GB2613378A

GB2613378A - Cyclone device

Info

Publication number: GB2613378A
Application number: GB2117384.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mccarthy Finian
Original assignee: Envitec Ltd
Current assignee: Envitec Ltd
Priority date: 2021-12-02
Filing date: 2021-12-02
Publication date: 2023-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 2041-12-02
Also published as: GB202117384D0; GB2613378B; IE20220195A2

Abstract

A cyclone device for separating a stream of mixed materials into solid, fluid and gas constituents comprises an outer shell 12; an inner shell 14 arranged concentrically within the outer shell 12; an inlet 2 located at a top end of the device for introducing the mixed materials into the inner shell 14 in a tangential stream; a baffle insert (26, fig 7) extending from the top end of the device to an intermediate point below the inlet; and a plurality of outlets 4, 6, 8 including at least a solids outlet 6, a fluid outlet 4 and a gas outlet 8, wherein the inner shell is a filtration means which is permeable for fluids and impermeable for solids of a predefined size, such that, in use, the stream of mixed materials is tangentially introduced into the inner shell via the inlet thus creating a cyclone which separates fluid and solid elements from the gas with a centrifugal force, such that each of solid, gas and fluid are ejected from the device via their respective outlets in a continuous operation. A method of separating a stream of mixed material is also claimed.

Description

Cyclone Device The present invention relates to a cyclone device which separates solids and fluids from a gas, in particular this invention separates solids and fluid from a gas such that each of the solids, fluids and gas can be collected separately from the device.

Background to the Invention

Cyclonic devices are known in the art, they may also be referred to as cyclone collector, cyclone separator, cyclone classifier etc. The general principle of a cyclone device is based on the use of centrifugal force, wherein objects which are rotating about an axis of rotation experience an outward force which pushes these objects away from the central axis of rotation. Simple cyclone devices are generally cylindrical vessels which comprise an inlet and at least two outlets. A gaseous/solid mix is continuously fed in a stream into the upper section of the vessel such that the input stream of gaseous/solid mix conforms to the internal structure of the vessel and thus moves in a generally spiral form within the vessel. A centrifugal force is created by the circular airflow wherein the solid elements with the most mass experience the greatest push radially outwards from a central axis of rotation or vortex of the cyclone. These solid elements continue their radial path outwards until they reach the sidewalls of the vessel. The gaseous/solid mix is also subject to gravity and as solid elements hit the sidewalls, the gravity acting on these solid elements causes them to fall downwards. The solid elements of the mix thus fall downwards within the vessel and they can be removed from the lower part of the vessel. As the gas has less inertia, it does not experience the same effect from the centrifugal force and the force of gravity, the gas remains in motion within the vortex of the cyclone and can be removed through an output in the upper part of the vessel. Some cyclone devices do not need to constantly rely on the effect of gravity in order to ensure separation and removal of solids. In this case, the centrifugal force is sufficiently strong to ensure that only gas can travel through the gas outlet and thus the solid particles are trapped in the cyclone device while the gas is removed from the device. The same principle can be applied to a gas/liquid mix or to a solids/liquid mix.

Cyclone devices have many applications and are used across many industries. Applications of cyclone devices include removal of particulate matter in flue gas for air filtration systems, separation of grease from exhaust air in vacuum hoods in kitchens, particle filtration in -2 -vacuum cleaners, removal of rigid plastic waste from automated manufacturing lines, separation of items such as powder coating, plastic fines and pellets, sawdust, coal etc. Cyclones are however subject to a number of disadvantages including low efficiencies (particularly for small particles) and difficulty scaling up or down on an industrial level due to the need to create a pressure drop within the vessel (at a certain scaling up point, flow loses make the device unfeasible and a certain scaling down point, the pressure drop is too low to support particle removal).

It is thus the object of the present invention to advance the technology of cyclone devices, in particular, to advance the separation of solid and fluid elements from a gas simultaneously.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a cyclone device for separating a stream of mixed materials into solid, fluid and gas constituents comprising an outer shell; an inner shell arranged concentrically within the outer shell; an inlet located at a top end of the device for introducing the mixed materials into the inner shell in a tangential stream; a baffle insert extending from the top end of the device to an intermediate point below the inlet; and a plurality of outlets including at least a solids outlet, a fluid outlet and a gas outlet, wherein the inner shell is a filtration means which is permeable for fluids and impermeable for solids of a predefined size, such that, in use, the stream of mixed materials is tangentially introduced into the inner shell via the inlet thus creating a cyclone which separates fluid and solid elements from the gas with a centrifugal force, such that each of solid, gas and fluid are ejected from the device via their respective outlets in a continuous operation.

Preferably, the inner shell is a hollow cylindrical body comprising a plurality of apertures.

In an alternative embodiment, preferably the inner shell is a mesh. -3 -

Preferably, when the inner shell is a hollow cylindrical body comprising a plurality of apertures, each aperture is oriented at an angle of 1200 to the longitudinal axis of the inner shell.

Preferably, the outer side of the inner shell comprises winglets.

Preferably, the inner shell comprises a substantially conical bottom member.

Preferably, the conical bottom member comprises a plurality of apertures.

Preferably, the inlet is restricted such that the flow of mixed materials into the device is pressurised.

Preferably, there is provided a method of separating a stream of mixed materials into constituent parts of solids, fluid and gas comprising: -Defining the composition of the stream of mixed materials, in particular the size of any solid elements; Providing a device as defined by the above statements; Based on the size of the solid elements in the stream of mixed materials, choosing a a suitable inner shell aperture size; or a suitable inner shell mesh size; Based on the composition of the stream of mixed materials and the size of the solid elements; choosing a suitable airspeed for the stream of mixed materials; Introducing the stream of mixed materials into the device via an inlet at the chosen airspeed; -Removing each of the solid, fluid and gas component parts from their respective outlets in a continuous operation.

Brief Description of the drawings

Figure 1 illustrates an elevation view of a cyclone device; Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of a sectional cut through the cyclone device wherein an inlet, an outer shell, an inner shell and a top flange are visible; -4 -Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the sectional cut of Figure 2; Figure 4 illustrates an elevation view of the interior of the inner shell, inlet and solid outlet of the cyclone device; Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of Figure 4; Figure 6 illustrates a magnified view of a section of an interface between the inner separator and the conical member wherein the respective plurality of apertures of both the inner separator and the conical member are visible; and Figure 7 illustrates a schematic side view of the device showing the locations of the inlet and the various outlets.

Detailed Description

Referring now to Figures 1 -7 of the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated a first embodiment of a cyclonic separator device, generally indicated as 100, which is designed to easily and efficiently separate both fluids and solids from a gas simultaneously.

The cyclonic separator device 100 is a elongate device comprising two ends. The end comprising a solids outlet 6 and a fluid outlet 4 is referred to as the bottom end. The end comprising an inlet 2 and a gas outlet 8 is referred to as the top end. A mixed input mixture flows into the device 100 through inlet 2 in the top end of the device 100.The device 100 can separate the mixed input stream which is made up of gas, liquid and solids into component parts and allows each of the gas, liquid and solids to be removed from the device 100 separately through independent outlets (4, 6, 8) in a continuously operating system.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the device 100 comprises an outer shell 12 and an inner shell 14, wherein both the outer shell 12 and the inner shell 14 are both hollow structures which comprise at least one cylindrical section. The outer shell 12 may comprise several sections which are joined to each other with flanges, or other joining means, in order to form the complete outer shell 12. The outer shell 12 is solid and prevents the contents of the device from escaping from the device 100. The outer shell 12 comprises fluid outlet 4, which allows fluid which is circulating between the inside of the outer shell 12 and the outside of the inner shell 14 to be removed. -5 -

The inner shell 14 of the device is an at least partially mesh-like material. The inner shell 14 is preferably plastic. In the preferred embodiment, the inner shell 14 comprises a plurality of evenly distributed apertures 16. It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to a rigid material with apertures and other means of obtaining the desired effect, such as a mesh material, are also included in the scope of the device without deviating from the inventive concept of the device. The inner shell 14 is located concentrically within the outer shell 12. The inner shell 14 also comprises a substantially conical member 18 in the form of a truncated cone, wherein the conical member 18 is joined to the inner shell 14 in order to provide a funnel shaped lower section of the inner shell 14. The conical member 18 also comprises a plurality of evenly distributed apertures 20. The distribution of the apertures 16 in the inner shell 14 is not necessarily identical to the distribution of apertures 20 in the conical member 18. The inner shell 14 also comprises a bottom member 24, wherein the bottom member 24 is in the form of a cylinder and the bottom member 24 is joined to the conical member 18 in order to provide a continuous channel for separated solids to exit to the device 100 through the bottom end of the device 100. A rotary valve, or alternative means, is employed at the solid outlet 6 in order to maintain a vacuum within the device 100.

A baffle insert 26 is provided which sits concentrically within the inner separator 14. The baffle insert 26 is substantially cylindrical and it is positioned in the top end of the device 100 such that it is in line with and connected to the gas outlet. The baffle insert 26 extends from the top of the device 100 to an intermediate location below the inlet 2 such that the mixed input stream which enters the device 100 via the inlet 2 cannot directly exit the device 100 via the gas outlet 8 (which is also located the same vicinity as the inlet 2 in the top end of the device 100). The baffle insert 26 ensures that the mixed input stream must conform to the inner shape of the inner shell 14 and thus create a spiral vortex during which solids and liquids are separated and whereby only gas remains within the vortex. Said gas therefore moves up through the vortex into the interior of the baffle insert 26 and out of the gas outlet 8.

As shown in Figure 1 -5, the inlet 2 is configured to input the mixed input stream directly into the interior of the inner shell 14. The mixed input stream enters the inner shell 14 tangentially or through a vaned inlet. The required air speed of the mixed input stream depends on the composition of the mixed input stream. The air speed may typically range from 10m/s to 40 m/s. In the preferred embodiment, an air speed of 20m/s is suitable for a -6 -mixed input stream containing air, fluid (such as for example water) water, plastic or other solids in the range of approximately 10mm x 1mm x 01mm. It will be appreciated that the solids are not limited to size of 10mm x 10mm x 1mm and solids of bigger or lesser sizes, and shapes which are not square, can also be filtered by choosing a mesh or apertures of different size. As shown in Figure 2 and 5, in the preferred embodiment, the inlet 2 comprises a restricted orifice 30 (also known as an inlet baffle) so that the diameter of the inlet 2, as it enters the inner shell 14, is restricted (for example but not limited to 50% reduction in diameter size) to a smaller diameter than that of the rest of inlet 2. The mixed input stream flows into the inner shell 14 tangentially to the inner walls of the inner shell 14 thus encouraging the mixed air stream to form a continuous spiral movement of mixed input stream within the inner shell 14. The cyclonic effect of the spiral movement means that the water and solid particles are forces against the inner walls of the inner shell 14 while the gas is concentrated within the spiral in a vortex. The inner shell 14 comprises a plurality of apertures 16 which are through holes which transverse the entire thickness of the inner shell 14. The apertures 16 are preferably configured to be located in row which are 1cm apart. The apertures are oriented at an angle of 120° to the longitudinal axis of the inner shell (30° from the axial plane of the inner shell 14), such that, any fluid which is pushed into an aperture 16 will continue to flow towards the bottom end of the device 100 due to the angle of orientation of the apertures 16 of the inner shell 14. It will be appreciated that other angles of orientation of the apertures are possible without deviating from the invention concept of the device. The orientation of the apertures 16 may vary between 0° and 90° depending on the requirements of the application. The apertures 16 are sized such that the apertures 16 are smaller than the size of the smallest solid element to be removed.

The fluid is free to travel though the apertures 16 such that the inner shell 14 with its plurality of apertures 16 acts as a filter, trapping the solid particles but allowing the fluid to travel through the inner shell 14 into the space defined by the outside of the inner shell 14 and the inside of the outer shell 16. VVinglets 28 in the form of longitudinal ridges on the outer side of the inner shell 14, which separate columns of apertures 16, may also be provided. The winglets 28 may be integrally formed on the exterior side of the inner shell 14.

In use, a mixed stream is continuously fed into the inlet 2. The mixed stream flows from the inlet 2 into the inside of the inner shell 14. The mixed stream is tangentially oriented on entry into the inner shell 14 such that the mixed stream naturally conforms to the curved shape of the inside of the inner shell 14 thus creating a cyclone. The cyclone activity within the -7 -inner shell 14 pushes the fluid and solid particles radially outwards. When the solid elements come in contact with the walls of the inner shell 14, they are no longer able to move radially outwards as the solid elements are bigger than the apertures 16 and thus the solids elements drop downwards toward the solid outlet 6. However, due to the presence of the apertures 16 in the inner shell 14, the fluid can continue moving radially outwards when the fluid comes in contact with the inner shell 14. The fluid flows into the apertures 16 which are oriented downwards at 300. In alternative embodiments these apertures could be oriented at any angle from 00 to 900. Once the fluid is on the outer side of the inner shell 14, the fluid is also encouraged to run downwards along the winglets 28 which are oriented axially along the outside of the inner shell 14 to the fluid outlet 4. The winglets 28 prevent the fluid from exiting the inner shell 14 through one aperture 16 and then re-entering the inner shell 14 through an adjacent aperture 16. As the gas component of the mixed stream has less inertia than the fluid or the solids, the gas tends to gather and circulate in the middle of the device 100 where a vortex is formed. The pressure on the gas encourages the gas to rise up through the vortex and the gas can this be removed from the gas outlet 8 at the top of the device 100.

The diameter, length and internal geometries of the device 100 can increase or decrease proportionately depending on the air volume intake and the solid/fluid load levels and characteristics.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein which are given by way of example only and that various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. -8 -

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A cyclone device 100 for separating a stream of mixed materials into solid, fluid and gas constituents comprising an outer shell 12; an inner shell 14 arranged concentrically within the outer shell 12; an inlet 2 located at a top end of the device 100 for introducing the mixed materials into the inner shell 14 in a tangential stream; a baffle insert 26 extending from the top end of the device 100 to an intermediate point below the inlet 2; and a plurality of outlets 4, 6, 8 including at least a solids outlet 6, a fluid outlet 4 and a gas outlet 8, wherein the inner shell 14 is a filtration means which is permeable for fluids and impermeable for solids of a predefined size, such that, in use, the stream of mixed materials is tangentially introduced into the inner shell 14 via the inlet 2 thus creating a cyclone which separates fluid and solid elements from the gas with a centrifugal force, such that each of solid, gas and fluid are ejected from the device 100 via their respective outlets 6, 8, 4 in a continuous operation.
2. The device 100 of claim 1, wherein the inner shell 14 is a hollow cylindrical body comprising a plurality of apertures 16.
3. The device 100 of claim 1, wherein the inner shell 14 is a mesh.
4. The device 100 of claim 2, wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures 16 is oriented at an angle of 90° to 180° to the longitudinal axis of the inner shell 14, preferably each aperture is oriented at an angle of 120°.
5. The device 100 of any preceding claim, wherein the outer side of the inner shell 14 comprises winglets 28.
6. The device 100 of any preceding claim, wherein the inner shell 14 comprises a substantially conical bottom member 24.
7. The device 100 of claim 6, wherein the conical bottom member comprises a plurality of apertures 20.
8. The device 100 of any preceding claim, wherein the inlet 2 is restricted such that the flow of mixed materials into the device 100 is pressurised.
9. A method of separating a stream of mixed materials into constituent parts of solids, fluid and gas comprising: Defining the composition of the stream of mixed materials, in particular the size of any solid elements; Providing a device 100 according to any of the preceding claims; - Based on the size of the solid elements in the stream of mixed materials, choosing o a suitable inner shell 16 aperture size; or o a suitable inner shell 16 mesh size; -Based on the composition of the stream of mixed materials and the size of the solid elements; choosing a suitable airspeed for the stream of mixed materials; - Introducing the stream of mixed materials into the device 100 via an inlet 2 at the chosen airspeed; Removing each of the solid, fluid and gas component parts from their respective outlets 4, 6, 8 in a continuous operation.