US2917229A

US2917229A - Refrigerated centrifuge

Info

Publication number: US2917229A
Application number: US730748A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benedetto Charles Di; William J Piemonte; Benedetto Salvatore Di
Original assignee: LOURDES INSTR Co
Current assignee: LOURDES INSTR Co; LOURDES INSTRUMENT Co
Priority date: 1958-04-17
Filing date: 1958-04-17
Publication date: 1959-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1976-12-15

Description

Dec. 15, 1959 c. Dx BENEDETTO ET AL 2,917,229

REFRIGERATED CENTRIFUGE Filed April 17, 195s Unite 2,917,229 REFRIGERATED CENTRIFUGE Charles Di Benedetto and William J. Piemonte, Brooklyn, and Salvatore Di Benedetto, Franklin Square, N Y., assignors to Lourdes Instrument, Company, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Application April 17, 1958, Serial No. 730,748 2 Claims. (Cl. 233-11) art; however, the prior attempts all provide cooling by means of a cylindrical sleeve type evaporator. With this type cooling there is considerable air turbulence and poor circulation, which may result in inefficient refrigeration. Also, the prior art shows that the ksurface cooling area is limited to the area of the cylindrical jacket.

It is an object of this invention to provide a centrifuge in which the high speed rotor is also the air impeller for the circulation of air through and around a plurality of refrigerated coils and back to the rotor to provide the desired cooling of the rotor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a centrifuge in which the high speed rotor is also the air impeller for the circulation of air through and around a plurality of refrigerated coils and back to the rotor to provide the desired cooling of the rotor and in which the degree of air flow is in direct proportion to the r.p.m. of the rotor.

y.It is a-further object of this invention to provide a centrifuge in which the high speed rotor is also the air impeller for the circulation of air through and around a plurality of refrigerated coils and back't'o the rotor to provide the desired cooling of the rotor and in which the degree of air flow is in direct proportion to the r.p.m. of the rotor and is directed in two paths, vone stream of air passing through side refrigerated coils and being redi- States Patent O rected back to the top and side of the rotor while the A Vother stream of air is directed through bottom refrigerated coils and redirected to impinge on the bottom surface of the rotor to provide the desired cooling of the rotor.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a centrifuge that is mounted within a refrigerated cabinet'and in which the high speed rotor becomes the impeller for circulating air within the cabinet through a -plurality of refrigerated coils and in which the air stream shape of the rotor and the degree of air flow is controlled by the r.p.m. of the rotor and the air flow is divided into two air streams, one stream of air passing through the side refrigerated coils and being directed back to the top and side of the rotor while the other stream of air is directed through bottom refrigerated coils and redi- ICC rected back to mpinge on the bottom surface of the rotor to provide the desired cooling of the rotor.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a centrifuge that is mounted Within a refrigerated cabinet and in which the high speed rotor becomes the impeller for circulating air within the cabinet through a plurality of refrigerated coils and in which the air stream is properly deflected to provide laminar ow through a plurality of refrigerated coils.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a centrifuge that ismounted within a refrigerated cabinet and in which the high speed rotor becomes the impeller forv circulating air within the cabinet through a plurality of refrigerated coils and in which the air stream is properly dellected to provide laminar ow through a plurality of primary and secondary refrigerated surfaces.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a centrifuge that is mounted within a refrigerated cabinet and in which the high speed rotor becomes the impeller for circulating air within the cabinet through a plurality of refrigerated coils and in which the air stream is properly dellected to provide laminar llow through a plurality of large area refrigerated coils with primary an secondary cooling surfaces.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a centrifuge that is mounted within a refrigerated cabinet and in which the high speed rotor becomes the impeller for circulating air within the cabinet through a plurality of refrigerated coils and in which the air stream is properly deflected to provide laminar flow through a plurality of bottom as well as side refrigerated coils.

Further objects of this invention shall be apparent by reference to the accompanying detailed description and the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the centrifuge mounted in a refrigerated cabinet.

Figure 2 is a plan view taken on line 2 2 of Figure l.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a stationary circular supporting cabinet 10. The cabinet 10 has a circular wall 11 and a bottom 12. The bottom or base of the cabinet 12 is provided With a concentric aperture 14. The top of the cabinet is provided with a flange 15 which is approximately 90 to the wall 11. A cylindrical liner 16, preferably of stainless steel, is provided to fit into the cabinet and abut with the edge of the circular flange 15. The liner 16 may be turned over and bolted to flange 15. This joint also provides the means of clamping a rubber gasket 17 as illustrated so that a cover 19 may be positioned over the cabinet in use. The liner 16 does not extend to the bottom of the cabinet. It is approximately 2/3 of the depth of the cabinet and the liner 16 is provided with a plurality of slots or apertures 20 adjacent the upper edge of liner 16. Within the space formed by the circular wall 11 and the circular liner 16, there are mounted a plurality of tubes 21. Tubing 21 is preferably spiraled about the cabinet in the position illustrated and it is in turn connected to a refrigeration system so that the refrigerated gas,tsuch as Freon 22, will be pumped through the tubing and the expansion of the Freon will take place Within the tubing. The tubing 21 is also provided with a plurality of fins 22 in disk form or the ns may also be spiraled about the tubing 21. In the base of cabinet 10, there is also mounted a circular'deflection plate 23. The upper edge of the dellection plate 23 abuts with the wall 11 of the cabinet, while the lower edge of the deliection plate 23 abuts with and rests upon the bottom wall 12. The deflection plate 23 is provided with a plurality of apertures 24. It is to be noted that the apertures 24 are formed by cutting the plate 23 and forming or bending the metal inward, to form a curved baffle 25. It is kalso to be notedl thata pluralityof apertures are punched in the deection plate at a position in close proximity with the bottom edge of the plate as illustrated. Apertures may be circular in form as shown or they ,may be enlarged in slot form to provide sutiicient opening for the passageiof the refrigerated or cooled air. It is to be noted that within the area formedby the wall 11 of the cabinet, the base or bottom 12 of the cabinet and the deflection plate 23, there are a plurality of refrigerated coils mounted. These coils are similar to thosevmounted in the upper portion of the cabinet. lt

. vis to be noted that the tubing 21 may be equally spaced along the wall 11 and the bottom 12.

With the cabinet as described, the centrifuge rotor and support assembly 3G may be centrally mounted within the cabinet. In this particular instance a base 31. is mounted in the cabinet to rest upon the bottom V12 and the Aiiange or deflection plates 23. Base 31 is provided with a central aperture 32 to permit a drive shaft (not shown) to be passed therethrough for driving the centrifuge. A supporting structure 33 is mounted on base .31, structure 33 supporting thrust bearings 34. Structure 33 is formed with a smaller concentric portion 35 that fits within the lower bore 36 of a rotor 37. The thrust bearngsS-t support a drive shaft 38, ,drive shaft 38 extending through the smaller bore 39 of the rotor 37. AThe rotor 37 is provided with angularly shaped walls tu and a flat cover 41. It is to `be noted that the rotor 37 in its mounted and supported position is retained with a spacing between the bottom of the rotor 37 and its supporting structure. This is to permit a free circulation of air aroundthe bottom of the rotor.

With the device as described it is apparent that the rotor 37 is concentrically balanced within the cabinet and driven by means of a drive shaft 38 that is supported in a thrust bearing 34 and with the cover 19 closed down upon the gasket 17, the cabinet will be sealed with the refrigeration system (not shown) connectedto the tubing 2.1 and operating to provide the required degree of refrigeration for the system. When the rotor 37 is driven at its minimum or maximum rpm. the rotation of rotor 37 has the effect of impelling or moving the air surrounding said rotor. The high r.p.m. produces a throwing off of the air at the greatest diameter of the rotor. As indicated by arrows, the air will be cast off by centrifugal force and will impinge against the deflection plate 23. The air would normally be directed upward according to the arrows passing around the refrigerated coils 21 and upward through the area bounded by wall ill of the cabinet and the liner 16. As the ow of air builds up within this area it will be redirected through the apertures Ztl at the top of liner 16 and since the high r.p.m. of the rotor induces considerable velocity to the air, the air will ow at a rapid rate and will be thrown out of the apertures 2t) to impinge upon the cover 41 and the angular walls 4t? of the rotor. The air will absorb the heat from the rotor and will be circulated to be again coiled as it passes around refrigerated coils.

Referring to the deection plate 23 and particularly the apertures 24 and the deiiecting bafes 25, it is apparent that a certain portion of the air stream will be directed through these apertures to circulate within the area below the deliection plate passing around the refrigerated coils and being redirected through the apertures 26 and due to the velocity iiow of the air will pass from apertures 26 upward and impinge upon the lower surface of rotor 37. The cabinet 10 at the area where the wall 11 and base 12 join, may be curved to assist the natural air oW and prevent turbulence. Likewise Where the air passes through apertures 24, a further curved deflection guard 45 may be added to also assist in controlling the air ow and prevent turbulence. It is apparent that as the rotor 37 is operated, the minimum r,p.m. operation is sufiicient to provide the desired air circulating for cooling the rotor. However, as the rotor 1-37 is increased in its r.p.m., it also tends to heat to a greater degree and the increased r.p.m. also creates a greater velocity ow of air and thus produces a greater degree of cooling so that the increase in degree of heat created is easily and properly taken care of by the increased cooling elect produced by the increased air flow. As long as the refrigerated coils are adequately cooled, there will be a very effective cooling of the rotor 37, regardless of the r.p.m. at which it is driven (from minimum to maximum as designed).

Although the refrigerated cabinet described is provided with refrigerated coils of tubing, the cabinet may be similarly provided with other types of radiating elements as long as the radiating elements are positioned within the area of the air stream withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention and although the rotor is designed primarily for centrifuge operation, the rotor may be utilized to provide the dual function of impelling a circulation of air and the shape of the rotor may be altered to a greater or lesser angular degree to assist or change the degree of circulation without departing from the spirit of this invention, and although the cabinet has been designed to provide a division of the air being circulated to provide two paths of circulation, the air may be divided into a plurality of other paths of circulation if it is to the advantage of the rotor to be cooled without departing from the spirit of this invention and this invention shall be limited only by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A refrigerated centrifuge which includes an enclosing walled cabinet, having a base and a top cover, a plurality of refrigerated coils positioned adjacent to the walls of said cabinet, a vertically positioned rotor and supporting assembly for said rotor mounted in the center of said cabinet, a liner positioned to enclose said rotor and separate said rotor from said refrigerating coils, said base of said cabinet retaining a deflection plate positioned at an angle to the rotor axis to direct the air stream from said rotor upward through the refrigerated coils, said deflection plate provided with a plurality of inlet ports and baffles positioned on a horizontal plane adjacent the area at which the air stream normally leaves said rotor, said bafes being positioned above said inlet ports, to direct a portion of the air flow through said inlet ports, said deection plate provided with a plurality of outlet ports adjacent the base of said rotor, said deflection plate dividing the air stream from said rotor into two laminar flows, one of said air streams directed toward the bottom of said rotor and the other directed upward and redirected to the top and sides of said rotor.

2. A refrigerated centrifuge which includes an enclosing walled cabinet having a base and a top cover, a single vertically positioned centrifuge rotor which is also the container for the medium to be separated mounted in the center of said cabinet, said rotor having angular outer walls and in which the base of said rotor has the greater dimension, a plurality of refrigerated coils positioned adjacent the walls of said enclosing cabinet, an inner vertically positioned dividing wall to separate said refrigerated coils from said rotor, said rotor supported by a central supporting assembly, said dividing wall extending from a point slightly above the bottom of said rotor to the top of said cabinet which forms a vertical air passage and provides an inlet at the bottom of said dividing wall for the flow of air into said passage, a plurality of outlets positioned at the top of said dividing wall to direct the ow of air out of said passage toward said rotor.

References Cited in the file of this patent yUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,321,288 Dalzell Nov. 11, 1919 2,373,806 Barnes Apr, 17, 1945 2,699,289 Allen et al. -.Jan. 11, 1955 2,854,189 Garrett Sept. 30, 1958