Apparatus for the separation of gas mixtures into component fractions according to their molecular or atomic weight
First Claim
1. A vortex separator for separating gaseous mixtures into component fractions according to their molecular or atomic weight, comprising a housing having a separator chamber therein that is cone-shaped at least in part, and in the cone-shaped portion is circular in cross-section, has an apex end and a base end, has an end wall at the base end, and side walls extending therefrom to the apex end;
- has a diameter at the base end of at most 5 mm, and a diameter at the apex end of at least 0.01 mm;
has a length of at least 0.1 mm and not greater than 200 mm, and has a cone angle within the range from 1°
to 90°
;
at least one gas inlet through the housing at the base end of the chamber, arranged for tangential flow of gas from outside the housing into the chamber, to establish a vortical gas flow in the chamber from the base end towards the apex end, with the gaseous components distributed towards the periphery of the vortex with increasing molecular or atomic weight, and towards the core of the vortex with decreasing molecular or atomic weight;
an outlet through the housing in axial alignment to the chamber at the base end of the chamber; and
an outlet at the apex end of the chamber;
the apex end outlet receiving peripheral vortical gas flow from the chamber and the base end outlet receiving core vortical gas flow from the chamber;
the ratio of the diameter of the separator chamber at the base of the cone to the diameter of the separator chamber at the apex outlet D base / D apex outlet being within the range from about 1.3 to about 3.5, and the ratio of the diameter of the separator chamber at the base of the cone to the diameter of the separator chamber at the core outlet D base / D core outlet being within the range from about 1.3 to about 3.5.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for separation of gas mixtures into component fractions according to their molecular or atomic weight, comprising a housing having a separator chamber therein that is circular in cross-section, has an apex end and a base end, and a diameter at the base end of at most 5 mm. A gas inlet at the base end is arranged for tangential flow of gas into the chamber, to establish a vortical gas flow from the base end towards the apex end. Gas outlets in the housing at the base end and the apex end are in axial alignment, the apex end outlet receiving peripheral vortical gas flow, and the base end outlet receiving core vortical gas flow, the lower molecular or atomic weight components being concentrated in the core flow, and the higher molecular or atomic weight components being concentrated in the peripheral flow, due to the centrifugal force applied in the vortex.
15 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A vortex separator for separating gaseous mixtures into component fractions according to their molecular or atomic weight, comprising a housing having a separator chamber therein that is cone-shaped at least in part, and in the cone-shaped portion is circular in cross-section, has an apex end and a base end, has an end wall at the base end, and side walls extending therefrom to the apex end;
- has a diameter at the base end of at most 5 mm, and a diameter at the apex end of at least 0.01 mm;
has a length of at least 0.1 mm and not greater than 200 mm, and has a cone angle within the range from 1°
to 90°
;
at least one gas inlet through the housing at the base end of the chamber, arranged for tangential flow of gas from outside the housing into the chamber, to establish a vortical gas flow in the chamber from the base end towards the apex end, with the gaseous components distributed towards the periphery of the vortex with increasing molecular or atomic weight, and towards the core of the vortex with decreasing molecular or atomic weight;
an outlet through the housing in axial alignment to the chamber at the base end of the chamber; and
an outlet at the apex end of the chamber;
the apex end outlet receiving peripheral vortical gas flow from the chamber and the base end outlet receiving core vortical gas flow from the chamber;
the ratio of the diameter of the separator chamber at the base of the cone to the diameter of the separator chamber at the apex outlet D base / D apex outlet being within the range from about 1.3 to about 3.5, and the ratio of the diameter of the separator chamber at the base of the cone to the diameter of the separator chamber at the core outlet D base / D core outlet being within the range from about 1.3 to about 3.5. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- has a diameter at the base end of at most 5 mm, and a diameter at the apex end of at least 0.01 mm;
-
10. A vortex separator for separating gaseous mixtures into component fractions according to their molecular or atomic weight, comprising a housing having a separator chamber therein that is circular in cross-section, has a first end and a second end;
- has an end wall at the first end and side walls extending therefrom to the second end;
has a diameter at the first end of at most 5 mm and a diameter at the second end of at least 0.01 mm;
has a length of at least 0.1 mm and not greater than 200 mm, and has a cone angle within the range from 1°
to 90°
;
at least one gas inlet through the housing at the first end of the chamber, arranged for tangential flow of gas from outside the housing into the chamber, to establish a vortical gas flow in the chamber from the first end towards the secnd end, with the gaseous components distributed towards the periphery of the vortex with increasing molecular or atomic weight, and towards the core of the vortex with decreasing molecular or atomic weight;
an outlet through the housing in axial alignment to the chamber at the first end of the chamber; and
an outlet at the second end of the chamber, one of the end outlets receiving peripheral vortical gas flow from the chamber and the other end outlet receiving core vortical gas flow from the chamber;
the ratio of the diameter of the separator chamber at the base of the cone to the diameter of the separator chamber at the first end outlet D base / D first end outlet being within the range from about 1.3 to about 3.5, and the ratio of the diameter of the separator chamber at the base of the cone to the diameter of the separator chamber at the core outlet D base / D core outlet being within the range from about 1.3 to about 3.5. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- has an end wall at the first end and side walls extending therefrom to the second end;
Specification