Abstract: A separator for substantially resolving at least one component of a process stream, such as from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. The separator includes a body defining a chamber therein. A nozzle housing is located proximate the chamber. An exhaust inlet is in communication with the nozzle housing and the chamber. A nozzle assembly is positioned in the nozzle housing and includes a nozzle moveable within and relative to the nozzle housing. The nozzle includes at least one passage formed therethrough such that a process stream entering the exhaust inlet connection passes through the passage formed in the nozzle and imparts a substantially rotational flow to the process stream as it enters the chamber. A positioning member is configured to position the nozzle relative to the nozzle housing in response to changes in process stream pressure thereby adjusting flowrate of said process stream entering into the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for the cyclonic inertial separation of particles from a fluid stream, wherein a generator and an outlet tube are disposed within a housing, a scavenge port is disposed about the housing, and the outlet tube has a plurality of slots disposed about its outer diameter. Second and third pluralities of slots are preferably disposed about the outer diameter of the outlet tube, downstream of the first plurality of slots. The number of the first plurality of slots is preferably greater than the number of the second plurality of slots. The number of the second plurality of slots is preferably greater than the number of the third plurality of slots. The pluralities of slots are preferably ramped and circumferentially disposed about the outer diameter of the outlet tube. The outlet tube preferably has an upstream end with a conical surface shaped at an angle. The generator preferably has vanes that are helical and tapered at an angle.

Abstract: A device for separating a gas from a flow of the gas and particulate matter. The device has a chamber defined by a receiving surface. The device has a gas inlet conduit and a gas outlet conduit. The gas inlet conduit is positioned to deliver the flow of the gas and the particulate matter to the chamber. The gas outlet conduit is positioned to exhaust the flow of the gas from the chamber. The device includes a stationary impeller positioned within the chamber and having an upstream surface and a downstream surface. The impeller is configured to deflect the flow of the particulate matter and the gas to a radially outward flow of the particulate matter and the gas in a direction toward the receiving surface of the chamber. The device includes a gas exhaust port positioned in the gas outlet conduit and downstream of the gas inlet conduit and the impeller.

Abstract: A separator for substantially resolving at least one component of a process stream, such as from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. The separator includes a body defining a chamber therein. A nozzle housing is located proximate the chamber. An exhaust inlet is in communication with the nozzle housing and the chamber. A nozzle assembly is positioned in the nozzle housing and includes a nozzle moveable within and relative to the nozzle housing. The nozzle includes at least one passage formed therethrough such that a process stream entering the exhaust inlet connection passes through the passage formed in the nozzle and imparts a substantially rotational flow to the process stream as it enters the chamber. A positioning member is configured to position the nozzle relative to the nozzle housing in response to changes in process stream pressure thereby adjusting flowrate of said process stream entering into the chamber.

Abstract: An air cleaner for centrifugally ejecting heavier-than-air particulate debris from an air stream. A housing encloses a fan for drawing debris-laden air into a forward portion of the housing and rotating the air so as to form a rotating flow pattern that stratifies the debris-laden air, with the heavier particles of debris in the outermost orbits of the rotating flow pattern. The thus rotating air passes through an annulus to a rear portion of the housing in which the air flow is caused to back up. As a consequence, some solid debris in the forward housing portion moves into a forward isolation region from which that debris is ejected through a forward exit orifice. Other solid debris in the rear housing portion enters a rear isolation region from which it is ejected through a rear exit orifice. The thus-cleaned air passes through an exit gap to an air outlet from which it exits the air cleaner for use.

Abstract: A separator for substantially resolving at least one component of a process stream, such as from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. The separator includes a body defining a chamber therein. A nozzle housing is located proximate the chamber. An exhaust inlet is in communication with the nozzle housing and the chamber. A nozzle assembly is positioned in the nozzle housing and includes a nozzle moveable within and relative to the nozzle housing. The nozzle includes at least one passage formed therethrough such that a process stream entering the exhaust inlet connection passes through the passage formed in the nozzle, which imparts a substantially rotational flow to the process stream as it enters the chamber. A positioning member is configured to position the nozzle relative to the nozzle housing in response to changes in process stream pressure to adjust flowrate of said process stream entering into the chamber.

Abstract: An air cleaner for centrifugally ejecting heavier-than-air particulate debris from an air stream. A housing encloses a fan for drawing debris-laden air into a forward portion of the housing and rotating the air so as to form a rotating flow pattern that stratifies the debris-laden air, with the heavier particles of debris in the outermost orbits of the rotating flow pattern. The thus rotating air passes through an annulus to a rear portion of the housing in which the air flow is caused to back up. As a consequence, some solid debris in the forward housing portion moves into a forward isolation region from which that debris is ejected through a forward exit orifice. Other solid debris in the rear housing portion enters a rear isolation region from which it is ejected through a rear exit orifice. The thus-cleaned air passes through an exit gap to an air outlet from which it exits the air cleaner for use.

Abstract: An air cleaner for centrifugally ejecting heavier-than-air particulate debris from an air stream. A housing encloses a fan for drawing debris-laden air into a forward portion of the housing and rotating the air so as to form a rotating flow pattern that stratifies the debris-laden air, with the heavier particles of debris in the outermost orbits of the rotating flow pattern. The thus rotating air passes through an annulus to a rear portion of the housing in which the air flow is caused to back up. As a consequence, some solid debris in the forward housing portion moves into a forward isolation region from which that debris is ejected through a forward exit orifice. Other solid debris in the rear housing portion enters a rear isolation region from which it is ejected through a rear exit orifice. The thus-cleaned air passes through an exit gap to an air outlet from which it exits the air cleaner for use.

Abstract: An aspirator for oil mists, particularly for machine tools and the like, the particularity of which is the fact that it comprises a substantially cylindrical external enclosure, inside which at least one impeller driven by an electric motor is accommodated, and a filtering module, which allows to filter the air aspirated by the impeller through the filtering module, the enclosure being supported so that it can oscillate by a supporting frame in order to pass from a working position in which its axis is vertical with respect to a resting plane of the supporting frame to a working position in which its axis is horizontal with respect to the supporting plane.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to remove foreign matter such as worn powder in a refrigerating cycle and enhance the reliability in a refrigerating cycle using, in particular, HFC refrigerant. In the invention, accordingly, a coil shaped connection piping is provided in at least front portion or rear portion of a throttling unit, a fine pipe is connected to a lower portion of the connection piping, and a collector for collecting foreign matter in the refrigerating cycle is coupled to this fine pipe. Foreign matter in the refrigerant is separated from the refrigerant by centrifugal force, and is collected in the collector. Moreover, the foreign matter collecting effect is enhanced by disposing a magnetic piece in the collector.

Abstract: An air precleaner for centrifugally ejecting heavier than air particulates from an airstream for use in an apparatus having an air intake includes a hood having an opening through which air enters the precleaner. A vane assembly includes a centrally positioned dome, a collar encircling the dome and a plurality of vanes each being connected at an inner end to the dome and at an outer end to the collar. Each vane is angled in relation to a horizontal plane. The vane assembly further includes a horizontal wall extending radially outward from the collar. An impeller assembly is rotatably mounted to the vane assembly. Also provided is a base on which the vane assembly is supported via the horizontal wall. The hood, the vane assembly and the base are secured to each other and the air exits the precleaner through the base.

Abstract: An air precleaner and method for centrifugally ejecting heavier-than-air particulate debris from an air stream utilizes a circular separator chamber formed with a toroidal dome for smooth airflow transition of the vortex airflow moving through the separator chamber in a cyclonic pattern upwardly from an inlet in a base of the precleaner past a debris ejection duct where it is folded over by the toroidal dome for whirlpooling down to an outlet in the base radially inwardly of and through the upwardly moving vortex airflow. The area for the airflow in the separator chamber progressively decreases linearly to increase the speed of the airflow in the chamber. A particle accelerator assembly includes a plurality of appendages that arc back from a central hub in a swept-back attitude relative to a direction of the vortex airflow.

Abstract: A refrigerant recycling system (10) has a compressor (12) and identical first and second drier/separators (18, 20). Refrigerant material to be reclaimed is drawn into an inlet (22) of the first drier/separator, in which lubricant is separated from refrigerant vapor. After the lubricant is removed, the refrigerant vapor is filtered as it passes through a screen (80), a bed of molecular sieve material (82), and a fibrous pad (84). After passing through the first drier/separator, the refrigerant enters the compressor in which clean lubricant material is introduced to enable the compressor to operate effectively. From the compressor, the refrigerant vapor and clean lubricant passes through the second drier/separator wherein the clean lubricant is removed and the refrigerant vapor is again filtered. The twice filtered vapor is then passed to a condenser (44) in which it is condensed to a liquid. The clean refrigerant liquid is delivered from the reclamation system cleansed of impurities.

Abstract: A cell for gas cleaning, preferably for separating gases from solid particles, includes an inlet pipe connected gas-tightly to a casing, and an entrapment pipe mounted within casing downstream of the inlet pipe. An enter opening of the entrapment pipe faces an outlet of the inlet pipe. A free area of the enter opening of the entrapment pipe is larger than a free area of the outlet of the inlet pipe, and smaller than a free area of the passageway of the casing. The cylindrical settling portion of the inlet pipe allows to establish a stationary condition of the dust laden gas flow. Separation is achieved by extension of the stationary dust laden gas flow when it enters the casing through the outlet of the inlet pipe. The stream of the particles does not expand, and almost all the number of the particles travels due to particle inertia toward the enter opening of the entrapment pipe.

Abstract: A filter for continuous, industrial-scale filtering of gases charged with solid particles which includes a cylindrical filter body having at least one filtering section divided into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber by a funnel-shaped separation wall with annular steps, multiple tube filters being fitted in holes provided therefor in the horizontal sections of the separation wall. All parts are positioned substantially symmetrically in a concentric, radial manner with respect to the vertical axis of the cylindrical filter body sidewall. This symmetrical, concentric, radial arrangement enables the filter to operate without any problems at temperatures of 900.degree. C.

Abstract: A disposable two-stage air cleaner includes a housing forming an air inlet, a separation chamber, a dirt collection chamber, and an air outlet. A filter element is located between the separation chamber and the air outlet. The air inlet moves the air in a circular pattern in the separation chamber, whereby dirt is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force. An air scavenging system is employed in which air laden with dirt from the first-stage separation chamber is scooped into the dirt collection chamber and air from the dirt collection chamber is allowed to recirculate into the separation chamber after the air flow has been slowed so that the dirt falls from the air stream. The air cleaner thus provides performance which is equal to or better than reusable air cleaners of the prior art.

Abstract: A cyclone separator has with a separation chamber in a spiral housing fitted with an inlet for the material to be separated in parallel to a tangent to the separator housing, a separate tangential inlet for a separator gas, and a longitudinal outlet arranged concentrically about the separator axis to allow the gas and fine particulate matter to pass out of the separation chamber. The separator further has a ring of vanes located in the spiral housing between the separation chamber, which is arranged coaxially to the outlet, and an outer annular space, the material inlet feeding into the separation chamber and the gas inlet feeding into the outer annular space.

Abstract: In the present invention separation is effected by means of a convergent-divergent nozzle, in which the divergent portion is convex. A supersonic flow of a gas-droplets mixture is introduced into the convergent-divergent nozzle and at the throat thereof a normal shock wave occurs and results to an abrupt change in the speed and direction of gas flow, which becomes subsonic and follows the geometry of the convex divergent portion. The droplets are inertially separated from the gas stream and two flow zones emerge, one zone free from droplets and one enriched with droplets, these two zones being subsequently separated by a separator plate. Henceforth, a conventional subsonic separator is used to receive the liquid formed by the separated droplets, whereas the zones of gas flow being free from droplets converge to be subsequently used in any desired manner.

Abstract: A co-current separator is provided which makes it possible to separate a light phase contained in a mixture from a dense phase. Disposed downstream in the direction of circulation of the dense phase is an internal output opening of an interior enclosure. Fins are provided on the interior enclosure for limiting the progression of the light phase to the outside of the interior enclosure. The mixture is introduced tangentially into an inlet, and the dense phase is recovered at one outlet with the light phase recovered at another outlet. This makes it possible to rapidly separate the dense phase from the light phase, providing an apparatus useful for separating, for example, a solid from a gas.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for ensuring that a device--such as a gas turbine--that utilizes gases and will be damaged by particles in the gases greater than the predetermined size, will not be subjected to such particles. A filter, or the like removes particles from the gases, and is connected to the gas utilization device, with a particle concentrating device disposed between the particle remover and turbine. A particle detector is associated with the particle concentrator for detecting an undesirable level of particles above the predetermined size, and an alarm or other device is activated by the particle detecting means in response to an aberrant condition. The particle concentrator comprises a first conduit extending to a branch section, and branching to a second conduit and a third conduit. The second conduit, which may be blind, is a substantial continuation of the first conduit, while the third conduit makes an angle (e.g. about 90.degree.

Abstract: A co-current cyclone mixer-separator which makes it possible to separae a light phase L1 contained in a mixture M1 which also contains a dense phase D1 from the dense phase and to mix this phase L1 with a dense phase or with a mixture containing this phase and a light phase. The mixture M1 is introduced at and the phase D1 is recovered at. The dense phase of a mixture is introduced at and enters a second inner enclosure at, at least a part of the phase likewise entering the latter enclosure. A mixture comprising the phases, if it has been introduced, is obtained at. Preferably, the apparatus comprises blades which make it possible to limit the progress of the vortex into the outlet. This apparatus permits of a rapid heat exchange, for exmple the hardening, of a phase by a phase or a mixture. It can also be used for the rapid replacement of a phase contained in a mixture also containing a phase by a phase other than.

Abstract: A radial inflow particle separator includes a pair of axially and radially spaced curvilinear walls cooperatively defining a circumferential flow path leading radially inwardly and axially to an engine. Preferably, the particle separator is employed with a turbine engine which is operated at times in an environment laden with dust and particulate matter. Such an environment is typically encountered by a turbine engine of a helicopter, or off-road vehicle. The particle separator provides dust and particulate control features including aero-inertial, particle trajectory, particle boundary-rebound, and scavenge flow tailoring to achieve a dust and particulate separation efficiency as good as or better than the best conventional axial-flow particle separators. This particle separation effectiveness is achieved in a radial inflow particle separator which is smaller and lighter in weight than axial flow devices, and which packages advantageously with the essential structures of a turbine engine.

Abstract: This disclosure includes a process and apparatus for subsonic aerodynamic separation of components existing in condensed and/or condensable form in a gaseous stream, in which the gaseous stream undergoes successively an expansion up to high subsonic velocities and a recompression by deceleration, with inertial separation of the pre-existing particles as well as of the particles formed and/or enlarged by condensation. Within the flowing gaseous stream, a gradient of concentration of the particles is created, in the same direction as the pressure gradient within the stream. Separation of the particles occurs in an axisymmetric chamber bounded by an outer wall and an inner core and including a fixed array of deflecting blades for transforming the essentially axial motion of the stream entering the chamber into an helico-spiral motion, and a fixed array of straightening blades for transforming the helico-spiral motion of the stream before its exits from the chamber into an essentially axial motion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing fine particulates from gases, such as fly ash, from syngas, at high temperatures and pressure using a two-stage cyclonic separator-stripper.

Abstract: An in-line filter device including a double-walled tube filter assembly, and an upper cap and a lower cap which are held in communication with upper and lower open ends of the filter assembly. The filter assembly has an inner tube and an outer tube which are disposed in radially spaced, and coaxial relation with each other, so as to define an annular space therebetween. One of the inner tube and the annular space is filled with a first pad adapted to coalesce vapor in compressed air passing therethrough, into droplets, while the other of the inner tube and the annular space is filled with a second pad adapted to vaporize residual liquid particles remaining in the compressed air which has passed the first pad. The upper cap has an inlet connected to the upstream side of a compressed air conduit and communicating with the first pad incorporated within the double-walled tube filter assembly. The upper cap further has an outlet connected to the downstream side of the conduit and communicating with the second pad.

Abstract: Solid particles and gaseous materials are separated by passing a suspension of solid particles and gaseous materials into the upper section of a cyclonic separation vessel equipped with a cyclonic swirl zone which may contain vortex stabilizing means and a lower dense bed zone which may contain stripping means, and wherein separated gaseous materials are removed from the upper section of the cyclonic zone and solid particles are passed in the lower dense bed zone, from which particles are removed by aeration through a discharge means which communicates with the dense bed zone.The present process and apparatus are preferably applied in the separation of gaseous materials from solid particles entrained in hot flue gases obtained in the combustion stage of a process for extracting hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-bearing substrate such as oil shale and tar sand.

Abstract: A high performance water collector (1) dries a moisture-laden airstream within a duct (7) by providing an air guide (20) with a gap (12) between a collector inlet section (4) and discharge section (6). The guide (20) defines a scupper (26) to direct the heavily moisture-laden air to a diffuser (14) surrounding the gap (12). The diffuser (14) slows the air, causing the water to fall naturally within the diffuser (14) for subsequent removal. The guide (20) further defined an ejector (28) for infusing the dried air back into the duct.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for separating foreign objects from airflow channeled to an aircraft engine. An air intake including a foreign object separator is provided. The air intake includes an inlet duct having a bend for defining a pressure side, which inlet duct is effective for channeling airflow to the engine. A separator aperture is disposed in the pressure side of the inlet duct and a receptacle extends from the inlet duct and is in flow communication with the separator aperture. The receptacle includes a turning wall which is substantially arcuate in both a transverse plane and a longitudinal plane, and is substantially closed for preventing the flow of airflow therethrough while being effective for receiving and capturing foreign objects which enter the inlet duct and pass through the separator aperture.

Abstract: An air cleaning device having a chamber receiving an incoming air stream wherein the improvement consists of the chamber progressively confining the incoming air stream to increase its linear and angular velocity and having an exhaust chamber receiving contaminants and isolating the same from the turbulence of the incoming air stream and a shield adjacent the dome of the device restricting the vertical clearance of the chamber receiving the incoming air stream.

Abstract: A gas scrubber and/or mist eliminator for high-velocity gas in the range between about 1,000 to 2,500 feet per minute. The gas flows horizontally through a duct or conduit in which a plurality of generally vertical, high-voidage, fibrous, non-capillary, free-draining bodies are interposed. The gas both passes through and is deflected by the bodies and its mist and/or other components are captured and drained by the bodies. Reentrainment of the drained liquid flowing out of the bodies is prevented. The bodies may be arrays of rows of separate baffles or they may be mounted on vanes.

Abstract: An air cleaner for an internal combustion engine, having a dust dumping valve. The air cleaner includes an outer housing containing a filter element and air is introduced into the housing and swirled outwardly before passing through the filter element for discharge. The heavier dust particles in the air are moved under centrifugal force to the inner surface of the housing and are discharged through a conical outlet in the lower end of the housing to a dust trap. The lower end of the trap is provided with a plurality of openings which are enclosed by a flexible rubber-like disc. When the engine is operating, the engine vacuum will draw the disc tightly against the openings to prevent the entrance of air into the trap. The weight of the dust collected in the trap in combination with the engine vibration will intermittently cause the rubber disc to drop away from the openings to discharge a portion of the collected dust.

Abstract: A separating nozzle element composed of a separating body and end plates enclosing the body, for separating components of gaseous or vaporous mixtures, the separating body being provided with separating structures which delimit separating chambers and gas conduits and the end plates being provided with channels for supplying gas to, and removing gas streams from, the separating chambers and conduits, in which the separating body is produced in successive contiguous layers by carrying out the following sequence of steps a plurality of times until a given separating body thickness is achieved: providing a mold layer; irradiating selected portions of the layer with radiation in a spatial pattern corresponding to the separating structures to render only selected regions of the layer which correspond to the separating structures removable in a predetermined manner; removing the selected regions; and filling the spaces thus created in the layer with a material which is compatible with the gaseous or vaporous mixtur

Abstract: A centrifugal separator comprises a centrifugation chamber, gas inlet ports for introducing a gas into the centrifugation chamber so as to whirl the gas, a clean gas discharge pipe provided on the upper portion of the centrifugation chamber, and a guide member secured to the lower portion of the centrifugation chamber. The guide member has an annular groove, outer fine holes made in the groove, a guide portion projecting conically inward the centrifugation chamber, and an inner hole made in the center of the guide portion. A gas including particles is introduced into the centrifugation chamber, in which the particles are separated. The separated particles are trapped in the groove with gas, then discharged from the outer holes. The clean gas removed of the particles is guided by the guide member to direct to the gas discharge pipe, at the same time the particles with gas toward the guide member also are guided by the guide member to be subjected to the centrifugal force.

Abstract: The invention is a device which provides for separation of contaminants from a relatively high velocity stream of gas. The invention provides a first stage wherein the gas stream is decelerated and the contaminant particles are caused to separate from the air stream by interacting with a first surface. The interaction results in the particles to acquire a radial velocity vector and by virtue of the momentum of the contaminants particles. The contaminant particles are forced to the outer layer of the gas stream. The second stage of separation provides for further magnification of the radial velocity vector and also induces a slight tangential velocity component to the contaminant particle. By impacting the contaminants against a vane mounted within the gas stream, the contaminant particles, as a result of this impact, acquire a slight swirl or circular motion which causes the contaminant particles to be more localized.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for extracting granular or finely divided or powdered solid materials from a gas under high pressure, particularly slag from synthesized gas generated in connection with the gasification of coal. The invention is carried out by using a U-shaped receptacle containing a molten medium which seals off the gas chamber from the atmosphere and has a higher specific gravity than said solid materials. The solid materials are pushed below the surface of the molten medium and, by means of lateral movement, are floated up to the atmosphere, where they are contained. The U-shaped receptacle has a first tank-like arm and a second tubular arm, with a connecting conduit joining the two. This connecting conduit is inclined upwardly towards the second arm. The first arm, which is acted upon by gas pressure, contains lowering means for lowering the solid materials to the level of the connecting conduit.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for removing mist or the like from a gas flow is described herein, in which a gas flow is introduced from a main duct into a lateral duct that is connected to the downstream end of the main duct and which extends in a different direction from the main duct to thereby cause mist, dust or the like in the gas flow to deviate within the lateral duct, a remover plate for mist, dust or the like is disposed in the region just downstream of the junction between the main duct and the lateral duct into which the mist, dust or the like in the gas flow has flowed, and a mist eliminator is provided downstream of the remover plate.

Abstract: An air precleaner for an internal combustion engine includes an outer cylindrical casing with a top air intake opening and a set of stationary vanes within the casing which impart a centrifugal motion to air entering the casing. A clean air discharge tube positioned centrally within the casing extends from an upper air inlet below the vanes through a frusto-conical bottom of the casing to a connection with the conventional air filter of the engine. The bottom wall of the casing includes a generally radially extending slot, the upstream edge of which is offset downwardly from the downstream edge to discharge dirt-laden air from outer portions of the casing back to the atmosphere while cleaner air at central portions of the casing is drawn by engine suction through the discharge tube and air filter into the engine.

Abstract: An apparatus for the separating of isotope fractions, especially for the concentration of uranium 238 and uranium 235, which comprises a plurality of disks rotatable about a common axis and having central supply regions at which gas mixtures can be introduced. Outwardly from these supply regions, each disk is formed with a radial passage communicating with a chamber and opening into the latter through a constriction. Light fractions are removed from the edges of the gas flow radially through the chamber while a heavy fraction is passed centrally through at least one further constriction and into another chamber. The light fractions from one disk are fed to the supply region of another disk while the heavy fractions can be collected and fed to the supply region of still a third disk. Alternatively, or in addition, the light fraction delivery channels and the heavy fraction delivery channels for at least two disks are interconnected.

Abstract: A wet type gas scrubber is disclosed and utilizes a ring dam or deflector ring around the periphery of the scrubber's inner tube to intercept and restrain the particulate Laden water as it flows along the outer surface of the inner tube. The deflector prevents the particulate Laden water from entering into the gas exhaust flow that is being emitted to atmosphere. The scrubber includes damper means in the gas inlet for regulating the velocity of gas through the inlet.

Abstract: A silencer-separator having a cylindrical casing of circular cross section which is divided into an upper separator chamber and a lower expansion chamber. An inlet pipe directs a gas stream into the expansion chamber, and a pair of angularly disposed tubes direct the gas upward through a divider into the separator chamber with a swirling motion along the interior wall surface. A tubular central outlet extends through the upper end closure and has an entrance a substantial vertical distance therebelow. A peripheral baffle adjacent the interior wall collects entrained particles in the separator section and the collected particles are drained through a tube that may lead to the bottom of the expansion chamber. A perforated cylindrical body filled with a noise-attenuating fibrous substance is coaxially supported within the central outlet.

Abstract: A vortex separator is provided having an annular contaminant chamber for receiving centrifugally separated particles, and a baffle at the entry to or in the annular chamber, to inhibit the whirling of particles retained therein, to prevent abrasion of the walls by the spinning particles, while not interfering with the entry of the particles into the annular chamber.

Abstract: In a safety inflatable bag apparatus for protecting occupants of a vehicle, when collision of a vehicle occurs, a blocking cock of a high pressure gas container is destroyed by explosion of ignitors, as a result of which high pressure gas is released from the container into the inflatable bag to inflate it for restraining the occupant. By-product fragments or pieces produced upon the explosion of the ignitors are collected in a collecting chamber disposed at a bent portion of a duct connecting the high pressure gas container and the inflatable bag, thereby to eliminate the need for a conventional filter or prevent the filter, if used, from being clogged.

Abstract: An air cleaner is provided for use with an engine turbocharger having a housing with an inlet and compressor means contained within the housing. The air cleaner is operatively positioned between the air inlet and the compressor means of the turbocharger and comprises an annulus contained within and spaced from the turbocharger housing so that the annulus defines a semitoroidal fluid passageway between the air inlet and the compressor means of the turbocharger. An annular opening is formed around the outer periphery of the toroidal fluid passageway adjacent its outlet and the annular opening is fluidly coupled with an exhaust system. As an air and solid particle mixture from the air inlet of the turbocharger flows through the semitoroidal fluid passageway, the solid particles migrate to the outer periphery of the passageway due to centrifugal force and, thus, flow through the annular opening and to the exhaust system so that only filtered air is supplied to the turbocharger compressor means.

Abstract: A pollution control system for reducing the presence of fine aerosol particles in stack gases from the manufacture of glass fiber wool-type products. After larger particles are removed from the forming fan gas, the gas is fed into a centrifugal fan and massive quantities of water are injected into the fan intake. The aerosol particles are agglomerated by impact with the airborne water droplets and the wet surfaces of the fan. The larger, coalesced or agglomerated particles are more readily susceptible to inertia-type separation from the air by either the action of the fan or in a later separation operation.

Abstract: An air precleaner for internal combustion engines having a central conduit for conducting precleaned air to the air intake of the engine. A housing is disposed around the central conduit and forms an air intake opening, an arcuate wall spaced radially outwardly from the conduit and substantially concentric therewith for conducting the incoming air stream from the intake opening around the conduit so that any dust in the air stream is collected along the housing wall by centrifugal action, and a dust outlet for discharging dust from the housing at the downstream end of the arcuate wall. The conduit forms clean air port near the downstream end of the arcuate wall for discharging clean air from the inner region of the space between the arcuate wall and the conduit. An internal baffle integral with one side of the intake opening extends between the arcuate wall and the conduit and forms a restricted passageway that increases the velocity of the incoming air at the upstream end of the arcuate wall.

Abstract: A vortex separator is provided having an annular contaminant chamber for receiving centrifugally separated particles, and a baffle at the entry to or in the annular chamber, to inhibit the whirling of particles retained therein either in the absence of scavenge flow or because they are unable to escape from the chamber, to prevent abrasion of the walls by the spinning particles, while not interfering with the entry of the particles into the annular chamber, nor with normal scavenge flow, if any.