Abstract: An air pre-cleaner of the centrifugal type has a cylindrical housing with an annular louvred air entry structure at a first end thereof and coaxial therewith, and has an inner cylinder forming with the housing and the entry structure an annular separation chamber coaxial with, adjacent to, and axially inward of the entry structure. The inner cylinder forms with the housing a short cylindrical transfer chamber coaxial with, adjacent to, and axially outward of the separation chamber. A ring flange is disposed at the inner end of the inner cylinder along the inner ring of the annular separation chamber lying in a plane normal to the axis of the chambers. A dirt discharge slot is disposed in the side wall of the housing with one end of the slot substantially radially outward from the ring flange, the slot extending along a major portion of the axial length of the separation chamber.

Abstract: An improved horizontal vapor-liquid separator providing a separation chamber, a horizontal inlet conduit having internal vanes for imparting a helical motion to fluid flow therethrough, a series of at least three pipe separators coaxially aligned with the inlet conduit and spaced apart to form annular orifices for the collection of heavier droplets forced to the inner peripheries of the piping by the centrifugal force, a conical baffle located in the path of the flow discharged from the end of the last separator pipe for coalescing final traces of liquid by impingement, and a vapor exhaust conduit coaxially aligned with the inlet conduit. A second chamber located beneath the separation chamber collects the liquid by gravity flow and utilizes a liquid level control system to maintain a vapor barrier while discharging the collected liquid at the same rate of accumulation.

Abstract: A bubble rake for removing the remaining steam from liquid water that is returning to heat-exchange surfaces after an initial separation from steam. The bubble rake is a channel-forming member having a cross section generally in the shape of an upside-down U. The bubble rake is disposed in a fluid-flow path so that the channel opens down and in the direction of the path. A stall zone formed by a rake traps steam in the channel, and the channel is positioned longitudinally at an angle with the horizontal so that the trapped steam migrates to its high end, where an opening allows the trapped steam to join the steam previously separated from the water.

Abstract: A dual scavenging separator is provided which simultaneously scavenges out both clean air and particulates, such as dirt or water, from a contaminated flow medium such as air. The invention may be used in conjunction with aircraft environmental control systems to remove engine bleed air contaminants before the air enters occupied compartments or electronic units.

Abstract: A housing, with a freely rotating, actuated impeller, having a peripheral slot-like outlet, a central circular air outlet for attachment to a suction line, and an air inlet intermediate the two outlets in the housing providing direct communication with the impeller, whereby air entering the inlet rotatively actuates the impeller. By proportioning the housing and the rotor, about 90% of the incoming air is cleaned and goes through the central outlet for use, and about l0% of the air with centrifugally separated dirt exhausts through the peripheral outlet.

Abstract: A side outlet cyclone separator tube having an improved vortex generating device and an air cleaner incorporating the separator tube are disclosed. The tube includes a conduit member which defines a generally axial passageway for the discharge of contaminants from contaminant laden air. A second conduit member is disposed within the first conduit member and defines an outlet passageway for the discharge of clean air through an opening in the side wall of the first conduit member. The improved vortex generating device includes an elongated hub about which are spaced a plurality of generally helical deflecting vanes. A trailing end of the elongated hub has a curved surface which directs contaminants radially toward the inner surface of the first conduit member.

Abstract: An air intake filter for combustion engines and other air-aspirating machines having a cyclone-type separator stage arranged upstream of a strainer-type filter element. This is accomplished with a filter assembly consisting of an enclosed cylindrical filter housing holding a hollow-cylindrical filter element between its axial ends, the incoming raw air flowing first into an annular raw air space which serves as a cyclone separation chamber, where it is given a helical swirl, and from where the air flows radially inwardly through the filter element. In the bottom portion of the separation chamber is arranged a sheet metal baffle collar with perforations in the form of blind cuts, which create intermediate web portions. The latter are so inclined that the circumferential motion component of the air swirl is reversed, as the raw air passes through the baffle collar, thereby preventing entrainment of particulate matter towards the filter element.

Abstract: A three-stage dust collector incorporating a side outlet cyclone separator as the second dust collection stage. The side outlet separator includes an inlet end, an outlet end and a continuous side wall therebetween. A plurality of side outlet apertures are provided in the side wall and the separator has a plurality of axial passageways between its inlet and outlet ends. A vortex generating device is affixed within each axial passageway proximate the inlet end thereof and a device is provided for channeling clean air from within each axial passageway through a side outlet aperture. The vortex generated in the flow of dust-laden air entering the axial passageway discharges dust through the outlet end of the separator while cleaned air is channeled through the channeling device to a third stage separator.

Abstract: An improved unitary fin structure for installation on the filter element of an air pre-cleaner and final filter for an internal combustion engine or the like. The improved fin structure includes self-biased lock tab elements forming an integral part thereof for securing the fin structure to a conventional air filter element while providing means for the non-destructive removal thereof from the filter element. An alternate embodiment of the fin structure of the present invention provides for the manufacture of the fin structure in a substantially flat strip with coupling means on the opposite ends thereof for assembling the strip into a substantially cylindrical configuration at the time of installation on the filter element. Various forms of coupling means for engaging the opposite ends of the strip are also disclosed.

Abstract: An air pre-cleaner without moving parts including a housing having an inlet end for entrant air, an outlet end and a receiving chamber in between, wherein a feeder screw centrifuges the entrant air and moves it into a settling chamber where the dirt particles settle while the lighter air mass is directed to the outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating gases from fluids, which apparatus includes a closed cylindrical receptacle and a cylindrical insert which divides the interior of the receptacle into an annular outer part and a cylindrical inner part. The outer part is provided with a tangential inlet for the fluid. Near the top, an opening connects the outer part to the inner part, the latter being provided with a ventilation device. The outer annular part is divided in the axial direction by a partition which ascends spirally from the tangential inlet approximately in a complete turn in the direction of the upper end face cover of the receptacle. The connection opening is formed by an annular clearance which extends over nearly the entire circumference of the receptacle. A similar annular clearance at the bottom of the receptacle connects the inner cylindrical part with the outer annular part, the latter having a tangential discharge outlet in this region.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator for removal of impurities from gases, including deflecting means in an inlet region of the housing of the separator, said deflecting means comprising a central circular body and a plurality of vanes extending from the periphery of said body and having portions bent to extend away from the inlet so as to deflect gases when passed thereover and create a vortex flow in the housing; each of said vanes, prior to the deflecting portion being bent into the deflecting position, including a first outer, arcuate peripheral edge, a second inwardly extending edge running from one end of said outer edge and leading to a third inner arcuate edge extending substantially concentrically and over the same arc as a portion of said outer edge; and a fourth, inwardly extending edge running from the other end of said outer edge and leading to said central body; outer portions of said vanes which include portions of said first and second edges being locatable in the seating means of the separator housing.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a separator for removing broken engine parts and other debris from the hot gases passing fro the exhaust manifold of an engine to the inlet of an associated turbocharger. The separator includes an annular separation chamber in which the gases are swirled by stationary vanes to effect centrifugal separation of the debris, and a cylindrical screen which filters the gases as they leave the separation chamber. The screen is mounted in cantilever fashion within the separator casing and carries, at its free end, the vanes and a deflector which directs inlet flow radially outward to the separation chamber. The vanes are freely mounted in slots formed in the screen, where they are held captive by the slot margins and the deflector, and the tips of the vanes are spaced radially from the surrounding casing of the separator.

Abstract: The inlet assembly is mounted within a separator vessel and comprises a housing similar in shape to that of a snail shell. This housing has a generally spiral side wall closed in by top and bottom end walls. A feed pipe delivers pressurized crude oil tangentially to the inner end of the spiral side wall so that it rotates outwardly, following the length of said wall, to an outlet communicating with the interior of the separator vessel. Gas is separated by centrifugation in the smaller radius central portion of the housing and then the liquid flow velocity is reduced by expansion of the stream in the larger radius outer portion. Improvements in gas separation and emulsion reduction have been observed from use of the assembly.

Abstract: A vortex air cleaner and acoustic attenuator assembly is provided having an array of vortex air cleaners which remove contaminant particles from influent air, and an array of spaced acoustic sheets defining passages therebetween for reception of clean effluent air from selected groups of adjacent vortex air cleaners in the array, the sheets being shaped and spaced to deflect such effluent air and sound pressure waves at least once from the acoustic surface of the sheets, thereby absorbing the maximum sound in the preferred frequency range of 8000 Hertz and reducing the imposed sound pressure level in which the vortex air cleaner assembly operates.

Abstract: A gas stream with entrained liquid is given a helical motion which causes the entrained liquid to impinge and coalesce on the wall of a separation chamber, with gases being discharged through a tailpipe which extends inwardly into the downstream end of the separation chamber. A closed second chamber surrounds the tailpipe downstream of the separation chamber. Aperture means in the tailpipe permits communication between the interiors of the second chamber and the tailpipe. A conduit means, provided downstream of the aperture means but within the tailpipe, is arranged to permit communication between the center of the tailpipe and the interior of the second chamber tending to equalize pressures so as to cause any residual liquid collected on the interior surface of the tailpipe to flow out of the tailpipe through the aperture means.

Abstract: A mechanism for the removal of impurity particles from a gas for cleansing the gas including directing the gas in a circular axial flow through an elongate axially extending circular separator chamber; introducing liquid droplets at the inlet end of the chamber for capturing the particles, passing the droplets through a perforate wall on the chamber into an outer annular wall and removing the liquid from the outer chamber through an air lock valve. In one form the speed of the gas is increased at the location of the droplet introduction by a decrease in the annular size of the chamber, and in another form, the perforate collecting wall is tapered to diminish in size. The size of the chamber is such that the distance from the droplet introduction to the wall is no greater than 25 cm.

Abstract: An air pre-cleaner is provided for use with an internal combustion engine. The pre-cleaner comprises a housing and vanes fixed to the top of the housing for imparting a circular motion to the air entering the housing between the vanes. This circular motion causes the heavy particles in the air to be projected away from the axis of the housing because of the centrifugal force on the particles caused by the circular motion. A tube means is positioned in the housing and a separator having a plurality of louvers is positioned in the housing between the wall of the housing and the tube. The heavy particles pass through the openings in the louvers and fall from the separator means under the influence of gravity and exit from the housing. The air with the heavy particles removed therefrom then passes through the tube and into the engine. A control mechanism is positioned in the housing between the separator and the exit for controlling the flow of air through the exit towards the separator.

Abstract: A miniature centrifugal separator for use in an engine air cleaner. Two cn air take-off tubes are coaxially aligned in the main flow tube for successively removing selected fractions of the outer annular portion of the swirling gas stream. The clean air tubes are spaced pre-selected distances downstream from the swirl means such that entrained dust particles are enabled to complete approximately one swirl revolution prior to encountering each take-off tube. The invention seeks to accomplish a relatively high collection efficiency with a relatively short flow tube.

Abstract: A gas scrubbing system comprising a plurality of water-fed scrubber units each coupled to a respective exhaust stack of a conventional hot-air dryer and each receiving its water supply from a common, centralized, skimmer-type water treatment facility. Non-aqueous gaseous pollutants, such as hydrocarbons, extracted in vapor form from wood or other material within the dryers by a stream of heated drying gas, is condensed from the drying gas prior to exhausting such gas to the atmosphere by conducting the gas through a plurality of scrubber stages in the presence of cooling spray water until the temperature of the gas, due to the effects of heat transfer, has dropped below the condensation temperature of the gaseous pollutants. The condensed liquified pollutants are then removed from the gas by contact with the water spray and conveyed from the scrubbers along with the spray water while the cleansed gas stream is vented to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A scrubber for use with a cyclone collector having a vortex finder through which the collected exhaust gas containing fine particles flows vertically in a rapidly swirling vortex. As the vortex exits from the vortex finder in the cyclone collector, it passes radially outwardly through a parallel plate diffuser into a scrubber housing which has a diameter substantially larger than that of the vortex finder and which extends down over the exit end of the vortex finder. As the vortically flowing exhaust gas vortex passes through the parallel plate diffuser, still having a high tangential velocity, a liquid spray is introduced into the larger diameter vortex to trap fine particles in the exhaust stream, with a baffle means disposed over the end of the vortex finder blocking the entry of the liquid spray into the vortex finder.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for separating particles from a gas stream which consists essentially of a cylindrical vessel having a feed pipe connected thereto and intersecting the axis of said vessel; an axial discharge pipe connected to and protruding into said vessel, a sleeve located with some clearance around said discharge pipe and having fixed thereto a plurality of helicoidal first impeller blades so as to cause the gas feed to rotate; means located within said vessel and below said blades to discharge said particles; said device being further characterized by a plurality of spiral second impeller blades extending perpendicularly below and above, and being fixed to, said helicoidal first impeller blades, such that one vertical edge of each of said spiral blades touches said sleeve along, essentially, a straight vertical line, that the other, essentially straight, vertical edge of each spiral blade is located at a distance from the surface of said sleeve which is between 0.33 and 0.

Abstract: A chimney for purifying smoke or gases has a tubular lining within the chimney on which a cleaning liquid downwardly flows. A central helicoidal surface composed of a plurality of piled helical elements, imparts a helical movement to smoke or gases rising through the chimney, whereby impurities impinge on the film of liquid and are washed down. The lining can consist of a plurality of single or double walled tubular elements piled end-to-end and possibly arranged to supply the liquid in cascade.

Abstract: An intake air system for an internal combustion engine having an upright stack mounted on vehicle structure, as a hood, with a stack connecting assembly. An air precleaner is mounted on the upper end of the stack. The lower end of the stack is connected to tubular members which leads to the air cleaner of the engine. The precleaner has a cylindrical housing surrounding a separation chamber. A vane assembly has a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes providing an inlet passage open to the chamber for directing the air and particles into the chamber in a circular motion. A sleeve is centrally attached to the vane assembly and has a central outlet passage for carrying cleaned air from the chamber. An impeller assembly is rotatably mounted in the chamber and has a plurality of rotors having paddles located in contiguous relationship with respect to the walls of the chamber and a discharge opening in the housing.

Abstract: An arrangement for improved energy recovery in the pure gas outlet of a centrifugal separator which includes a cylindrical centrifugal chamber with a coaxial raw gas inlet at one end and a coaxial pure gas outlet at the other end and which is equipped with tangential auxiliary gas inlets in the region of the periphery of the centrifugal chamber inclined at an angle with respect to the raw gas outlet with a particle outlet concentrically surrounding the raw gas inlet, in which the pure gas outlet is conically flared and opens with its larger end into a cylindrical, closed ring chamber which includes a cover plate opposite the open outlet tube. A radially extending plate of a diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical ring chamber is attached to the larger, open end of the conical outlet tube and an aerodynamic body in the shape of a circular cone protrudes from the cover plate into the opened conical outlet tube.

Abstract: Means for separation of water in the connecting duct of a saturated steam turbine. A spin generator with guide blades is built directly into the duct. Downstream behind the spin generator, there are provided annular openings in the connecting duct for removal of the water to surrounding water receiving chambers. The water receiving chambers are connected by a steam suction pipe to a zone of lower pressure in the central flow portion of the spin generator. A water vapor agglomerator is located in a bent section of the duct before the spin generator and consists of directional baffles. The water is first agglomerated and then spun out.

Abstract: In a separator, a vapor-liquid mixture is passed upwardly through a pipe over an annular arrangement of curved vanes which whirl the mixture and effect the separation of its vapor and liquid components as it continues to flow upwardly above the vanes. Viewed in vertical section, each vane has a curved cross-section with its radius of curvature increasing from its radially inner end to its radially outer end. The vanes have the form of a section of the outer surface of a right circular cone whose axis extends transversely of the axis of the pipe containing the vanes and whose height is less than the diameter of the portion of the pipe containing the vanes.

Abstract: A muffler particulate trap for an internal combustion engine comprising a housing adapted to be connected to the exhaust stream of the engine through an inlet port, said housing also having an outlet port for communication with the atmosphere, between the inlet port and outlet port, in serial arrangement in the housing, there is at least one chamber containing refractory alumina of requisite high porosity and high surface area and, in communication with said chamber(s), at least one cyclone separator that vents the exhaust stream through said housing outlet into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A gaseous stream is freed of its particulate material in apparatus which includes a casing having an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and an impingement screen disposed across the inlet opening and comprising single or multiple, preferably staggered rows of impingement elements of V-shaped transverse profile positioned with the apex thereof facing the inlet opening. As the gaseous stream flows through the impingement screen, vortices are formed at the trailing edge of each element whereby droplets in the gaseous stream are entrained into the vortices, spin into a low pressure region which exists inside the open rear of the impingement element, and drain by gravity to collecting means. A series of radially extending vanes positioned downstream of the impingement screen impart swirl to the gaseous stream. A series of coaxial frustoconical rings are provided downstream of the vanes. Support means maintain the coaxial frustoconical rings in overlapping arrangement.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifier for removing unburned solid particles, sparks, and flames contained in exhaust gas discharged from internal and external combustion engines includes a closed cylindrical member connected to the exhaust port of an internal or external combustion engine and a swirl-generating member disposed in the cylindrical member and provided with a plurality of swirl vanes for swirling the exhaust gas, whereby the length of time that the exhaust gas is disposed in the cylinder is extended and unburned solid particles, sparks, and flames contained in the exhaust gas are centrifugally separated and extinguished thereby discharging relatively clean gas.

Abstract: An elongated cylindrical casing defines a contacting chamber of the type used in a gas effluent processing system. The casing is disposed with its longitudinal axis in a vertical orientation and has conduit means disposed to direct gas and liquid flows into the upper end of the chamber for generally downward concurrent intermixing progression whereby particulate matter is transferred from the gas flow to the liquid prior to discharge of the separate flows from the lower end of the contacting chamber. The lower discharge end of the casing has an improved structural configuration that overcomes certain problems inherent in prior art apparatus designed for accomplishing the same purpose. Flow control means is also disclosed for use within the chamber to further enhance the operational efficiency of the contacting chamber.