US3166496A - Method and apparatus for the separation of solid particles into sized fractions - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for the separation of solid particles into sized fractions Download PDF

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Publication number
US3166496A
US3166496A US126612A US12661261A US3166496A US 3166496 A US3166496 A US 3166496A US 126612 A US126612 A US 126612A US 12661261 A US12661261 A US 12661261A US 3166496 A US3166496 A US 3166496A
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United States
Prior art keywords
cyclone
elutriator
particles
orifice
fluid
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Expired - Lifetime
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US126612A
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English (en)
Inventor
Kelsall Denis Fletcher
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Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization CSIRO
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Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization CSIRO
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03B—SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS
    • B03B9/00—General arrangement of separating plant, e.g. flow sheets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03B—SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS
    • B03B5/00—Washing granular, powdered or lumpy materials; Wet separating
    • B03B5/28—Washing granular, powdered or lumpy materials; Wet separating by sink-float separation
    • B03B5/30—Washing granular, powdered or lumpy materials; Wet separating by sink-float separation using heavy liquids or suspensions
    • B03B5/32—Washing granular, powdered or lumpy materials; Wet separating by sink-float separation using heavy liquids or suspensions using centrifugal force
    • B03B5/34—Applications of hydrocyclones
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04C—APPARATUS USING FREE VORTEX FLOW, e.g. CYCLONES
    • B04C3/00—Apparatus in which the axial direction of the vortex flow following a screw-thread type line remains unchanged ; Devices in which one of the two discharge ducts returns centrally through the vortex chamber, a reverse-flow vortex being prevented by bulkheads in the central discharge duct
    • B04C3/04—Multiple arrangement thereof
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04C—APPARATUS USING FREE VORTEX FLOW, e.g. CYCLONES
    • B04C5/00—Apparatus in which the axial direction of the vortex is reversed
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04C—APPARATUS USING FREE VORTEX FLOW, e.g. CYCLONES
    • B04C5/00—Apparatus in which the axial direction of the vortex is reversed
    • B04C5/14—Construction of the underflow ducting; Apex constructions; Discharge arrangements ; discharge through sidewall provided with a few slits or perforations
    • B04C5/15—Construction of the underflow ducting; Apex constructions; Discharge arrangements ; discharge through sidewall provided with a few slits or perforations with swinging flaps or revolving sluices; Sluices; Check-valves
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04C—APPARATUS USING FREE VORTEX FLOW, e.g. CYCLONES
    • B04C5/00—Apparatus in which the axial direction of the vortex is reversed
    • B04C5/24—Multiple arrangement thereof
    • B04C5/26—Multiple arrangement thereof for series flow

Definitions

  • the principal object of this invention is to provide a simple apparatus which is easy to operate and which eliminates or substantially reduces the disadvantages of, the prior apparatus.
  • a cyclone elutriator to separate particles according to thefrate at which they settle through a fluid medium'under the influence of centrifugal forces.
  • the settling rate of a particlein a given fluid and under the influence of a given force is dependent upon the size, shape and specific gravity ofthe particle.
  • the separation is herein referred to as a separation according to size but it is to be appreciated that the expression size is to be taken to include the abovementioned other factors where these are relevant. In 'short, therefore, the expresison size is used as a convenient term for settling'rate.
  • solid particles are separated into sized fractions by the introduction of the particles into a fluid stream of a cyclone elutriator, the elutriator being modified in that, during elutriation there is no Patented Jan. 19, 1965 net underflow discharge and all discharge of fluid from the system occurs through the vortex finder.
  • This modification ensures that all but the finest particles are repeatedly passed through the cyclone and by suitable selection of the essential dimensions and operating conditions of the cyclone the size fraction discharged through the vortex finder can be accurately delineated.
  • the invention also includes the method of separating solid particles into sized fractions comprising the steps of introducing the particles into the fluid stream of a cyclone elutriator, retaining in the elutriator particles of size greater than a predetermined minimum during a time sufiicient to ensure that they repeatedly traverse the flow pattern of the elutriator and then discharging the said retained particles from the elutriator.
  • the rate of flow of fluid through the cyclone is considerably greater at starting and just before stopping than it is during the elutriation.
  • the invention further includes apparatus for use in the above operations.
  • FIGURE 1 is a graph showing the distribution of sample discharge from a conventional cyclone elutriator, curve X, and from one which is modified in the manner of this invention, curve Y,
  • FIGURE 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one form of cyclone elutriator constructed in accordance with this invention
  • FIGURE 3 is a schematic view of an arrangement for operating a number of elutriators in series
  • FIGURE 4 is a schematic view of an alternative method of series of operation of a number of elutriators.
  • the cyclone 1 comprises an upper conical part 2 and a lower cylindrical part 3.
  • the apex 4 of conical portion is uppermost and this, in a conventional cyclone, would constitute the underflow or apex discharge orifice.
  • the lower cylindrical part 3 is pro vided with a tangential fluid inlet 5 and an overflow dis:- charge orifice or vortex finder 6.
  • a transparent sided enclosed chamber 7 Located above the apex 4- of the cyclone and detachable from it is a transparent sided enclosed chamber 7 which acts as a container for the sample under test.
  • the apex orifice 4 communicates the interior of the cyclone with the interior of the samplecontainer so that the sample container in effect encloses the apex orifice.
  • the sample container 7 carries a metal rod 8 which has a rubber plug 9 attached to it. This rubber plug is used initially to seal off the opening 10 in the bottom of the sample container as will be later explained.
  • the sample container also carries a small discharge valve Ill for discharging the contents of the elutriator at the end of the test.
  • a certain proportion of the swirling fluid moves along the conical side 2 of the cyclone 1 and enters the sample container 7. This continuously stirs the solids in the sample container and returns, carrying solids of all sizes, via a stable swirling flow, to the cyclone.
  • the fluid then moves through a precise path defined by an imaginary cylinder of relatively small diameter, coaxial with the axis of the cyclone and discharges through the vortex finder 6 together with the remaining water (i.e. with the fraction of the water which did not enter the sample container).
  • the actual size of separation can be adjusted and controlled within wide limits (40 to 8 microns in trials with the present apparatus). In effect all particles finer than a predetermined size are discharged from the system and all particles coarser than that size are retained. This can be seen by reference to FIGURE 1 wherein the broken line Y indicates the relation between apex discharge and particle size for an elutriator of the type shown in FIGURE 2.
  • This curve can be regarded as one of a family of curves of which X represents the special case of a single pass separation in a conventional elutriator and the line through A represents the special case of the ideal separation wherein the elutriation is carried on under ideal conditions for an infinite time to give an infinite number of passes.
  • a typical sizing test is performed as follows:
  • the sample container 7 is removed and a weighed sample of solids to be elutriated is inserted together with water (if this is the selected fluid) and a suitable dispersant.
  • the container is almost completely filled.
  • the metal rod 8 is then pushed down so that the rubber plug 9 seals the opening 10 in the base of the container which, in operation, mates with the apex orifice 4.
  • the container and its contents are agitated to ensure conditions necessary for good dispersion, and the container is then connected to the apex orifice of the cyclone.
  • Fluid e.g. water
  • the metal rod is then pulled upwards, removing the rubber plug from the base of the sample container and placing the container in communication with the interior of the cyclone.
  • Water from the cyclone passes through the sample container as described above. After say, five minutes operation during which all the very fine particles are removed from the elutriator through the vortex finder 6, the flow rate is decreased to a predetermined value dependent on the separation to be achieved and is maintained at that value for the selected elutriation time.
  • the flow rate is then increased to a much higher value and the small discharge valve 11 in the sample container is opened thus discharging all the remaining solids from the cyclone and sample container. These are dried and weighed.
  • the known cyclone characteristics are chosen to give the desired separation.
  • the apex orifice size and the size and proportions of the sample container must be chosen so that adequate stirring of the material in the sample container takes place, i.e. care must be taken to ensure that a sufiicient proportion of the flow can enter the sample container in an annular stream, circulate there-through and return through the apex orifice to the cyclone as a vortex stream.
  • the apparatus above described can be used in two particular methods of size analysis to obtain a number of size fractions.
  • a number of individual elutriators are used to separate diflerent'selected size fractions from samples of a test material.
  • the characteristics of flow rate, feed diameter, vortex finder length and diameter and apex orifice diameter etc. are chosen to give the desired separation in each elutriator.
  • the first may be chosen to retain all particles of size 30 microns and greater, the second to retain particle sizes of 25 microns and greater and so on.
  • the first cyclone 20 may be designed to retain particles of size 30 microns and greater, the second 21 to retain particles of size 20 to 30 microns and the third 22 to retain particles of size to microns.
  • the vortex finder discharge from the first elutriator is led to the inlet to the second and that from the second elutriator is led to the inlet to the third.
  • the sample to be elutriated is placed in the sample container of the first elutriator 20 and the process is operated in the manner previously described for the single elutriator.
  • each of cyclones retains particles within the limits of size selected for that unit but passes on particles finer than smallest size limit, and the only particles permitted to leave the whole system continuously are those finer than the smallest size limit of the last unit 22 in the series, which are eliminated with the fluid flowing through the vortex finder of 2-2.
  • the sample to be elutriated is placed in the sample container of the first elutriator 20 and the process is Operated in the manner previously described for the single elutriator. l p
  • each of the elutriators behaves in a manner similar to that already described in detail for a single elutriator in that all the particles retained in each elutriator are continuously recycled to the separating zones thereby increasing the precision of separation with increase in time of operation.
  • the sample material is introduced from outside the first elutriator.
  • the arrangement shown in FIGURE 4 illustrates one of several methods by means of which this can be achieved. It will be appreciated that the method used does not comprise part of the invention but merely permits one form of use of the invention.
  • a relatively large sample say 100 grams, of the solid material to be elutriated, dispersed in the working fluid is placed in the sample container 23 with valves 24 and 25 so adjusted that the fluid feed cannot enter container 23, but passes by the conduit, parallel to container 23, directly to the first elutriator of the series.
  • the fluid feed is set to a fixed flow rate 1.2 to 2.0 times that to be used for the elutriation operation, all air removed from the system, and sufiicient time allowed for the flow patterns in the whole system to become stable.
  • Valves 24 and 25 are then adjusted so that sufficient of the fluid feed is diverted through container 23, such that the solid sample is con- 6 tinuously displaced from the container and just completely displaced over a fixed period of, say, 10 minutes. During this period the total fluid flow rate is maintained constant and the solid particles are distributed between elutriators 20, 21 and 22, and particles which are too fine to be retained by the last elutriator 22, even under the high flow rate conditions, are eliminated through the vortex finder 6 of elutriator 22.
  • a typical installation may employ elutriators having the following basic dimensions:
  • Cyclone elutriators constructed and operated as above described have the following advantages in an elutriation of relatively fine solid particles. They (a) are very simple in design and construction;
  • Apparatus for separating a sample of solid particles into two separate sized fractions comprising a conical cyclone elutriator having a fluid inlet arranged to introduce fluid tangentially into the elutriator, means to introduce all the particles of the sample into the fluid stream of the elutriator, a vortex finder, an underflow orifice at the apex of the cyclone, said cyclone having an inner surface converging to said orifice, means defining a generally cylindrical chamber arranged coaxially with said cyclone, said chamber having a cylindrical wall surface portion with a diameter larger than the orifice and a diverging wall surface portion extending from said orifice to said cylindrical wall surface portion so that said underflow orifice opens directly and without restriction into said chamber whereby the whole of the underflow discharge of the cyclone can be continuously circulated through said chamber and returned to the cyclone, and a discharge valve in said chamber operable to permit discharge of the contents of the elutriator after
  • Apparatus for separating a sample of solid particles into two separate sized fractions comprising a conical cyclone elutriator arranged with its apex uppermost and having a fluid inlet arranged to introduce fluid tangentially into the elutriator, an underflow orifice at the apex of the cyclone, a vortex finder at the base of the cyclone, a detachable container for the sample defining a generally cylindrical enclosed chamber arranged coaxially with the cyclone into which said underflow orifice opens, said chamber being provided with a discharge valve and a removable plug to seal the chamber from the interior of the cyclone; withdrawal of the plug permitting the introduction of the particles of the sample to the fluid stream of the elutriator and placing the interior of the cyclone into direct communication with the interior of the chamber, whereby the underflow orifice of the cyclone is enclosed by the chamber and the whole of the underflow discharge of the cyclone can be continuously circulated through the enclosed chamber and

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  • Apparatuses For Bulk Treatment Of Fruits And Vegetables And Apparatuses For Preparing Feeds (AREA)
US126612A 1960-08-01 1961-07-25 Method and apparatus for the separation of solid particles into sized fractions Expired - Lifetime US3166496A (en)

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU63071/60A AU250915B2 (en) 1960-08-01 1960-08-01 Method and apparatus forthe separation of solid particles into sized fractions

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US (1) US3166496A (en, 2012)
AU (1) AU250915B2 (en, 2012)
DE (1) DE1160381B (en, 2012)
ES (1) ES269270A1 (en, 2012)
FR (1) FR1296387A (en, 2012)
GB (1) GB988577A (en, 2012)
NL (1) NL267636A (en, 2012)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3337090A (en) * 1962-07-27 1967-08-22 Reactor Centrum Nederland Method for storing, keeping in stock and/or discharging with adjustable concentration the heavier component of a fluid mixture
US3472371A (en) * 1966-10-04 1969-10-14 Ronald Percy Ayerst Sorting fibrous material
US3477569A (en) * 1965-03-18 1969-11-11 Siemens Ag Vortex type separator and collector system
US3485362A (en) * 1964-01-24 1969-12-23 Reactor Centrum Nederland Device for filtering,separating or agitating a liquid mixture composed of two phases having different specific gravities
US3901725A (en) * 1971-09-15 1975-08-26 Staley Mfg Co A E Size classified cereal starch granules
US4010369A (en) * 1974-01-29 1977-03-01 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Interior Method for rapid particle size analysis by hydrosizing and nuclear sensing
US4280718A (en) * 1975-03-24 1981-07-28 Henkel Corporation Pressure sensitive recording sheet containing size classified cereal starch granules
FR2588780A1 (fr) * 1985-10-17 1987-04-24 Sames Sa Installation de poudrage de pieces a cabine de poudrage maintenue en depression
US20130008840A1 (en) * 2011-07-06 2013-01-10 Pesetsky Serge Particle separator
US10618048B2 (en) * 2016-12-05 2020-04-14 Pva Tepla Ag Sample container for receiving small-volume liquid samples
US11015156B1 (en) * 2020-05-22 2021-05-25 Franzenburg Protein concentration methods

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4980064A (en) * 1986-04-23 1990-12-25 Conoco Specialty Products Inc. Cyclone separator with enlarged underflow section
AU607678B2 (en) * 1986-04-23 1991-03-07 Conoco Specialty Products Inc. Cyclone separator

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL74447C (en, 2012) *
US2550341A (en) * 1945-08-28 1951-04-24 Directie Staatsmijnen Nl Process for controlling the concentrations of suspensions
US2709397A (en) * 1950-07-19 1955-05-31 Dorries A G Vorm Maschinenfabr Tubular hydro-extractor for purifying suspensions of fibrous material
US2754968A (en) * 1950-03-09 1956-07-17 Stamicarbon Treatment of liquid materials in a hydrocyclone
US2835387A (en) * 1948-03-25 1958-05-20 Stamicarbon Centrifugal method and means for continuously fractionating solid particles in liquid suspension thereof
GB817342A (en, 2012) * 1955-03-09 1959-07-29
US2958420A (en) * 1957-05-27 1960-11-01 Phillips Petroleum Co Hydrocyclone and process
US3016962A (en) * 1959-10-09 1962-01-16 Pan American Petroleum Corp Automatic acting hydrocyclones for drilling fluids

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL74447C (en, 2012) *
US2550341A (en) * 1945-08-28 1951-04-24 Directie Staatsmijnen Nl Process for controlling the concentrations of suspensions
US2835387A (en) * 1948-03-25 1958-05-20 Stamicarbon Centrifugal method and means for continuously fractionating solid particles in liquid suspension thereof
US2754968A (en) * 1950-03-09 1956-07-17 Stamicarbon Treatment of liquid materials in a hydrocyclone
US2709397A (en) * 1950-07-19 1955-05-31 Dorries A G Vorm Maschinenfabr Tubular hydro-extractor for purifying suspensions of fibrous material
GB817342A (en, 2012) * 1955-03-09 1959-07-29
US2958420A (en) * 1957-05-27 1960-11-01 Phillips Petroleum Co Hydrocyclone and process
US3016962A (en) * 1959-10-09 1962-01-16 Pan American Petroleum Corp Automatic acting hydrocyclones for drilling fluids

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3337090A (en) * 1962-07-27 1967-08-22 Reactor Centrum Nederland Method for storing, keeping in stock and/or discharging with adjustable concentration the heavier component of a fluid mixture
US3485362A (en) * 1964-01-24 1969-12-23 Reactor Centrum Nederland Device for filtering,separating or agitating a liquid mixture composed of two phases having different specific gravities
US3477569A (en) * 1965-03-18 1969-11-11 Siemens Ag Vortex type separator and collector system
US3472371A (en) * 1966-10-04 1969-10-14 Ronald Percy Ayerst Sorting fibrous material
US3901725A (en) * 1971-09-15 1975-08-26 Staley Mfg Co A E Size classified cereal starch granules
US4010369A (en) * 1974-01-29 1977-03-01 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Interior Method for rapid particle size analysis by hydrosizing and nuclear sensing
US4280718A (en) * 1975-03-24 1981-07-28 Henkel Corporation Pressure sensitive recording sheet containing size classified cereal starch granules
FR2588780A1 (fr) * 1985-10-17 1987-04-24 Sames Sa Installation de poudrage de pieces a cabine de poudrage maintenue en depression
EP0223660A1 (fr) * 1985-10-17 1987-05-27 Sames S.A. Installation de poudrage de pièces à cabine de poudrage maintenue en dépression
US20130008840A1 (en) * 2011-07-06 2013-01-10 Pesetsky Serge Particle separator
US9399182B2 (en) * 2011-07-06 2016-07-26 Johnson Electric S.A. Particle separator
US10618048B2 (en) * 2016-12-05 2020-04-14 Pva Tepla Ag Sample container for receiving small-volume liquid samples
US11015156B1 (en) * 2020-05-22 2021-05-25 Franzenburg Protein concentration methods

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1160381B (de) 1964-01-02
GB988577A (en) 1965-04-07
AU6307160A (en) 1963-05-02
NL267636A (en, 2012) 1900-01-01
FR1296387A (fr) 1962-06-15
ES269270A1 (es) 1962-03-01
AU250915B2 (en) 1964-04-15

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