AN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING IMPURITIES FROM A FLUID STREAM

• US 20160318041A1
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Innovations Limited
• Original Assignee: GM Innovations Limited
• Inventors: MELLING, Gerard
• Granted Patent: US 10,384,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 1/00 Centrifuges with rotary bowls provided with solid jackets for separating predominantly liquid mixtures with or without solid particles
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 11/02 Continuous feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 11/06 Arrangement of distributors or collectors in centrifuges
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 5/005 Centrifugal separators or filters for fluid circulation systems, e.g. for lubricant oil circulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 5/10 Centrifuges combined with other apparatus, e.g. electrostatic separators; Sets or systems of several centrifuges B04B5/12 takes precedence; magnetic or electrostatic separators B03C; amassing particles by electric fields, e.g. by agglomeration B03C3/0175
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 7/02 Casings; Lids shock absorbers, vibration dampers F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 9/06 Fluid drive
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/38 by centrifugal separation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/385 by centrifuging suspensions centrifuges B04B
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/12 Halogens or halogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/32 Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/08 Seawater, e.g. for desalination
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus for removing impurities from a fluid stream; the apparatus comprising a filtration unit rotatably mounted on a support structure, the filtration unit having a longitudinal axis of rotation A extending through a longitudinal tube (2) disposed centrally within the filtration unit; the longitudinal tube (2) being connected or connectable to a pressurised source of fluid requiring purification; the longitudinal tube having one or more openings for receiving fluid under pressure from the said source and one or more lateral openings (14) for introducing the fluid into the filtration unit; wherein the filtration unit comprises, in addition to the longitudinal tube:

• • (a) a centrifugal separation chamber (60) for separating suspended particulate matter of a first size range from the fluid stream;
  • (b-i) an array of secondary filters (51), (53), (55) downstream of the centrifugal separation chamber for removing impurities of a predetermined type from the fluid stream;
  • (c) a flow splitting chamber (56) for diverting a proportion of the fluid to a plurality of nozzles (78), the nozzles being oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis such that a pressure of fluid ejected through the nozzles provides a driving force to rotate the filtration unit; and
  • (d) a collector (80), (84) for collecting purified fluid from the filtration unit.

Claims

1-26. -26. (canceled)

27. An apparatus for separating materials suspended in a fluid stream;

the apparatus comprising;

a support structure;

a separator unit rotatably mounted on the support structure;

the separator unit having a longitudinal axis of rotation extending through a longitudinal tube disposed centrally within the separator unit;

the longitudinal tube being connected or connectable to a pressurised source of fluid requiring separation, the longitudinal tube having one or more openings for receiving fluid under pressure from the said source and one or more lateral openings for introducing the fluid into the separator unit;

wherein the separator unit comprises, in addition to the longitudinal tube;

(aa) a centrifugal separation chamber for separating suspended material from the fluid stream;

(bb) a collector for collecting either (i) suspended material separated from the fluid stream;

or (ii) fluid from which at least some of the suspended material has been removed, wherein the collector is disposed radially outwardly of the separator and is associated with the centrifugal separation chamber;

(cc) first and second outlets through which separated components of the fluid stream can pass, wherein suspended material separated from the fluid stream can pass out through one outlet and the fluid stream from which suspended material has been removed can pass out through the other outlet; and

(dd) an array of vanes or nozzles arranged so that the fluid stream or fluid output from the separator is directed over the vanes or through the nozzles to form a turbine which can drive rotation of the separator.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the collector is non-rotatably attached to the support structure.

29. An apparatus according to claim 27 comprising a motor and a mechanical linkage between the motor and the separator unit for rotating the separator unit on the support structure.

30. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein a fluid output from which suspended matter has been removed by the separator is used to power the turbine.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the collector is non-rotatably mounted.

32. An apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the separator unit comprises vanes which are disposed within the collector so that purified or partially purified fluid passing through the collector can be used to power the turbine.

33. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the separator unit comprises a first chamber and a second chamber in fluid communication with each other, the first chamber being upstream of the second chamber and functioning as the centrifugal separation chamber.

34. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the centrifugal separation chamber is in fluid communication with the first outlet and the second chamber is in communication with and upstream of the second outlet.

35. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the centrifugal separation chamber is provided with at least one baffle located adjacent the lateral openings in the longitudinal tube to guide the fluid stream in a radially outward direction.

36. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the separator comprises a drum arranged about (i.e. encircling) the longitudinal tube, the drum having a pair of end walls and a cylindrical outer wall, and one or more inner walls that divide the interior of the drum into first and second chambers and optionally one or more further chambers.

37. An apparatus according to claim 33 wherein a radially extending inner wall is provided which separates the first and second chambers.

38. An apparatus according to claim 37 wherein the radially extending inner wall is movable backwards and forwards in an axial direction.

39. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the separator is configured to separate a fluid from suspended material having a lesser density than the fluid, and the collector is arranged to collect separated fluid from the centrifugal separation chamber.

40. An apparatus according to claim 39 wherein the vanes are arranged within the collector so as to form a turbine powered by the separated fluid.

41. An apparatus according to claim 27 which is configure to separate oil and water in an oil-water mixture.

42. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the separator comprises:

(a) a centrifugal separation chamber for separating suspended particulate matter of a first size range from the fluid stream;

(b-i) an array of secondary filters downstream of the centrifugal separation chamber for removing impurities of a predetermined type from the fluid stream;

(c) a flow splitting chamber for diverting a proportion of the fluid to a plurality of nozzles, the nozzles being oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis such that a pressure of fluid ejected through the nozzles provides a driving force to rotate the filtration unit; and

(d) a collector for collecting purified fluid from the filtration unit.

43. A method of purifying a fluid or separating suspended materials from a fluid, which method comprises passing the fluid through an apparatus as defined in claim 27.

44. A method of purifying a fluid or separating suspended materials from a fluid, which method comprises passing the fluid through an apparatus as defined in claim 28.

45. A method according to claim 43 wherein particulate materials and optionally other impurities are removed from water to provide potable water.

46. A method according to claim 43 wherein oil is separated from water.