Method and apparatus for air separation of material
First Claim
1. A granular material classifying device comprising:
- a) a horizontally disposed, transversely unrestricted wind tunnel means, having an upstream end, a downstream end, a top end and a bottom end, for directing a horizontal airflow from said upstream end to said downstream end thereof;
b) air forcing means operatively mounted on said wind tunnel means for inducing said horizontal airflow therethrough;
c) particle injection means operatively associated with said wind tunnel means for free fallingly injecting a flow of granular particles to be classified into said horizontal airflow at an upstream, top end portion of said wind tunnel means; and
d) bottom skirt means mounted at a bottom portion of said wind tunnel means;
said bottom skirt means defining at least one transversely unrestricted skirt cavity in fluid communication with said wind tunnel means and having a downwardly and inwardly tapering cross sectional configuration adapted to provide a low velocity airflow interface between said wind tunnel horizontal airflow and the atmosphere;
said at least one skirt cavity comprising a longitudinally extending slit in a bottom portion thereof extending substantially the entire length of said wind tunnel means and having at least one open end and being adapted to enable discharge of granular particles therethrough.
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Abstract
The application disclosed a granular material classifying device comprising a horizontally disposed, transversely unrestricted wind tunnel, having an upstream end, a downstream end, a top end and a bottom end, for directing a horizontal airflow from the upstream end to the downstream end thereof; an air forcing assembly operatively mounted on the wind tunnel for inducing the horizontal airflow therethrough; a particle injection assembly operatively associated with the wind tunnel for free fallingly injecting a flow of granular particles to be classified into the horizontal airflow at an upstream, top end portion of the wind tunnel; and a bottom skirt assembly mounted at a bottom portion of the wind tunnel; the bottom skirt assembly defining at least one transversely unrestricted skirt cavity in fluid communication with the wind tunnel and having a downwardly and inwardly tapering cross sectional configuration adapted to provide a low velocity airflow interface between the wind tunnel horizontal airflow and the atmosphere; the at least one skrit cavity comprising a longitudinally extending slit in a bottom portion thereof adapted to enable discharge of granular particles therethrough. A granular material separating device and various methods of operating the classifying device and separating device are also disclosed.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A granular material classifying device comprising:
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a) a horizontally disposed, transversely unrestricted wind tunnel means, having an upstream end, a downstream end, a top end and a bottom end, for directing a horizontal airflow from said upstream end to said downstream end thereof; b) air forcing means operatively mounted on said wind tunnel means for inducing said horizontal airflow therethrough; c) particle injection means operatively associated with said wind tunnel means for free fallingly injecting a flow of granular particles to be classified into said horizontal airflow at an upstream, top end portion of said wind tunnel means; and d) bottom skirt means mounted at a bottom portion of said wind tunnel means;
said bottom skirt means defining at least one transversely unrestricted skirt cavity in fluid communication with said wind tunnel means and having a downwardly and inwardly tapering cross sectional configuration adapted to provide a low velocity airflow interface between said wind tunnel horizontal airflow and the atmosphere;
said at least one skirt cavity comprising a longitudinally extending slit in a bottom portion thereof extending substantially the entire length of said wind tunnel means and having at least one open end and being adapted to enable discharge of granular particles therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A granular material classifying device comprising:
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a) a horizontally disposed, transversely unrestricted wind tunnel means, having an upstream end, a downstream end, a top end and a bottom end, for directing a horizontal airflow from said upstream end to said downstream end thereof; b) air forcing means operatively mounted on said wind tunnel means for inducing said horizontal airflow therethrough; c) particle injection means operatively associated with said wind tunnel means for free fallingly injecting a flow of granular particles to be classified into said horizontal airflow at an upstream, top end portion of said wind tunnel means; and d) bottom skirt means mounted at a bottom portion of said wind tunnel means;
said bottom skirt means defining at least one transversely unrestricted skirt cavity in fluid communication with said wind tunnel means and having a downwardly and inwardly tapering cross sectional configuration adapted to provide a low velocity airflow interface between said wind tunnel horizontal airflow and the atmosphere;
said at least one skirt cavity comprising a longitudinally extending slit in a bottom portion thereof adapted to enable discharge of granular particles therethrough;
wherein said skirt means comprises a plurality of substantially identically shaped skirt cavities.
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22. A granular material classifying device comprising:
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a) a horizontally disposed, transversely unrestricted wind tunnel means, having an upstream end, a downstream end, a top end and a bottom end, for directing a horizontal airflow from said upstream end to said downstream end thereof; b) air forcing means operatively mounted on said wind tunnel means for inducing said horizontal airflow therethrough; c) particle injection means operatively associated with said wind tunnel means for free fallingly injecting a flow of granular particles to be classified into said horizontal airflow at an upstream, top end portion of said wind tunnel means; d) bottom skirt means mounted at a bottom portion of said wind tunnel means;
said bottom skirt means defining at least one transversely unrestricted skirt cavity in fluid communication with said wind tunnel means and having a downwardly and inwardly tapering cross sectional configuration adapted to provide a low velocity airflow interface between said wind tunnel horizontal airflow and the atmosphere;
said at least one skirt cavity comprising a longitudinally extending slit in a bottom portion thereof adapted to enable discharge of granular particles therethrough;e) and wherein; i) said wind tunnel means has a constant rectangular cross section from upstream end to downstream end thereof; ii) said at least one skirt cavity comprises a maximum horizontal dimension, measured transversely of said wind tunnel airflow, of less than about one foot; iii) said skirt means comprises a sidewall having a generally sinewave-shaped configuration; iv) the ratio of the maximum vertical dimension to the maximum transverse dimension of said at least one skirt cavity is more than about two to one; and v) said skirt means comprises a plurality of substantially identically shaped skirt cavities. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A granular material classifying device comprising:
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a) a horizontally disposed, transversely unrestricted wind tunnel means, having an upstream end, a downstream end, a top end and a bottom end, for directing a horizontal airflow from said upstream end to said downstream end thereof; b) air forcing means operatively mounted on said wind tunnel means for inducing said horizontal airflow therethrough; c) particle injection means operatively associated with said wind tunnel means for free fallingly injecting a flow of granular particles to be classified into said horizontal airflow at an upstream, top end portion of said wind tunnel means; and d) bottom skirt means mounted at a bottom portion of said wind tunnel means;
said bottom skirt means defining at least one transversely unrestricted skirt cavity in fluid communication with said wind tunnel means and having a downwardly and inwardly tapering cross sectional configuration adapted to provide a low velocity airflow interface between said wind tunnel horizontal airflow and the atmosphere;
said at least one skirt cavity comprising a longitudinally extending slit in a bottom portion thereof adapted to enable discharge of granular particles therethrough;
said longitudinally extending slit comprising an adjustable width slit.
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Specification