Cyclone separators and separator apparatuses including the cyclone separators

• US 8,709,115 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Stippich, Kenneth J., Hedrick, Brian W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Turner, Sonji
• Application Number:
  US13/328,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20130152522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 553/92, 553/94, 553/96, 553/98, 553/99, 554/34, 554/35, 554/47, 554/54, 554/56, 554/57, 554/58, 95/34, 95/35, 952/67, 952/69
• US Class Current: 55/348
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0055 using cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 3/04 Multiple arrangement thereof combined with types according to other groups, B04C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 3/06 Construction of inlets or outlets to the vortex chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/18 according to the "fluidised-bed" technique

Abstract

Cyclone separators and separator devices for separating gas and entrained particles from a particle-contaminated gas stream are provided. The cyclone separator comprises a cyclone body having a first end and a second end with a sidewall extending therebetween. The cyclone body defines a cyclone gas inlet for receiving the particle-contaminated gas stream. A cyclone gas outlet is for discharging the clean gas stream. A centripetal accelerator is proximate the cyclone gas inlet to induce centripetal acceleration of the particle-contaminated gas stream. The sidewall defines a discharge opening between the first end and the second end for discharging separated particles from the cyclone body. The discharge opening has a leading edge and a top edge in relation to a flow path of entrained particles within the particle-contaminated gas stream. The top edge extends at an acute angle relative to the leading edge.

Claims

1. A cyclone separator for separating gas and entrained particles from a particle-contaminated gas stream, said cyclone separator comprising:

a cyclone body having a first end and a second end with a sidewall extending therebetween, said cyclone body defining a cyclone gas inlet for receiving the particle-contaminated gas stream and a cyclone gas outlet for discharging a clean gas stream from said cyclone separator;

a centripetal accelerator proximate said cyclone gas inlet to induce centripetal acceleration of the particle-contaminated gas stream;

wherein said sidewall of said cyclone body defines a discharge opening located between said first end and said second end for discharging separated particles from said cyclone body, said discharge opening having a leading edge and a top edge in relation to a flow path of entrained particles within the particle-contaminated gas stream, and wherein said top edge extends at an acute angle relative to said leading edge.

2. The cyclone separator of claim 1, wherein said top edge of said discharge opening extends at an angle of from about 70°

to about 87°

relative to said leading edge.

3. The cyclone separator of claim 1, wherein said discharge opening has a trailing edge extending at an obtuse angle to the top edge and substantially parallel to said leading edge.

4. The cyclone separator of claim 1, wherein said discharge opening extends to said second end of said cyclone body.

5. The cyclone separator of claim 1, wherein said discharge opening has a bottom edge spaced from said second end of said cyclone body, and wherein said bottom edge is substantially parallel to said top edge.

6. The cyclone separator of claim 1, wherein said sidewall of said cyclone body defines a plurality of discharge openings.

7. The cyclone separator of claim 6, wherein said plurality of discharge openings have a total open area from about 0.05% to about 5% of a surface area of said cyclone body.

8. The cyclone separator of claim 1, wherein said cyclone body is substantially cylindrical in shape.

9. The cyclone separator of claim 1, wherein said centripetal accelerator comprises a swirl vane.

10. A cyclone separator for separating gas and entrained particles from a particle-contaminated gas stream, said cyclone separator comprising:

a cyclone body substantially cylindrical in shape and having a first end and a second end with a sidewall extending therebetween, said cyclone body defining a cyclone gas inlet adjacent said first end for receiving the particle-contaminated gas stream and a cyclone gas outlet adjacent said second end for discharging a clean gas stream from said cyclone separator;

a centripetal accelerator proximate said cyclone gas inlet to induce centripetal acceleration of the particle-contaminated gas stream;

wherein said sidewall of said cyclone body defines a discharge opening located between said first end and said second end for discharging separated particles from said cyclone body, said discharge opening having a leading edge, a top edge, and a trailing edge in relation to a flow path of entrained particles within the particle-contaminated gas stream, and wherein said top edge extends at an angle of from about 70°

to about 87°

relative to said leading edge and said trailing edge extends at an obtuse angle to said top edge and substantially parallel to said leading edge.

11. A separator device comprising:

a vessel having a vessel inlet for receiving a particle-contaminated gas stream comprising gas and entrained particles, a vessel gas outlet for discharging a clean gas stream, and a vessel particle outlet for discharging separated particles;

a first tube sheet disposed within said vessel proximate to said vessel inlet and defining a particle-contaminated gas section within said vessel, said particle-contaminated gas section in fluid communication with said vessel inlet;

a second tube sheet disposed within said vessel spaced from said first tube sheet opposite said vessel inlet and defining a clean gas section within said vessel, said clean gas section in fluid communication with said vessel gas outlet,

wherein said first tube sheet and said second tube sheet define a separated particle section therebetween isolated from said vessel inlet and said vessel gas outlet; and

a cyclone separator for separating gas and entrained particles from the particle-contaminated gas stream, said cyclone separator disposed between said first tube sheet and said second tube sheet and comprising;

a cyclone body having a first end and a second end with a sidewall extending therebetween, said cyclone body defining a cyclone gas inlet extending through said first tube sheet adjacent said first end for receiving the particle-contaminated gas stream comprising the entrained particles and a cyclone gas outlet adjacent said second end for discharging the clean gas stream from said cyclone separator through said second tube sheet;

a centripetal accelerator proximate said cyclone gas inlet to induce centripetal acceleration of the particle-contaminated gas stream;

wherein said sidewall of said cyclone body defines a discharge opening located between said first end and said second end for discharging entrained particles from the particle-contaminated gas stream into said separated particle section of said vessel, said discharge opening having a leading edge and a top edge in relation to a flow path of entrained particles within the particle-contaminated gas stream, and wherein said top edge extends at an acute angle relative to said leading edge.

12. The separator device of claim 11, wherein said top edge of said discharge opening extends at an angle of from about 70°

to about 87°

relative to said leading edge.

13. The separator device of claim 11, wherein said discharge opening has a trailing edge extending at an obtuse angle to said top edge and substantially parallel to said leading edge.

14. The separator device of claim 11, wherein said discharge opening extends to said second end of said cyclone body.

15. The separator device of claim 11, wherein said discharge opening has a bottom edge spaced from said second end of said cyclone body, and wherein said bottom edge is substantially parallel to said top edge.

16. The separator device of claim 11, wherein said sidewall of said cyclone body defines a plurality of discharge openings.

17. The separator device of claim 16, wherein said plurality of discharge openings have a total open area from about 0.05% to about 5% of a surface area of said cyclone body.

18. The separator device of claim 11, wherein said cyclone body is substantially cylindrical in shape.

19. The separator device of claim 11, wherein said centripetal accelerator comprises a swirl vane.

20. The separator device of claim 11, comprising a plurality of cyclone separators.