Flow development chamber for creating a vortex flow and a laminar flow

• US 6,749,374 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spiroflo Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ecotechnology Limited
• Inventors: Lane, Darin L., Prince, Walter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US09/618,695
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 406/92, 406/122, 406/144, 406/145, 406/191, 406/195
• US Class Current: 406/92
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/08 with mechanical injection of the materials, e.g. by screw
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/526 with means for special treatment to facilitate transport
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/58 Devices for accelerating or decelerating flow of the materials; Use of pressure generators controlling pressure of propelling gas B65G53/66

Abstract

A pneumatic conveying system for conveying particulate material through a conduit that creates a strong laminar flow of materials and air surrounded by a boundary layer flow of air, such that long transport distances through dramatic elevation and directional changes can be achieved. Embodiments of the system include a blower assembly, an inlet conduit, an outlet conduit and a mixing chamber, wherein the mixing chamber includes an outer barrel, an inner barrel and an accelerating chamber. Low pressure air is supplied to the system by the blower assembly and mixed with particulate material. The air/material mixture is transported through the mixing chamber into the accelerating chamber and through the outlet conduit. In other preferred embodiments, the particulate material is mixed with the air in the accelerating chamber.

Claims

1. A flow development chamber comprising:

an outer barrel having an inlet end, an outlet end and an interior cylindrical surface;

an accelerating chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the accelerating chamber extending concentrically from the outlet end of the outer barrel, the accelerating chamber having a conical interior surface that converges in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end;

an inner barrel having an exterior cylindrical surface with a first end and a second end, the inner barrel located concentrically inside the outer barrel, wherein the outer barrel, the inner barrel and the accelerating chamber are arranged to form a substantially unobstructed space between the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel and the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel;

an inlet device mounted to the inlet end of the outer barrel to direct gas through the outer barrel into the unobstructed space and directed tangentially to the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel setting up a flow pattern in the unobstructed space such that gas flowing from the inlet conduit into the outer barrel circulates around the inner barrel and traverses the unobstructed space from the inlet end of the outer barrel toward the outlet end of the outer barrel;

a pipe extending from the outlet end of the accelerating chamber;

wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the inlet device and the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the accelerating chamber;

wherein the substantially unobstructed space extends from the inlet device to the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber.

2. The flow development chamber of claim 1, wherein the inner barrel is closed by being solid.

3. The flow development chamber of claim 1, wherein the inner barrel is closed at the downstream end.

4. The flow development chamber of claim 1, wherein the inner barrel is closed preventing flow therethrough.

5. The flow development chamber of claim 1, wherein the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber is without flow obstructions.

6. The flow development chamber of claim 1, wherein the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent a substantially unobstructed downstream area located within the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber.

7. The flow development chamber of claim 1, wherein the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is closer to the inlet end of the accelerating chamber than to the outlet end of the accelerating chamber.

8. The flow development chamber of claim 1, wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is located radially inward of the inlet device.

9. The flow development chamber of claim 1, wherein the inner diameters of the pipe and the outlet end of the accelerating chamber are substantially the same.

10. A flow development chamber comprising:

an outer barrel having an inlet end, an outlet end and an interior cylindrical surface;

an accelerating chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the accelerating chamber extending concentrically from the outlet end of the outer barrel, the accelerating chamber having a conical interior surface that converges in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end;

an inner barrel having an exterior cylindrical surface with a first end and a second end, the inner barrel located concentrically inside the outer barrel, wherein the outer barrel, the inner barrel and the accelerating chamber are arranged to form a substantially unobstructed space between the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel and the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel, the unobstructed space extending from the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel to the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber;

an inlet conduit mounted to the inlet end of the outer barrel to direct gas through the outer barrel into the unobstructed space;

a pipe extending from the outlet end of the accelerating chamber;

wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the inlet conduit and the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the accelerating chamber;

wherein the inlet conduit is directed tangentially to the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel setting up a flow pattern in the unobstructed space such that gas flowing from the inlet conduit into the outer barrel circulates around the inner barrel and traverses the unobstructed space from the inlet end of the outer barrel toward the outlet end of the outer barrel.

11. The flow development chamber of claim 10,

wherein the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent a substantially unobstructed downstream area located within the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber.

17. The flow development chamber of claim 10, wherein the inner barrel is closed preventing flow therethrough.

18. The flow development chamber of claim 10, wherein the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber is without flow obstructions.

19. The flow development chamber of claim 10, wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is located radially inward of the inlet conduit.

20. The flow development chamber of claim 10, wherein the inner diameters of the pipe and the outlet end of the accelerating chamber are substantially the same.

27. The flow development chamber of claim 10 wherein the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is closer to the inlet end of the accelerating chamber than to the outlet end of the accelerating chamber.

12. A pneumatic conveying system comprising:

a flow development chamber;

a gas delivery system including a gas delivery conduit to deliver gas to the flow development chamber;

a product delivery system including a housing to hold product to be conveyed and a product delivery conduit connected to the gas delivery conduit at a location upstream of the flow development chamber to deliver the product to the gas delivery conduit such that gas and product are combined prior to entering the flow development chamber;

wherein the flow development chamber includes;

an outer barrel having an inlet end, an outlet end and an interior cylindrical surface;

an accelerating chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the accelerating chamber extending concentrically from the outlet end of the outer barrel, the accelerating chamber having a conical interior surface that converges in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end;

an inner barrel having an exterior cylindrical surface with a first end and a second end, the inner barrel located concentrically inside the outer barrel, wherein the outer barrel, the inner barrel and the accelerating chamber are arranged to form a substantially unobstructed space between the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel and the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel;

an inlet device mounted at one end to the gas delivery conduit and at the other end to the inlet end of the outer barrel and directed tangentially to the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel;

a cylindrical outlet conduit coupled to the outlet end of the accelerating chamber, the inner diameters of the outlet conduit and the outlet end of the accelerating chamber being substantially the same;

wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the inlet device and the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the accelerating chamber;

wherein the substantially unobstructed space extends from the inlet device to the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber.

13. The flow development chamber of claim 12, wherein the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber is without flow obstructions.

14. The flow development chamber of claim 12, wherein the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is closer to the inlet end of the accelerating chamber than to the outlet end of the accelerating chamber.

15. The flow development chamber of claim 12, wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is located radially inward of the inlet device.

16. The flow development chamber of claim 12, wherein the inner barrel is closed preventing flow therethrough.

21. A flow development chamber comprising:

an outer barrel having an inlet end, and outlet end and an interior cylindrical surface;

an accelerating chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the accelerating chamber extending concentrically from the outlet end of the outer barrel, the accelerating chamber having a conical interior surface that converges in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end;

an inner barrel having an exterior cylindrical surface with a first end and a second end, the inner barrel located concentrically inside the outer barrel, wherein the outer barrel, the inner barrel and the accelerating chamber are arranged to form a substantially unobstructed space between the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel and the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel;

an inlet device mounted to the inlet end of the outer barrel to direct gas through the outer barrel into the unobstructed space and directed tangentially to the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel setting up a flow pattern in the unobstructed space such that gas flowing from the inlet conduit into the outer barrel circulates around the inner barrel and traverses the unobstructed space from the inlet end of the outer barrel toward the outlet end of the outer barrel;

wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the inlet device and the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the accelerating chamber;

wherein the substantially unobstructed space extends from the inlet device to the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber;

wherein the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber is without flow obstructions.

22. The flow development chamber of claim 21, wherein the inner barrel is closed preventing flow therethrough.

23. The flow development chamber of claim 21, wherein the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent a substantially unobstructed downstream area located within the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber.

24. The flow development chamber of claim 21, wherein the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is closer to the inlet end of the accelerating chamber than to the outlet end of the accelerating chamber.

25. The flow development chamber of claim 21, wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is located radially inward of the inlet device.

26. The flow development chamber of claim 21, wherein the inner diameters of the pipe and the outlet end of the accelerating chamber are substantially the same.

28. A pneumatic conveying system comprising:

a flow development chamber;

a gas delivery system including a gas delivery conduit to deliver gas to the flow development chamber;

a product delivery system including a housing to hold product to be conveyed and a product delivery conduit connected to the gas delivery conduit at a location upstream of the flow development chamber to deliver the product to the gas delivery conduit such that gas and product are combined prior to entering the flow development chamber;

wherein the flow development chamber includes;

an outer barrel having an inlet end, and outlet end and an interior cylindrical surface;

an accelerating chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the accelerating chamber extending concentrically from the outlet end of the outer barrel, the accelerating chamber having a conical interior surface that converges in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end;

an inner barrel having an exterior cylindrical surface with a first end and a second end, the inner barrel located concentrically inside the outer barrel, wherein the outer barrel, the inner barrel and the accelerating chamber are arranged to form a substantially unobstructed space between the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel and the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel, the unobstructed space extending from the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel to the conical interior surface of the accelerating chamber;

an inlet conduit mounted at one end to the gas delivery conduit and at the other end to the inlet end of the outer barrel to direct gas from the gas delivery system and product from the product delivery system through the outer barrel into the unobstructed space;

a cylindrical outlet conduit coupled to the outlet end of the accelerating chamber, the inner diameters of the outlet conduit and the outlet end of the accelerating chamber being substantially the same;

wherein the first end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent to the inlet conduit, and the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent the accelerating chamber;

wherein the inlet conduit is directed tangentially to the interior cylindrical surface of the outer barrel to set up a flow pattern in the unobstructed space such that gas flowing from the inlet conduit into the outer barrel will circulate around the inner barrel and traverse the unobstructed space from the inlet end of the outer barrel toward the outlet end of the outer barrel.

29. The pneumatic conveying system of claim 28,

wherein the second end of the exterior cylindrical surface of the inner barrel is adjacent a substantially unobstructed downstream area such that the circulating flow of the gas in the unobstructed space is converted to a vortex flow in the accelerating chamber when gas is supplied to the system.

30. The pneumatic conveying system of claim 28 wherein the gas delivery system includes a blower assembly, wherein the blower assembly supplies gas to the chamber.