Spiralling Inflow, Centrifugal, Or Whirl Generating Surface Means Patents (Class 96/61)
  • Patent number: 11135603
    Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a hydrocyclone body including assembling sintered alumina blocks (27) against a form (37), holding the blocks (27) in place with tape (40), locating a hydrocyclone housing over the blocks (27), filling a space between them with settable epoxy/ceramic composite to secure the blocks (27) to the casing, and removing the form (37), resulting in a substantially continuous, wear resistant surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Inventor: Michael Trench
  • Patent number: 9943859
    Abstract: A water separator comprises an axially extending airflow passage, an airflow mixer, a plurality of electric plates of alternating charge, and a mechanical separator. The airflow mixer, the plurality of electric plates, and the mechanical separator are disposed within the airflow passage. The airflow mixer imparts a non-axial flow component on airflow through the airflow passage. The electric plates are situated downstream of the mixer, and create an electric field region within the airflow passage. The mechanical separator is situated at or downstream of the electric field region, and is disposed to separate water droplets from air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Dilip Prasad
  • Patent number: 9427746
    Abstract: An Environmental Control System may use an electronic particle separation system to control humidity in an aircraft. The electronic particle separation system may include a particle separator, a sensor module, and a controller configured to receive signals from the sensor module, and operate the particle separator based on the received sensor signals. In some embodiments, the controller may include a processor which may determine whether the particle separator is being operated under an ozone related condition exceeding a threshold operating condition. If one of the threshold operating conditions is exceeded, the particle separator may be turned off which may control the amount of ozone present in the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Henry Au, Hal J. Strumpf, Dennis M. Morita, Daniel R. Robles
  • Patent number: 9216827
    Abstract: An Environmental Control System may use an electronic air treatment system to control humidity in an aircraft. The electronic air treatment system may use an electronic charging system and a separation system. A turbine rotor may drive a power generating stage to provide high voltage power to the electronic charging system. The charging stage may charge airflow passing through to repel liquid particles away from the airflow. Liquid droplets may be collected and centrifugally flung toward a periphery of the separation system. The liquid particles may be collected outside of the airflow, which may be allowed to pass through the separation system and out to a destination in the aircraft without the collected liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Henry Au, Dennis M. Morita, Mark Gee
  • Patent number: 9199248
    Abstract: An Environmental Control System may use an electronic particle separation system to control humidity in an aircraft. The electronic particle separation system may include a charging stage and a collecting stage. The charging stage may charge airflow passing through to repel liquid particles away from the airflow. Liquid droplets may be collected by the collecting stage and centrifugally flung toward a periphery of a separator. The liquid particles may be collected outside of the airflow which may be allowed to pass through the separator and out to a destination in the aircraft without the collected liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Henry Au, Dennis M. Morita, Daniel R. Robles, Hal J. Strumpf
  • Patent number: 9061290
    Abstract: A particle removal apparatus is provided for connection to an internal combustion engine air intake line or exhaust line to remove particles from flowing gas, including an electrically conductive first spiral plate which spirals around and longitudinally along and is secured to the exterior surface of the electrically conductive disposal tube having a particle admitting tube opening; and an electrically conductive second spiral plate which spirals within and longitudinally along and is secured to the interior surface of an electrically conductive outer mounting tube, the second spiral plate spiraling parallel to and spaced apart a selected distance from the first spiral plate; so that the particles become charged and collect on one of the plates and subsequently enter the disposal tube. The outer mounting tube preferably is a tubular side wall of a containment housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Inventor: Raymond T. Brown, II
  • Patent number: 8961659
    Abstract: An electrically enhanced air filtration system is disclosed which uses rear fiber charging is disclosed. In particular, a fibrous filter may be placed in an upstream position within the system with one or more ionization arrays positioned downstream or to the rear of the fibrous filter in terms of airflow direction. The fibrous filter may include a grounded side and fiber side with the grounded side being upstream of the fiber side. The ionization array may include a plurality of electrodes each extending unidirectionally toward the fibrous filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Peter J. McKinney
  • Patent number: 8894745
    Abstract: A vane electrostatic precipitator (VEP) controls the air flow so that the entrained air particles are continuously subjected to a stress in the form of drag as they flow in front and behind vanes electrodes in the precipitator. It is not based on achieving laminar air flow over the collecting plates. Instead, efficient collection is achieved by operating with a narrow air stream and using vane electrodes in various configurations with porous back plates that gradually reduce the flow rate of the entrained air thereby allowing the particles to precipitate and collect on the vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventor: John P. Dunn
  • Publication number: 20140102302
    Abstract: A combination discharge reactor for decomposing waste gas is disclosed is disclosed to include a housing with a gas inlet and gas outlets, and multiple processing units mounted in the housing. Each processing unit includes a support structure consisting of brackets and support rods, a rod electrode mounted in the bracket, and a tubular electrode mounted in the brackets and surrounding the rod electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventor: HUA-MING LIU
  • Patent number: 8679237
    Abstract: On a centrifugal oil separator for an aircraft engine for separating the oil particles contained in the vent air, a metallic foam body (7), into which the loaded vent airflow (3) is introduced, is firmly integrated into a hollow-type engine shaft (1), while high-voltage electrodes (6), which electrostatically charge the oil droplets in the vent air, are arranged outside the engine shaft (1) within the vent airflow (3) forwarded to the engine shaft (1). The simply designed oil separator, which can be space-savingly arranged and cost-effectively produced, ensures efficient separation of even minute oil droplets from the air-oil mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Robert Angst
  • Patent number: 8679238
    Abstract: A centrifugal oil separator (3) provided with a metallic foam structure (4) and at least one high-voltage discharge electrode (5) arranged upstream of the metallic foam structure (4) is a component of a hollow engine shaft (2), with the metallic foam structure (4) and the high-voltage discharge electrode(s) (5) being integrated into the engine shaft (2) and energy transmission to the high-voltage discharge electrodes (5) being transformatory. Such a centrifugal oil separator, space-savingly arranged in an engine shaft, enables a high rate of oil separation to be achieved despite the centrifugal forces being low in particular in the area of the engine shaft, thus ensuring low oil consumption and preventing oil-contaminated air from getting into the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Robert Angst
  • Patent number: 8663374
    Abstract: An apparatus for concentrating aerosol particles can include: a sample air inlet; an enriched aerosol outlet; an aerosol lean outlet; a flow path connecting the air inlet and aerosol rich and aerosol lean outlets; and a plurality of alternately energized and grounded electrode pairs along the flow path. The aerosol rich outlet can be in fluid communication with an aerosol particle capture device. The apparatus can include a sheath air inlet providing a flow of aerosol free air over surfaces of the alternately energized and grounded electrode pairs. The apparatus can include an elongate focusing chamber having a cylindrical shape containing the alternately energized and grounded electrode pairs that are configured as circular rings. The apparatus can include one or more structures configured to impart tangential, spiral or helical flow to a stream entering through the sample air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: CFD Research Corporation
    Inventors: Kapil Pant, Shivshankar Sundaram, Yi Wang
  • Publication number: 20140020556
    Abstract: A mass separation method utilizing a turbomolecular pump includes providing a gas, having analytes and ambient molecules, to an inlet chamber for allowing flow of gas into the pump, pulling gas into a pump chamber via motion of at least one of a rotor and a stator, positioning the rotor and stator such that the gas flows around an outer surface of one of the rotor or stator, and then inward toward a central axis and then toward a gas outlet, and wherein one or more target molecular or atomic species that are heavier than the ambient molecules in the gas at the inlet are passed through the chamber via the rotor and stator and a partial pressure of analytes in a gas at the outlet is increased by a larger factor than the ambient molecules at the outlet, resulting in an increase in the number analytes versus ambient molecules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Honeywell International Inc.
  • Patent number: 8546026
    Abstract: Disclosed are a gas-liquid separator, a hydrogen generating apparatus, and a fuel cell generation system, having the same. The gas-liquid separator can include an inflow path, into which a fluid material having a liquid and a gas flows; a centrifugal path, connected to the inflow path to receive the fluid material and formed spirally such that the fluid material is separated into the liquid and the gas by difference in centrifugal forces, an outer side of the centrifugal path having stronger affinity for the liquid than an inner side of the centrifugal path; and an outflow path, connected to the centrifugal path and discharging the liquid and the gas, which have been separated in the centrifugal path. With the present invention, it is possible to efficiently separate gas such as hydrogen and liquid such as a electrolyte solution without complex devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eon-Soo Lee, Jae-Hyuk Jang, Hye-Yeon Cha
  • Patent number: 8398744
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for minimizing a quantity of particulate matter entrained within a gas stream is provided. A coarse filter removes at least a portion of particulate matter having a relatively-large particle size from the gas stream. An agglomerator agglomerates particulate matter having a relatively-small particle size remaining in the gas stream into particulate clusters after the portion of the particulate matter having the relatively-large particle size has been removed by the coarse filter. An injector introduces an agglomerating material into the gas stream before the gas stream enters the agglomerator. The agglomerating material promotes agglomeration of the particulate matter having the relatively-small particle size into the particulate clusters. And a second filter receives the gas stream and removes at least a portion of the particulate clusters entrained within the gas stream exiting the agglomerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bradley Stephen Rogers, James Easel Roberts
  • Publication number: 20120312169
    Abstract: The present invention is an air purification method and device. Due to the lower airflow resistance that the present invention induces, an exhaust fan or blower with motor of lower torque is adopted. Consequently, the whole air purification is operated at a lower noise level. Lower operational voltage is applicable for the high-voltage electrostatic precipitator device and provides a similar or superior performance and effectiveness for dust removal. The air purification device/system is designed with higher flexibility and of more compact in dimension and size. Dust is removed from the environment by a high voltage electrostatic precipitator. The airflow stream within a high-voltage electrostatic precipitator is such that the direction of the path of the airflow is changed at least twice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventors: Yiu Wai CHAN, Sui Chun Law, Yiu Ming Chan
  • Patent number: 8317901
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to cyclonic separation or filtering of nanoparticles suspended in a gas. A plume of liquid droplets may be generated using an ultrasound or other generator. The gas may be mixed with the plume of liquid droplets, which may have received an electrostatic charge prior to mixing, to promote preferential adhesion of the nanoparticles to the liquid droplets. The gas with suspended nanoparticles and suspended liquid particles may flow through a cyclonic separator that spins rapidly, causing the cleaned gas to flow out of the filter while the liquid with adhered nanoparticles may be discharged, collected, and/or re-used in the plume generator. By causing nanoparticles to adhere to larger liquid particles, the filter may allow the filtering and collection of much smaller particles than current systems may filter under atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Ezekiel Kruglick
  • Patent number: 8308846
    Abstract: Liquid and/or particle-shaped impurities are precipitated from a stream of gas, for example, from a stream of gas that originates from a crankcase of an internal combustion engine and is directed to the engine's intake side. The stream of gas is passed through a gas discharge section between two electrodes. The stream of gas is passed between an emission electrode which is formed by electrode tips and an opposing electrode at a distance therefrom. A direct voltage which exceeds the breakdown voltage is applied to the electrodes using a direct current high voltage source, and the current which occurs over the gas discharge section between the electrodes is limited. A stable low energy direct current plasma is formed in the space between the two electrodes. The impurities are electrically charged and attracted to the opposing electrode by means of electrical field forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: WOCO Industrietechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Marcel Op de Laak, Franz Knopf
  • Patent number: 8252096
    Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and a method for separating solid particles from fluids and particularly gas flows. The apparatus is particularly for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine or vacuum cleaner. The apparatus includes a cyclone separator which has at least two axial common cyclone separator elements, an inner and outer element, in conjunction with a two-stage electrostatic precipitator. The apparatus allows the filtration of fluid effectively, even if the flow varies over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: Lucas Horne
  • Patent number: 8246720
    Abstract: An electrostatic aerosol concentrator includes an airflow chamber with alternately energized and grounded electrode elements that work in concert to impart radial inward motion to charged aerosol particles and focusing them toward an enriched aerosol outlet. Aerosol particles entering the airflow chamber may carry a positive or negative charge naturally, or a charge may be induced on the particles using a charging section located upstream of the aerosol inlet. Natural or induced charges on the aerosol particles may be used to selectively concentrate subpopulations of aerosol particles from a mixture of particles. For example, bacterial spores or aerosolized viruses may be selectively enriched without concentrating other aerosol particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: CFD Research Corporation
    Inventors: Kapil Pant, Shivshankar Sundaram, Yi Wang
  • Publication number: 20120204723
    Abstract: On a centrifugal oil separator for an aircraft engine for separating the oil particles contained in the vent air, a metallic foam body (7), into which the loaded vent airflow (3) is introduced, is firmly integrated into a hollow-type engine shaft (1), while high-voltage electrodes (6), which electrostatically charge the oil droplets in the vent air, are arranged outside the engine shaft (1) within the vent airflow (3) forwarded to the engine shaft (1). The simply designed oil separator, which can be space-savingly arranged and cost-effectively produced, ensures efficient separation of even minute oil droplets from the air-oil mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Robert ANGST
  • Patent number: 8206494
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for air/water extraction by semi-humid electrostatic collection, comprising a chamber (7) containing a discharge electrode (1) for generating an ion flow from an ionized gas accumulation surrounding the discharge electrode (1) and a counter-electrode (2), an inlet (3) for mixing air and aerosol to be extracted which contains liquid or solid particles, a steam supply tube (8) and an outlet (4) for the cleansed air. The invention is characterized in that the device enables steam to be introduce the steam supply tube (8) in the gap between the discharge electrode (1) and the counter-electrode (2) so as to form a steam sheath (10) enclosing the discharge electrode over its entire length, such that the treated air is not steam-saturated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignees: CNRS, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Ernest Galbrun, Jean Luc Achard, Yves Fouillet, Raymond Charles
  • Patent number: 8167986
    Abstract: An airborne particulate sampling device is disclosed. The device includes a conduit whose interior allows the flow of air through the device. The conduit, or at least its surface, is a conductor. The device also includes an electrode with a sharp tip or edge on or near the output side of the conduit. An electrically conducting particle collector outside the conduit is positioned so that a surface is perpendicular or approximately perpendicular to the axis of the funnel. A fan or other blower forces air through the funnel. A power supply imparts an electrostatic potential difference between the electrode, on the one hand, and the holder and particle collector, on the other hand. The electrostatic potential difference produces a corona field in the air in the vicinity of the electrode's sharp tip. The corona field imparts a charge to airborne particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
    Inventors: Raymond W. Schneider, Erik Durr
  • Patent number: 8163235
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for removing chemical sterilant molecules from a medium, such as a carrier gas. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing that defines an internal cavity. The housing has an inlet and an outlet fluidly communicating with the internal cavity. An electrode is dimensioned to be received in the internal cavity of the housing. The electrode is made of a material that is chemically active with respect to molecules of a chemical sterilant and conductive to electricity. The electrode is connected to a source of an electrical charge such that an electrical field gradient is formed in a region of space surrounding the electrode. The electrical field gradient is operable to force the chemical sterilant molecule toward the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: STERIS Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Centanni, Thaddeus J. Mielnik
  • Publication number: 20120067213
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for minimizing a quantity of particulate matter entrained within a gas stream is provided. A course filter removes at least a portion of particulate matter having a relatively-large particle size from the gas stream. An agglomerator agglomerates particulate matter having a relatively-small particle size remaining in the gas stream into particulate clusters after the portion of the particulate matter having the relatively-large particle size has been removed by the course filter. An injector introduces an agglomerating material into the gas stream before the gas stream enters the agglomerator. The agglomerating material promotes agglomeration of the particulate matter having the relatively-small particle size into the particulate clusters. And a second filter receives the gas stream and removes at least a portion of the particulate clusters entrained within the gas stream exiting the agglomerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bradley Stephen Rogers, James Easel Roberts
  • Patent number: 8123838
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating particles preferentially accelerates particles to a rotating collector, which then reliably conveys collected particles to a discharge with minimal re-entrainment of the particles in the fluid stream. The collector minimizes energy transfer to the fluid and maximizes separation under conditions of high particle loading, fine particle content, or both. The separator may be operated in any vertical, horizontal or oblique orientation, or within devices whose orientation varies over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Wells Products Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Kane, Robert L. Hance
  • Publication number: 20110271837
    Abstract: A centrifugal oil separator (3) provided with a metallic foam structure (4) and at least one high-voltage discharge electrode (5) arranged upstream of the metallic foam structure (4) is a component of a hollow engine shaft (2), with the metallic foam structure (4) and the high-voltage discharge electrode(s) (5) being integrated into the engine shaft (2) and energy transmission to the high-voltage discharge electrodes (5) being transformatory. Such a centrifugal oil separator, space-savingly arranged in an engine shaft, enables a high rate of oil separation to be achieved despite the centrifugal forces being low in particular in the area of the engine shaft, thus ensuring low oil consumption and preventing oil-contaminated air from getting into the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Robert ANGST
  • Patent number: 8029601
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the separation of particles from a flow of gas, where both large, heavy and small, light particles are separated off from the gas by the combined effect of an electrostatic attraction force and a centrifugal force in a centrifugal separator of the type that comprises a rotor that has a plurality of adjacent surface elements with intermediate gas flow gaps and that is mounted in such a way that it can rotate in a surrounding casing, which casing has an inlet for unclean gas and an outlet for clean gas and an outlet for separated-off particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: 3nine AB
    Inventors: Peter Franzén, Claes Inge, Torgny Lagerstedt
  • Patent number: 7964021
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for inducing swirl in particles are provided. In one embodiment, a system for inducing swirl in particles may include a supply including a plurality of electrically charged particles, and at least one swirling chamber for creating at least one electrical field therein, which may include an entry path in communication with the supply and an exit path. According to this example embodiment, the plurality of electrically charged particles may flow through the swirling chamber or chambers, causing at least one of the plurality of electrically charged particles to rotate about a radial axis of the swirling chamber as a result of the electrical field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdelkrim Younsi, Robert Warren Taylor
  • Publication number: 20110132192
    Abstract: Separation systems can utilize a combination of forces to separate constituent components of a working fluid from each other. Some separation systems utilize one or more of centrifugal and gravitational forces in the purification of hydrogen gas. Some separation systems can utilize one or more of electromotive and magnetic forces in the purification of hydrogen gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: PARADIGM WATERWORKS, LLC
    Inventor: Lyle Bates
  • Patent number: 7914605
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the separation of particles from a flow of gas, where both large, heavy and small, light particles are separated off from the gas by the combined effect of an electrostatic attraction force and a centrifugal force in a centrifugal separator of the type that comprises a rotor that has a plurality of adjacent surface elements with intermediate gas flow gaps and that is mounted in such a way that it can rotate in a surrounding casing, which casing has an inlet for unclean gas and an outlet for clean gas and an outlet for separated-off particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: 3nine AB
    Inventors: Peter Franzén, Claes Inge, Torgny Lagerstedt
  • Patent number: 7909912
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for enhancing condensation and separation in a fluid separator, wherein: —a fluid mixture is accelerated to a transonic or supersonic velocity in a throat section of a flow channel and thereby expanded and cooled such that at least some initially gaseous components become supersaturated and condense; —at least some condensed components are removed from the fluid mixture in the flow channel at a location downstream of the throat section; and —condensation of at least some supersaturated components is enhanced by illuminating the fluid mixture flowing through the flow channel by a radiation source (10), such as an Ultraviolet (UV) light source which excites and/or ionizes and induces mercury, water, aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and/or other components to condense thereby forming condensation nuclei for other supersaturated fluid components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Twister B.V.
    Inventors: Cornelis Antonie Tjeenk Willink, Marco Betting, Jeroen Geldorp, Bart Prast
  • Patent number: 7883558
    Abstract: An emission treatment system includes a separation device having a vessel that includes an inlet for receiving an emission stream having entrained solid particles. A first outlet from the vessel discharges captured solid particles from the emission stream and a second outlet from the vessel discharges a clean stream having fewer entrained solid particles than the emission stream received into the separation device. A particle collector is fluidly connected with the separation device and includes a collection portion for capturing solid particles from the emission stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Gottung, Bruce H. Easom, Sergei F. Burlatsky, Leo A. Smolensky, Luca Bertuccioli
  • Publication number: 20110016661
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a separating apparatus for separating particles from a fluid flow. Particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a domestic vacuum cleaner having such a separating apparatus for removing dust particles from a dust laden airstream. The separating apparatus includes a first cyclonic cleaning stage including at least one cyclone, and an electrostatic filter, wherein the electrostatic filter is in fluid communication with the at least one cyclone via an air passage, at least a portion of the air passage being formed longitudinally through the separating apparatus, wherein at least a portion of the first cyclonic cleaning stage, the electrostatic filter and the air passage are arranged concentrically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: DYSON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: James DYSON, Lucas Horne
  • Patent number: 7758675
    Abstract: Gas treatment equipment including a corona electrode and a dust-collection electrode facing the corona electrode, and forming corona discharge in gas passing between the corona electrode and the dust-collection electrode by applying a high voltage between them to collect components in the gas wherein a gas turbulence accelerator is located in the vicinity of the surface of the dust-collection electrode facing the corona electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Kenta Naito, Satoru Senbayashi, Yuichi Hamada, Akira Mizuno, Junichi Kasai, Yoshinobu Tamura
  • Patent number: 7704300
    Abstract: The invention refers to a device and a method for cleaning a gas containing particulate impurities. The device includes a main separator having an inlet for the gas, an outlet for the gas and a rotating member provided between the inlet and the outlet. The rotating member is adapted to bring the gas to rotate for separating by means of centrifugal forces a main amount of the particulate impurities from the gas, wherein a rest amount of the particulate impurities remains in the gas. The device also includes an additional separator adapted to separate substantially the whole rest amount. The additional separator includes an electrostatic filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Alfa Laval Corporate AB
    Inventor: Stefan Szepessy
  • Publication number: 20100089234
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and method for separating particulate material from a gas flow, comprising a substantially elongate housing provided with a peripheral wall and an inlet opening for admitting the gas flow with particulate material into the housing; a number of electrodes extending in the housing up to a predetermined radial distance from the peripheral wall; and an outlet opening arranged downstream in the housing for discharging the gas flow, wherein the outlet opening extends from the axial centre line of the housing to a point some radial distance from a peripheral wall of the housing, and wherein the particulate material is guided into an intermediate space between the outlet opening and the peripheral wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Virus Free Air B.V.
    Inventor: Eliane Khoury
  • Publication number: 20100092818
    Abstract: Disclosed are a gas-liquid separator, a hydrogen generating apparatus, and a fuel cell generation system, having the same. The gas-liquid separator can include an inflow path, into which a fluid material having a liquid and a gas flows; a centrifugal path, connected to the inflow path to receive the fluid material and formed spirally such that the fluid material is separated into the liquid and the gas by difference in centrifugal forces, an outer side of the centrifugal path having stronger affinity for the liquid than an inner side of the centrifugal path; and an outflow path, connected to the centrifugal path and discharging the liquid and the gas, which have been separated in the centrifugal path. With the present invention, it is possible to efficiently separate gas such as hydrogen and liquid such as a electrolyte solution without complex devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Eon-Soo LEE, Jae-Hyuk JANG, Hey-Yeon CHA
  • Publication number: 20100011960
    Abstract: The invention provides a filter for separating very small particles or organisms from the air or gas in which they are carried, comprising a filter mechanism and a duct, chamber or pipe to contain and transport the air or gas and to house the filter mechanism; the filter mechanism comprising: a particle charging means, a means to introduce charged or uncharged atomized droplets of liquids or reagents into the air or gas after the particle charging stage, and a capture means for collecting the atomized droplets and/or very small particles or organisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventor: Colin Lawrence
  • Publication number: 20090301299
    Abstract: A portable high air volume electrostatic collection precipitator for analyzing air is provided which is a relatively small, self-contained device. The device has a collection electrode adapted to carry a variety of collecting media. An air intake is provided such that air to be analyzed flows through an ionization section with a transversely positioned ionization wire to ionize analytes in the air, and then flows over the collection electrode where ionized analytes are collected. Air flow is maintained at but below turbulent flow, Ionizable constituents in the air are ionized, attracted to the collection electrode, and precipitated in the selected medium which can be removed for analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventor: Duane C. Carlson
  • Publication number: 20090282974
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for inducing swirl in particles are provided. In one embodiment, a system for inducing swirl in particles may include a supply including a plurality of electrically charged particles, and at least one swirling chamber for creating at least one electrical field therein, which may include an entry path in communication with the supply and an exit path. According to this example embodiment, the plurality of electrically charged particles may flow through the swirling chamber or chambers, causing at least one of the plurality of electrically charged particles to rotate about a radial axis of the swirling chamber as a result of the electrical field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdelkrim Younsi, Robert Warren Taylor
  • Patent number: 7615107
    Abstract: An emission treatment system includes a first separation device that is operable to introduce one or more sorbents into an exhaust stream having emission products. The sorbent captures the emission products such that the exhaust stream includes sorbent with captured emission products. A second separation device located downstream from the first separation device receives the exhaust stream and utilizes an electrostatic potential to separate the sorbent with captured emission products from the exhaust stream into a discharge stream to produce a clean stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergei F. Burlatsky, Eric J. Gottung, Venkata R. Vedula, Michael A. Sloan, Vincent C. Nardone, Bruce H. Easom, Leo A. Smolensky, Mark S. Berry
  • Patent number: 7569094
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating particles preferentially accelerates particles to a rotating collector, which then reliably conveys collected particles to a discharge with minimal re-entrainment of the particles in the fluid stream. The collector minimizes energy transfer to the fluid and maximizes separation under conditions of high particle loading, fine particle content, or both. The separator may be operated in any vertical, horizontal or oblique orientation, or within devices whose orientation varies over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: John E. Kane, Robert L. Hance
  • Patent number: 7553354
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) and method for recovering elemental carbon, elemental sulfur, elemental iron, elemental gold and other elemental materials from an air flow including a funnel-shaped receptor (14) and an inverted cone-shape electrode node body (12) spaced from the funnel receptor, a funnel-shaped reaction zone (45) between the outer surface of the electrode node body and the inner surface (60) of the receptor for receiving the air flow, and a plurality of point source electrodes (36) mounted to the electrode node body (12) and projecting into the reaction zone (45). The electrode node body (12) and the receptor (14) are electrically isolated from each other, the receptor (14) is connected to ground, and a voltage source is electrically connected to the electrode node body (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Absalut Ecology Establishment
    Inventor: Alexander Vasilievich Borisenko
  • Patent number: 7527675
    Abstract: A device separates particulates from a gas stream flowing through the device. The device includes at least one high voltage electrode and a substantially cylindrical separator. The high voltage electrode applies a first voltage to the gas stream. The separator has an inlet for introducing the gas stream into the separator tangentially to an interior wall of the separator, a particulate outlet for expelling the particulates from the separator, and a gas stream outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Luca Bertuccioli, Bruce H. Easom, Leo A. Smolensky, Sergei F. Burlatsky, Eric J. Gottung, Michael A. Sloan, Lewis G. Hinman, III
  • Patent number: 7524357
    Abstract: An air/oil separator for use in a gas turbine engine includes a centrifugal separation stage in fluid communication with a downstream electrostatic separation stage. The centrifugal separation stage rotationally drives an electric generator to power the electrostatic separation stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Robert Allan Daukant
  • Patent number: 7510599
    Abstract: A device for purification of a gas flow containing condensable vapors including a shell (7) defining a sealed volume, a cooler to quench the gas flow, a rotating assembly (42) having a rotor (44) and a cylindrical separation and filtration skirt (54) composed of serrated circular rings (56) mounted on the rotor and rotating with it; a support tube (48) mounted on the rotor (44) and carrying a turbulator-scraper device (50) a cylindrical electrode (94) surrounding the separation and filtration skirt (54) and a central counter-electrode (78) to create an electrostatic field in the shell (7), a purified gas outlet tube, a condensates outlet pipe (40) and impact separation plates (64) fixed on the rings of the skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Meryl Brothier, Jean-Pierre Turchet, Pierre Estubier
  • Patent number: 7473305
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrostatic separator (1) for separating particles containing oil out of a gas stream, having an emission electrode (2) and a deposition electrode (3), wherein the emission electrode (2) has a front corona region (4) extending into the gas stream and a rear deposition region (5). An outlet opening (9) for separated oil running along the deposition electrode (3) is provided at the level of, or behind, the deposition region (5) of the emission electrode (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Hengst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Stephan Ahlborn
  • Publication number: 20080295694
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an apparatus for filtering particulate matter from a gas. The apparatus comprises at least one tube with a substantially axially located ioniser structure, and a fan for propelling the gas through said at least one tube. The ioniser structure comprises a flat blade extending axially along at least a substantial part of the tube and having a saw tooth shape with a high number of sharp teeth placed regularly along the blade edges. The blade is twisted about its own longitudinal centreline in order to provide rotation for a gas stream flowing along said tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventor: Roger A Gale
  • Patent number: 7381247
    Abstract: A cyclone dust collecting device using a corona discharge is provided. The cyclone dust collecting device includes a cyclone chamber rotating air drawn in from the outside to separate contaminants from the air, a discharge pipe guiding the air separated from the contaminants to the outside of the cyclone chamber and including a discharge electrode part with at least a part made of a conductive material and a power supply unit supplying a power to the discharge electrode part for the discharge electrode part to perform a corona discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-gyun Han, Jang-keun Oh, Min-ha Kim