Flow development chamber

• US 7,650,909 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spiroflo Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Spiroflo, Inc.
• Inventors: Lane, Darin L., Prince, Walter D., Miller, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schneider; Craig M
• Application Number:
  US11/475,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20070028976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 137/808, 137/810, 137/812
• US Class Current: 137/810
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/08 with mechanical injection of the materials, e.g. by screw
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/48 Screws or like rotary conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/521 means for preventing the accumulation or for removal of deposits preventing accumulation in pipes in general F16L55/24
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2076 Utilizing diverse fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2098 Vortex generator as control for system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2104 Vortex generator in interaction chamber of device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2109 By tangential input to axial output [e.g., vortex amplifier]

Abstract

A system and method for conveying flowable material through a conduit that creates a strong laminar flow of the material surrounded by a boundary layer flow of the same or a different flowable material, such that long transport distances through dramatic elevation and directional changes can be achieved. Some 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 embodiments, the particulate material is mixed with the air in the accelerating chamber. Other embodiments of the system include only the mixing chamber, where a flow of at least one flowable material in the form of high or low pressure gas, liquid, and/or particulates suspended within the gas or liquid enters either laterally or axially, forms boundary layer and laminar flows, and exits through the accelerating chamber.

Claims

1. A flowable material handling system comprising:

a tubular casing;

a flow development chamber fixed inside the tubular casing, the flow development chamber comprising an outer barrel inside the tubular casing and an inner barrel inside the tubular casing, the outer barrel having an inlet, an outlet, and a tubular wall extending along a longitudinal axis in a direction from the inlet to the outlet, the inner barrel located inside the outer barrel to define a flow space between the outer barrel and the inner barrel to permit flow of flowable material from the inlet to the outlet of the outer barrel;

deflector means for deflecting flowable material inside the casing around the inner barrel;

wherein the tubular casing, the flow development chamber and the deflector means are configured and arranged to set up a flow pattern in the flow space such that flowable material flowing into the inlet of the outer barrel will circulate around the inner barrel and traverse the flow space from the inlet to the outlet of the outer barrel;

wherein the inlet comprises an opening extending transversely to the longitudinal axis through the tubular wall to the flow space between the outer barrel and the inner barrel; and

wherein the deflector means comprises a seating nipple spaced from the inlet opening in a direction of flow of the flowable material and located between the outer barrel and the tubular casing to cause flowable material flowing inside the casing to enter the inlet opening.

2. A flowable material handling system comprising:

a tubular casing;

a flow development chamber fixed inside the tubular casing, the flow development chamber comprising an outer barrel inside the tubular casing and an inner barrel inside the tubular casing, the outer barrel having an inlet, an outlet, and a tubular wall extending along a longitudinal axis in a direction from the inlet to the outlet, the inner barrel located inside the outer barrel to define a flow space between the outer barrel and the inner barrel to permit flow of flowable material from the inlet to the outlet of the outer barrel;

deflector means for deflecting flowable material inside the casing around the inner barrel;

wherein the tubular casing, the flow development chamber and the deflector means are configured and arranged to set up a flow pattern in the flow space such that flowable material flowing into the inlet of the outer barrel will circulate around the inner barrel and traverse the flow space from the inlet to the outlet of the outer barrel;

wherein the inlet comprises an opening extending transversely to the longitudinal axis through the tubular wall to the flow space between the outer barrel and the inner barrel; and

wherein the deflector means comprises a pressurization device configured to pressurize the tubular casing to cause flowable material flowing inside the casing to enter the inlet opening.

3. A flowable material handling system comprising:

a tubular casing;

a flow development chamber fixed inside the tubular casing, the flow development chamber comprising an outer barrel inside the tubular casing and an inner barrel inside the tubular casing, the outer barrel having an inlet, an outlet, and a tubular wall extending along a longitudinal axis in a direction from the inlet to the outlet, the inner barrel located inside the outer barrel to define a flow space between the outer barrel and the inner barrel to permit flow of flowable material from the inlet to the outlet of the outer barrel;

deflector means for deflecting flowable material inside the casing around the inner barrel;

wherein the tubular casing, the flow development chamber and the deflector means are configured and arranged to set up a flow pattern in the flow space such that flowable material flowing into the inlet of the outer barrel will circulate around the inner barrel and traverse the flow space from the inlet to the outlet of the outer barrel;

further comprising an inlet plate at one end of the tubular wall extending transversely to the longitudinal axis, and the inlet comprises an opening extending longitudinally through the inlet plate to the flow space between the outer barrel and the inner barrel.

4. The flowable handling system of claim 3 wherein the deflector means comprises at least one deflector inside the outer barrel adjacent the inlet opening to deflect flowable material flowing inside the casing around the inner barrel.

5. A flowable material handling system comprising:

a tubular casing;

a flow development chamber fixed inside the tubular casing, the flow development chamber comprising an outer barrel inside the tubular casing and an inner barrel inside the tubular casing, the outer barrel having an inlet, an outlet, and a tubular wall extending along a longitudinal axis in a direction from the inlet to the outlet, the inner barrel located inside the outer barrel to define a flow space between the outer barrel and the inner barrel to permit flow of flowable material from the inlet to the outlet of the outer barrel;

deflector means for deflecting flowable material inside the casing around the inner barrel;

wherein the tubular casing, the flow development chamber and the deflector means are configured and arranged to set up a flow pattern in the flow space such that flowable material flowing into the inlet of the outer barrel will circulate around the inner barrel and traverse the flow space from the inlet to the outlet of the outer barrel;

wherein the tubular wall comprises a cylindrical wall and a conical wall between the inlet and the outlet, the conical wall having a substantially conical interior surface that converges in a direction from the inlet to the outlet; and

,

wherein the inner barrel comprises a substantially conical end.

6. The flowable handling system of claim 5, wherein the conical end of the inner barrel allows flow space between the inner barrel and the conical wall to increase in a direction from the inlet to the outlet.