Abstract: The present disclosure provides a valve (123), comprising a channel body (1231) defining a bent channel space, an elastically flexible membrane (1233), which separates a control space (Sc) from a flow space (Sf) in the channel space, a control connection (1232), providing a fluid connection to the control space (Sc), The control space (Sc) is provided at a radially outermost portion (Co) of the channel space, as per a channel bending radius (Ro), such that the membrane (1233) is flexible between an open position, whereby a cross section of the flow space (Sf) is substantially that of the channel, and a closed position, whereby the membrane substantially seals against a radially innermost portion (Ci) of the channel, as per the channel bending radius (Ri). Use of the valve in a separator is disclosed, as well as a separator comprising such valve and a method of cleaning a separator body.

Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air treatment chamber having a porous member at the air outlet. The air treatment chamber has a stationary portion and an openable portion, the openable portion is moveably mounted by a mount between a closed position in which the air treatment chamber is closed and an open position in which the air treatment chamber is open. The porous member is moveable concurrently with the openable portion. When the openable portion is in the closed position, the openable portion and the stationery portion abut along peripheral edges that extend along a length of the air treatment chamber sidewall.

Abstract: A docking station for a robotic surface cleaning apparatus has a momentum separator. The momentum separator has an upper wall, a lower wall and a first sidewall extending between the upper and lower walls. The first sidewall comprises a side screen and an end wall is spaced from and faces the side screen whereby an up flow chamber is positioned between the end wall and the side screen. The upper wall also comprises an upper screen and an upper end wall is spaced from and faces the upper screen wherein an upper air flow chamber is positioned between the upper end wall and the upper screen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filter for filtering particles from a plasma plume. The filter includes a housing with two pass-through openings arranged in the housing wall and forming a pass-through channel for passing at least part of the plasma plume through the housing, which pass-through channel extends from one side of the housing to an opposite side of the housing, at least one primary blade arranged at a distance from and rotatable around a rotation axis, which rotation axis is parallel and spaced apart from the center line of the pass-through channel, with the path of the at least one primary blade intersecting with the pass-through channel and with the at least one primary blade having a contact surface for contact with the plasma plume, which contact surface is facing in the direction of the rotation direction, and a drain channel connecting to a drain opening arranged in the housing wall.

Abstract: A cyclonic chiller-separator, including a vertically oriented treatment tower defining an interior space and having an exhaust inlet disposed in an upper portion, and a chimney with an exhaust outlet; an exhaust stream conduit in fluid communication with said interior volume of said treatment tower through said exhaust inlet, wherein said exhaust inlet is configured to induce cyclonic fluid motion in an exhaust stream entering said interior volume; a coolant water source; and a plurality of nozzles disposed about interior walls of said treatment tower and in fluid communication with said coolant water source for spraying cooling water into said interior volume above and into an exhaust stream introduced into said interior volume so as to cool, condense, and precipitate volatile organic compounds and organic acids, and to entrain and remove particulates from the exhaust stream.

Abstract: A cyclone separation device includes a cyclone chamber for separating dirt from incoming air, a dirt collecting chamber arranged adjacent to the cyclone chamber for collecting dirt particles separated from air, and a dirt duct between the cyclone chamber and the dirt collecting chamber for allowing dirt particles to exit the cyclone chamber into the dirt collecting chamber. To reduce the generation of noise-generating air vortices, the dirt duct has an edge protruding into a direction at an angle to the dirt duct at an exit ridge of the cyclone chamber that is first encountered by the air rotating in the cyclone chamber. Preferably, the edge is formed by a tangential extension of a wall of the cyclone chamber. A vacuum cleaner advantageously includes such a cyclone separation device.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an openable air treatment stage. The air treatment stage has a lower openable portion that is moveably mounted to a forward portion of the pre-motor filter housing.

Abstract: A docking station for a robotic vacuum cleaner has a pneumatic transfer mechanism that is used to direct air to the robotic vacuum cleaner to thereby transfer dirt from the robotic vacuum cleaner to a docking station.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of operating a separator (1,1a, 1b) for separating particles from a particle-laden airflow. The method comprises receiving, in the controller (18), a separation unit status signal from the separation unit status sensor (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d), deriving, in the controller (18), separator status data based on the separation unit status signal, communicating, via the communication device (19), the separator status data to the external unit (1a, 1b, 26), receiving, via the communication device (19), incoming control data from the external unit (1a, 1b, 26), determining, in the controller (18), based on the separator status data and based on the incoming control data, whether to initiate separating unit maintenance, and selectively initiating separating unit maintenance based on said determination. The disclosure also provides a separator for implementing the method and a system comprising two or more such separators.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an air treatment stage positioned below an inlet conduit. A pistol grip handle is provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner. An arm member extends from the inlet conduit linearly rearwardly to the upper end of the pistol grip handle. A housing is provided at a lower end of the pistol grip handle. All operating components of the hand vacuum cleaner are located between a lower end of the housing and the inlet conduit.

Abstract: A pressure tank condensation separator having an interior chamber forming a downflow path on a first side and an upflow path on a second side passing through horizontally positioned shelves; each shelf having at least one passageway positioned to cause a tortuous air path wherein moisture is separated and deposited on each shelf. The shelves are sloped, leading to drain holes for directing moisture collected to a purge valve. The removal of moisture is most beneficial to clean radar sensors, LIDAR and video cameras used on autonomous vehicles.

Abstract: A separator for separating a flowable suspension in a centrifugal field into at least two flowable phases of different density. The separator includes a housing, which is stationary during operation and is designed as a tank having at least three openings. The three openings include an inlet for an inflowing suspension and two outlets vertically spaced apart from each other for flowable phases of different density. Annular spaces of the housing are associated with the two outlets. A rotatable drum is arranged within the housing and has a vertical axis of rotation. The drum has three openings, corresponding to the openings of the housing. A multi-part support and drive device, which keeps the drum suspended within the housing, is supported and is set into rotation. An air gap is formed vertically between the two outlets and annular spaces of the housing during operation. The air gap is not filled with one of the outflowing phases during operation when the drum is rotating.

Abstract: A cyclone includes a hollow cylindrical upper portion and a hollow conical lower portion having an inclined wall and a base wall. The base wall and the inclined wall are continuous contact with each other, and the inclined wall of the hollow conical lower portion is in continuous contact with an outer wall of the hollow cylindrical upper portion. A total cyclone height is from about 10 to about 30 millimeters, and a ratio of the total cyclone height to an inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical upper portion is from about 0.7 to about 1.3. An angle between an inner surface of the base wall and an inner surface of the inclined wall is from about 110 to about 130 degrees.

Abstract: A filtration device may include a filter element and a housing that is configured to receive the filter element. The filter element may include a casing having a first outer surface and a flange connected to the first outer surface. The flange may include a plurality of snap members. A snap member, of the plurality of snap members, may include a fulcrum projecting from the flange and a lever mounted on the fulcrum. The housing may include a shell having a second outer surface and a plurality of ramp members. The plurality of ramp members may be fixedly connected to the second outer surface and may be configured to engage the plurality of snap members of the filter element. A ramp member, of the plurality of ramp members, may include an angled surface that extends from the second outer surface at an acute angle relative to the second outer surface.

Abstract: The Multiple Intake Air Filtration Device of this invention is a superior, highly efficient air cleaner that utilizes an array of multiple-intake cyclonic tubes spinning air at high speed to efficiently remove the specific sizes of dirt and other particulates that can be ingested in off-road and highway vehicle operations. This Multiple Intake Air Filtration Device is well-suited for use with both normally-aspirated engines and turbocharged engines. It is superior to automotive air cleaners that filter out dirt by use of a screen or porous media because it never becomes clogged as dirt and particulates are filtered out, and it is superior to devices that utilize only a single air flow through cyclonic tubes, because the device of this invention cleans intake air more efficiently while providing a strong flow of clean air to the engine or other component.

Abstract: A disassembly mechanism configured to be disposed on a dust collector is provided, including: a fixation assembly, including a first fixation portion and a second fixation portion, the first and second fixation portions being configured to be disposed on a base and a barrel of the dust collector respectively, the second fixation portion including a slot; an actuating mechanism, including an engaging portion being disengageably engaged laterally with the slot and a connecting portion being movably disposed on the first fixation portion, and the engaging portion being movable with the second fixation portion. A dust collector including at least one aforementioned disassembly mechanism is also provided.

Abstract: Hydro excavation vacuum apparatus that process spoil material onboard the apparatus by separating water from the cut earthen material are disclosed.

Abstract: A dust collector (1) is provided with a tank section (10) and a head section (20). The tank section (10) has a dust collection chamber (13) for containing dust. The head section (20) has a motor (23) and a dust collection fan (25). The dust collection chamber (13) has a cylindrical filter device (12) which, when air sucked in from the suction opening (11) flows through the filter device (12), separates dust from the air. A passage member (50) forms an air passage by which the outside air and a filter interior space (14) inside the filter device (12) are connected without having the filter device (12) therebetween. A cover body (60) closes the passage member (50) in an openable manner. The passage member (50) has first opening sections (53) facing the filter interior space (14) and located at different positions in the circumferential direction of the filter device (12).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are phase separator devices, and related methods of fabrication and use. The disclosure provides improved phase separator devices for phase separation of input feeds, and systems/methods for utilizing and fabricating the devices. The disclosure provides phase separator devices utilizing inertial separation and porous media extraction for the phase separation of two-phase input feeds (e.g., to separate an input feed of a two-phase mixture to a first phase output (e.g., to a liquid output flow) and to a second phase output (e.g., to a gas output flow)). The device can separate a mixed fluid flow of both liquid and gases. The liquid and gas can include liquid and vapor phases of the same chemical/constituent (e.g., ammonia), or may include liquid and gases of two different constituents (e.g., liquid water and air). The phase separator devices can be utilized at standard gravity to micro-gravity to zero gravity environments.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and apparatus for growing agricultural products with a reduced abundance of radioactive carbon-14 (14C) by employing centrifugal separation of atmospheric gases to selectively remove carbon dioxide (CO2) with 14C. Agricultural products with reduced 14C content can be grown in controlled environments with filtered atmospheric gases for the benefit of reducing harmful damage to human DNA that is unavoidable with our current food chain, due to the natural abundance of 14C in atmospheric gases. Bilateral and unilateral compression helikon vortex apparatus provide efficient and economical removal of CO2 with 14C from atmospheric gases with a single filtration pass, which is ideally suited for large scale agricultural production.