US2458320A

US2458320A - Flow tube

Info

Publication number: US2458320A
Application number: US566141A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry M Unschuld
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-12-01
Filing date: 1944-12-01
Publication date: 1949-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1966-01-04

Description

Jan. 4, 1949. H. M. uNscHULD FLOW TUBE Filed Deo. l, 1944 INVENTOR. Henry/w Uwe/mld, BY

lV Q

m S v Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE FLOW TUBE Henry M. Unschuld, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 1, 1944, Serial No. 566,141

The object of this invention is to provide a flow tube of new and useful construction for use in the treatment of uids passing through the same.

While the foregoing statement is indicative in a general Way of the nature of the invention, other more specific objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction of the new tube.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is presented herein by way of exemplication but it will of course be appreciated that the invention is susceptible of incorporation in other structurally modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accomp-anying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a flow tube constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the tube, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is another transverse section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view of the rear end of the tube.

The flow tube which forms the subject matter of this invention is an elongated open-ended conduit Iii which is preferably made in three telescopically associated sections II, I2 and I3. These sections may be advantageously made of quartz glass.

The iirst section Il is provided at its front end with a radially extending flange I4 for endwise connection with an associated conduit. The flange I4 contains a small centrally located opening I5 through which the fluid which is to be treated is adapted to enter. From the flange I4 the section II extends rearwardly in a small diameter neck portion I6 of somewhat larger inside diameter than the opening I5. The neck portion I6 opens into a larger diameter body portion I1 which contains a centrally arranged electrode carrier I8. At its rear end the iirst section II terminates in a rearwardly tapering portion I9 which sleeves into and is lxedly bonded with an oppositely tapered portion 2D on the front end of the second or intermediate section I2.

The electrode carrier IB consists of a small tube 2l which encloses an electrical conductor 22. The tube 2|, with the conductor 22 within the same, extends radially inward from one side of the body portion I1 to a point adjacent the center of that portion and then extends rearwardly to a point adjacent the rear end of the portion I1, the tube 2| being supported intermediate its ends by spoke-like formations 23 which extend radially from the same to the surrounding wall of the portion I1. The conductor 22 extends rearwardly 4 Claims. (Cl. 204-312) at 24 from the rear end of the carrying tube 2| and is provided beyond the rear end of the iirst section I I with a ring-shaped electrode 25, which electrode is supported from the rear end of the conductor 24 in spaced concentric relation to the inner wall of the section I2 by radially extending spoke members 26. The electrode 25 is preferably of rearwardly diverging cross section, as shown.

The second or intermediate section I2 continues rearwardly from the rearwardly tapering connecting portion 2n into a body portion 21. The body portion 21 merges rearwardly into a, bulbous portion 28 of somewhat larger diameter. Beyond the portion 28 the section I2 contracts into a short cylindrical section 29 which terminates at its rear end in a rearwardly diverging portion 30, which last mentioned portion is sleeved over and iixedly bonded to a telescopically associated portion 3l of the third or last section I3.

The section I3 is provided at its front end with a rearwardly diverging portion 32 having a small centrally arranged opening 33. The portion 32 merges rearwardly into a cylindrical portion 34 which is encompassed by the portion 29 of the second section I2 and with a. rearwardly dlverging portion 35 which is kencompassed by the rearwardly diverging portion 30 of the section I2. Between the portions 29 and 3D of the section i2 and the portions 34 and 35 of the section I3 a second ring-shaped electrode 36 is positioned, with the front edge 31 of the electrode projecting forwardly into the rear end of the annular space 38 present between the bulbous portion 28 of the second section and the reduced front end 32 of the third section. This electrode is provided with a conductor 39 which extends to the outside of the tube. Y Y

Beyond the rearwardly diverging portion 3| the third section i3 is shaped to provide a cylindrical body portion 40 of substantial diameter in which a hollow tube 4I is coiled, preferably as shown. The two ends of the tube 4I are connected with nozzles 42 and 43 which are located on the outside of the section I3, preferably as integral portions of the latter. From the portion 40 the third section I3 is abruptly reduced in diameter at 44 and opens into a small diameter neck portion 45, of substantially the same size as the neck portion I6. The neck portion 45 terminates in a radial attaching flange 46 containing a small centrally located opening 41, preferably of smaller size than the neck portion 46.

'I'he

conductors

22 and 39 are adapted to be connected by leads 48 and 49 to a. source of electrical current, the nature of the current depending upon the character of the treatment to which the fluid flowing through the tube is intended to be subjected. The nozzles 42 and i3 are adapted to be connected with a circulating cooling medium, the character and temperature of the medium depending upon the temperature to which the fluid is to be reduced and also the rate of flow of the fluid.

Briefly described, the iow tube of this invention is designed to subject a gas or other fluid flowing through the same first to the bombarding action of an electrostatic field operating between the

electrodes

25 and 31, and, immediately thereafter, to the cooling action of the medium flowing through the coil 4i. The annular chamber formed within the second section I2V about the reduced front end 32 of the third section permits of the fluid being subjected to the action of the current in a semi-quiescent eddy zone, without however interfering with the continuous flow of the fluid through the tube from one end of the same to the other.

I claim:

1. A flow tube for use in treating fluid with electrostatic charges comprising a generally tubular glass member, a partition dividing said tubular member into two axially spaced chambers, connecting means on the ends of said tubular glass member for connecting the one end to a fluid supply line and the other end to a discharge line, a pair of spaced electrodes in the one of said chambers which receives the fluid to be treated, and a temperature controlling means in the other of said chambers, said dividing partition having With the walls thereof spaced from the walls of said receiving chamber whereby the flow of the fluid in the receiving chamber is retarded and subjected to the electrostatic charges for a longer period of time,

2. A flow tube for use in treating fluids with electrostatic charges comprising a generally tubular member forming a treatment chamber, said member having means on one end for connecting the same to a fluid supply line and having its walls flared outwardly at its other end, another generally tubular member having means on one end for connecting the same to a discharge line and having the walls at its other end flared inwardly and terminating in a restricted opening, said tubular members being permanently connected in telescoped relation with the inwardly flared end walls of said second mentioned tubular member extending a substantial distance within said first mentioned tubular member to form a restricted passageway between the tubular members and to form within said treatment chamber an eddy zone for the fluid being treated, a pair of axially spaced electrodes one of which is positioned adjacent the entrance end of said treatment chamber and the other of which is positioned at the connecting line between said tubular members,

whereby duid is held in said treatment chamber for a longer period of time by the action of said eddy zone and said restricted passageway, and temperature controlling means within said second mentioned tubular member.

3` An elongated ow tube through which a fluid is adapted to pass, entering at one end of the tube and leaving at the other, said tube containing a pair of spaced electrodes adapted for connection exteriorly of the tube in an electrical circuit for subjecting the fluid upon entering the tube to an electrical action, a temperature controlling element immediately beyond the electrodes past which the fluid is adapted to flow, said tube comprising a plurality oi relatively thin Walled sections of quartz glass and a cone-shaped partition extending from the end of one of said sections adjacent one of said electrodes with the smaller end thereoi positioned in the space between said electrodes and having a restricted aperture in said end.

4. An elongated flow tube through which a fluid is adapted to pass, entering at one end of the tube and leaving at the other, said tube having a pair of spaced ring electrodes therein, said tube comprising a plurality of relatively thin walled sections of quartz glass having end portions which are connected in telescoped relation, the section of said tube at the end through which the fluid enters having a relatively small passageway for receiving the fluid and a somewhat larger connecting passageway terminating in a constricted end which is telescoped Within the flared end of the adjacent central section, means for supporting one of said electrodes in said larger passageway, Said electrode being positioned in the end of said adjacent central section, said central section having a bulbous portion terminating in a cylindrical portion which telescopes the adjacent end of the section at the discharge end 0f the tube, means for supporting the other electrode between the tube sections at the end of the bulbous portion, said last mentioned tube section having a truncated partition forming end the smaller end of which extends a substantial distance into the bulbous portion of the central tube section and a communicating chamber of larger diameter and cooling coils mounted in said last mentioned chamber.

HENRY M. UNSCHULD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 884,919 Grau et al, Apr. 14, 1908 1,035,873 Grohmann Aug. 20, 1912 1,115,625 Koch Nov. 3, 1914 1,664,967 Christensen Apr. 3, 1928 1,895,489 Ruben Jan. 31, 1933 1,979,757 Melot Nov. 6, 1934 2,106,779 Whittier Feb. 1, 1938 2,106,782 Whittier Feb. 1, 1938 2,127,229 McRae Aug. 16, 1938.