US3406504A

US3406504A - Combined gas moving and gas cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3406504A
Application number: US601491A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stig G Sylvan
Original assignee: American Air Filter Co Inc
Current assignee: American Air Filter Co Inc
Priority date: 1966-12-13
Filing date: 1966-12-13
Publication date: 1968-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1985-10-22

Description

S. G. SYLVAN Oct. 22, 1968 COMBINED GAS MOVING AND GAS CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 13, 1966 Fl m a INVENTOR.

s'rls e. SYLVAN ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,406,504 COMBINED GAS MOVING AND GAS CLEANING APPARATUS Stig G. Sylvan, Louisville, Ky., assignor to American Air Filter Company, Inc., Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 13, 1966, Ser. No. 601,491 8 Claims. (Cl. 55-408) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gas moving and gas cleaning apparatus which includes a flow-through housing having disposed therein spaced alignment an axial flow fan means and a particulate separating louver means with the blades of the fan means and louver means being inclined in the same direction to provide both gas movement and gas cleaning with maximum particulate separation and minimum flow energy loss.

Background of the invention The invention pertains to the gas movement and centrifugal gas separation art and finds particular utility in fan and gas turbine arrangements.

Although a number of gas moving devices are known in the art which include particulate separating means in combination therewith, these devices have been comparatively complex, have been expensive in construction and maintenance, have required substantial amounts of power to operate, and have resulted in high energy losses.

Summary of the invention In accordance with the present invention a new, useful, and unobvious combination of gas moving and gas cleaning apparatus is provided which is straightforward and economical in construction, which is simple to maintain, and which requires comparatively little power to operate, providing maximum particulate separation with minimum flow energy loss.

Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth hereinafter.

More particularly, the present invention provides a combined gas moving and gas cleaning apparatus comprising: a flow-through housing having spaced and aligned dirty gas inlet means and clean gas outlet means; an axial flow fan disposed within the housing adjacent to and transverse the dirty gas inlet means to move a dirty gas stream through the housing, the fan having inclined impeller means which imparts a directional tangential velocity component to the gas stream moved thereby; particulate separating louver means disposed within the housing downstream of the axial flow fan, the louver means having spaced louver blades inclined in the same direction as the impeller means of the axial fan to impart a counter-directional turn to the tangential velocity component of the gas stream emanating from the impeller means of the axial fan, thereby centrifuging particulate materials from the gas stream along the upstream side of the louver means to cause the particulate materials to be moved to the inner periphery of the housing; and particulate collector means disposed along the periphery of the housing intermediate the axial fan means and the louver means to collect the particulate materials separated by the louver means.

It is to be understood that various changes can be made in the arrangement, form, and construction of the 3,406,504 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.

Brief description of the drawing Referring to the drawing which discloses one advantageous embodiment of the present invention and a utilization of one form thereof in combination with a gas turbine arrangement:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a section of the novel gas moving and cleaning apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a sectionally broken-away front end view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged schematic view of the blade arrangement of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vector diagram showing the relative angle between the approaching gas stream and the louver and the relative angle between the exiting gas stream and the louver; and p FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of a portion of a section of the novel apparatus wherein a centrifugal irnpeller of a compressor is utilized downstream the louver.

Description of preferred embodiments Referring to the drawing, there is disclosed flowthrough cylindrical housing 2 having spaced and aligned dirty gas inlet 3 and clean gas outlet 4. Disposed within housing 2 adjacent dirty gas inlet 3 to extend transversely across the dirty gas inlet is rotatable axial fiow fan 6. fan 6 is a particulate separating louver plate 8. Louver radially extending blades 7 which are inclined at a preselected angle with respect to the plane of rotation of fan 6 in a suitable fashion to move a gas stream through housing 2. Positioned within housing 2 downstream fan 6 in spaced, axial relationship therewith and extending in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of fan 6 is a particulate separating louver plate 8. Louver plate 8 can advantageously be in circular form with radi ally extending louver blades 9 stamped therefrom in a select pattern, the plate 8 having its peripheral edges fixed to the inner peripheral wall of housing 2 with blades 9 of the louver plate arranged in a circular pattern on the plate. An annular slot 10 is provided along the inner peripheral wall of housing 2 upstream louver plate 8 so as to be located intermediate fan 6 and the louver plate. Slot 10 communicates with peripheral particulate discharge chamber 11 disposed in housing 2 to surround the gas moving and gas separation apparatus described hereinafter. Chamber 11 is provided with communicating discharge outlet chute 12 for removal of particulate materials from the chamber. Also disposed in housing 2 downstream louver plate 8 in spaced, aligned relationship therewith and extending in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation, of fan 6 is a second axial flow fan 13. As shown in FIGURES l and 2 of the drawing, axial flow fan 13 is provided with spaced, radially extending impeller blades 14 which are inclined in a manner hereinafter described to move the gas stream in a preselected manner after it emanates from the louver plate 8.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, it can be seen that

axial flow fans

6 and 13 are driven from the same shaft 16, the shaft extending through a suitably disposed aperture in the louver plate 8 and being mounted on support bearings 17 suitably fixed to housing 2 in a manner not fully disclosed. A drive wheel 18 is provided at one end of shaft 16 downstream of axial flow fan 13, and a suitable drive motor and belt assembly (not shown) can be connected to the drive wheel to rotate the two axial flow fans in the same direction at a desired preselected speed (FIGURE 3).

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawing, it can be seen that blades 9 of louver plate 8 advantageously are inclined with respect to the plane determining such plate 8 in the same direction and substantially the same degree as blades 7 of axial fan 6 are inclined with respect to the plane of rotation 'of such fan 6; It further can be'seen that blades 14 of axial fan 13 advantageously also are inclined with respect to the plane of rotation of such fan 13; in the same direction and substantially the same preselected degree as blades 7 of fan '6 and blades 9 of louver plate 8, respectively are inclined withrespect to their planes, the inclination of louver blades 9 inthe' same direction and at substantiallythe same preselected angle as fan blades 7 inclined atap'reselected angle with respect to the plane of rotation of said fanto and; the rotation of fan 6 serving to impart a counter-directional turn to the tangential velocity component TV of the gas stream emanating from blades '7. As a result, the particulate materials from the gas stream moved by fan 6 are centrifuged along the upstream side of louver plate 8 to the thhe same as

blades

7 and 9 and the direction of rotation of

fans

6 and 13 are the same, a further directional turn is imparted to the tangential velocity component TV of the gas stream, converting the energy thereof into a high pressure axial flow gas stream with a minimum of energy loss. It is to be understood that the apparatus aforedescribed can be utilized in various situations requiring both gas movement and gas cleaning operations. For example, it can be utilized as is in an axial flow gas turbine arrangement or modified for a gas turbine having a centrifugal compressor.

Referring to FIGURE 5 of the drawing, the novel invention is shown incorporated as part of a centrifugal arrangement, 'such arrangement including spaced and aligned axial flow fan 21, louvered plate 22, and compressor impeller 23 of the gas turbine. In a manner similar to that aforedescribed, the blades of fan 21, plate 22, and impeller 23 are inclined substantially in the same direction and substantially the same angle with respect to each other, but with the blades of compressor impeller 23 being sloped downstream to convert axial flow into centrifugal flow as disclosed by the flow arrows.

From the foregoing description, it can be readily seen that the combined gas moving and gas separation apparatus of the present invention operates in a simple, straightforward manner to provide maximum particulate separation with minimum energy loss.

The invention claimed is:

1. A combined gas moving and gas cleaning apparatus comprising: a flow-through housing having spaced and aligned dirty gas inlet means and clean gas outlet means; a rotatable axial fiow fan disposed within said housing adjacent to and transverse said dirty gas inlet means to move a dirty gas stream through said housing, said fan having impeller means inclined at a preselected angle with respect to the plane of rotation of said fan to impart a directional tangential velocity component to said gas stream moved thereby; means to rotate said flow fan particulate separating louver means disposed within said housing downstream said axial flow fan and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of said fan, said louver means having spaced louver bladesinclined in the same direction as said impeller means of said axial fan at a preselected angle with respect to its plane substantially equal to the ,angle, said impeller means is inclined to its plane of rotation, 'saidaxial .flow fan being mounted for rotation in such a direction-that said inclined louver means serves to impart a1'counter directiona1,turn to the tangential velocity component of the gasxstream emanating from said impeller means of said axialfan thereby centrifuging particulate materials from said gas stream along the upstream side of said lower means to cause said particulate materials to be moved to the periphery of said housing; and particulate collector means disposed alongrthe periphery of said housing intermediate said axial fan and said louver means to collect the particulate materials separated by said louver means, said collector means having an inlet slot for receiving said particulate'materials. v n i 2. The apparatus of claim 1, said louver means being stationarily mounted in said housing. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, and means to convert the turned tangential velocity component of said gas stream imparted by said louver means into a high energy flow gas stream.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, said means comprising a second rotatable fandisposed Within said housing downstream of said louver means and having a plane of rotation substantially parallel to the plane determining said louver means, said second fan having impeller blades inclined with respect to the plane of rotation thereof at leaston the upstream portion thereof in the same direction and at substantially the same preselected angle as said spaced louvers of said louver means are inclined to its plane and being rotatable in a direction to impart a directional turn to the tangential velocity component of said gas stream converting the energy thereof into a high pressure axial flow gas stream and means to rotate saidsecond fan.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, said second fan comprising a compressor of a gas turbine engine.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, said second fan comprising an axial flow fan.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, said second fan comprising a centrifugal flow fan.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, said first and second fans having a common power means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,794,447 3/ 1931 Bothezat 55473 2,021,437 11/1935 Walsh 55-471 2,031,734 2/ 1936 Riebel et a1 55408 2,482,642 9/1949 Sylvan 55-408 3,058,720 10/1962 Hart et a1. 55408 3,309,867 3/1967 Ehrich 55306 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,918 1902 Great Britain. 449,765 6/ 1936 Great Britain. 538,038 3/1957 Canada.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner. B. NOZICK, Assistant Examiner.

US. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE Washington, D.C. 20231 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.. 3 ,406 ,504 October 22 1968 St ig G. Sylvan It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 30, "fan 6 is a particulate separating louver plate 8. Louver" should read Fan 6 is provided with an impeller in the form of spaced,

Signed and sealed this 24th day of February 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, IR.