Vortex injection method and apparatus
First Claim
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1. A vortex injection apparatus comprising:
- (a) a housing having a sidewall in a substantially circular cross section normal to its vertical axis including means for enclosing said sidewalls to form a chamber;
(b) high pressure fluid inlet means formed into said sidewall wherein the axis of said inlet means is normal to a diameter of said sidewall;
(c) high pressure fluid outlet means formed into said sidewall wherein the axis of said outlet means is normal to a diameter of said sidewall;
(d) low pressure inlet means formed through said enclosing means; and
(e) low pressure outlet means formed through said enclosing means;
whereby when high pressure fluid is injected into said chamber so that a portion of said high pressure fluid moves to said low pressure outlet and a portion moves to said high pressure outlet, a low pressure vortex will form wherein low pressure fluid at said low pressure inlet may be injected.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for injecting a low pressure slurry into a high pressure stream to form a high pressure slurry by injecting a high pressure fluid into a chamber. A portion of the high pressure fluid is removed at a certain location in the chamber, to form a fluid low pressure vortex. The low pressure slurry is injected into the low pressure vortex where it mixes with the high pressure fluids. The slurry, at a high pressure, is removed from a high pressure outlet.
32 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A vortex injection apparatus comprising:
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(a) a housing having a sidewall in a substantially circular cross section normal to its vertical axis including means for enclosing said sidewalls to form a chamber; (b) high pressure fluid inlet means formed into said sidewall wherein the axis of said inlet means is normal to a diameter of said sidewall; (c) high pressure fluid outlet means formed into said sidewall wherein the axis of said outlet means is normal to a diameter of said sidewall; (d) low pressure inlet means formed through said enclosing means; and (e) low pressure outlet means formed through said enclosing means; whereby when high pressure fluid is injected into said chamber so that a portion of said high pressure fluid moves to said low pressure outlet and a portion moves to said high pressure outlet, a low pressure vortex will form wherein low pressure fluid at said low pressure inlet may be injected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A vortex injection apparatus comprising:
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(a) a chamber having a substantially circular cross section and an axis normal to said circular cross section; (b) first inlet means through said chamber periphery, said inlet means axis normal to a diameter of said circular cross section; (c) first outlet means through said chamber periphery, said outlet means axis normal to a diameter of said circular cross section; (d) second inlet means through said chamber substantially co-axially aligned with said chamber; and (e) second outlet means through said chamber substantially co-axially aligned with said chamber;
whereby high pressure fluid will enter said first inlet means to said chamber at a tangent to said chamber periphery and wherein a portion of said high pressure fluid will flow not only to said high pressure outlet but also to said low pressure outlet forming a low pressure vortex at said chamber axis, material will enter said second inlet means mixing with fluid from said first inlet means at said vortex and exit with said fluid at said first outlet means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of converting a low pressure slurry to a high pressure slurry comprising:
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(a) injecting a high pressure fluid tangentially into a generally cylindrical chamber having a central axis, thus forming a low pressure vortex; (b) removing a portion of said injected high pressure fluid along a path concentric to said central axis from said low pressure vortex; (c) injecting a low pressure slurry along said central axis into said low pressure vortex wherein said low pressure slurry mixes with said high pressure fluid to form a high pressure slurry; (d) separately removing said formed high pressure slurry tangentially from said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for converting a low pressure slurry in a mine to a high pressure slurry for hoisting out of said mine comprising:
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(a) injecting a high pressure fluid from the surface of the earth tangentially into a chamber located at a depth below the surface of the earth in a mine; (b) removing a portion of said injected high pressure fluid from said chamber to form a low pressure vortex; (c) injecting a low pressure slurry formed from a source located in said mine, into said low pressure vortex wherein said low pressure slurry mixes with said high pressure fluid to form a high pressure slurry; (d) removing said high pressure slurry from said chamber; (e) conveying said high pressure slurry to the surface of said earth; (f) conveying said removed fluid to said source in said mine; and (g) pumping fluid from said source in said mine along with said injected high pressure fluid into said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. An article of manufacture comprising:
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(a) a chamber having an axis with a substantially circular cross section taken normal to said axis, and sidewalls; (b) a first inlet mounted through said sidewall with the axis of said inlet substantially normal to a diameter on said circular cross section; (c) a first outlet mounted through said sidewall with the axis of said first outlet substantially normal to a diameter on said circular cross section; (d) a second inlet mounted through said chamber and aligned substantially co-axial with the axis of said chamber; (e) a second outlet mounted through said chamber and aligned substantially co-axial with the axis of said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification