or more thereof and wherein the feed material may or may not contain one or more solid phases so as to form a multiphase feed material.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the multiphase feed material is either in the form of a liquid-liquid, liquid-liquid-gas, liquid-liquid-solid, liquid-gas-solid or liquid-liquid-gas-solid material.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the externally supplied substance is either a gas or a liquid.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one or more portions of the wall of the cyclone tube is permeable such that the externally supplied substance or substances, can be added separately at different locations along the length of the cyclone tube and the relative proportion of said substance can be adjusted.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or both ends of the cyclone tube is (are) fitted with one or more concentric connections.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steps have a curved corner between a face of each step and the wall of the cyclone tube.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a gas cushion or gas cushion zone is created within the cyclone tube to generate an effectively frictionless boundary covering 20% to 70% of the perimeter of the cyclone tube.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gas cushion breaks up the feed material travelling in the vortex spiral.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secondary inlet is tapered to enable a uniform gas pressure to be maintained over the full axial length of each gas cushion.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, herein the first and/or second outlet is fitted with one or more concentric connections in order to allow multiple material fractions to be separated.

13. Use of the apparatus as claimed in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 12 in Aeration Froth Floatation (FF) and Dispersed Air Floatation (DAF) processes.

14. Use of a plurality of apparatuses as claimed in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 12 for assembly into a close packed parallel arrangement within a carrier vessel so as to provide an assembly with an appropriately larger volumetric capacity.

15. A carrier vessel including a plurality of apparatuses as claimed in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 12.