US3498533A - Tubular centrifuge - Google Patents

Tubular centrifuge Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3498533A
US3498533A US668766A US3498533DA US3498533A US 3498533 A US3498533 A US 3498533A US 668766 A US668766 A US 668766A US 3498533D A US3498533D A US 3498533DA US 3498533 A US3498533 A US 3498533A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
loop
centrifuge
tube
liquid
valve
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US668766A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
John F Schomburg
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Terumo BCT Inc
Original Assignee
International Business Machines Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by International Business Machines Corp filed Critical International Business Machines Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3498533A publication Critical patent/US3498533A/en
Assigned to COBE LABORATORIES, INC. reassignment COBE LABORATORIES, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, A CORP. OF NEW YORK
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B5/00—Other centrifuges
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B5/00—Other centrifuges
    • B04B5/04—Radial chamber apparatus for separating predominantly liquid mixtures, e.g. butyrometers

Definitions

  • the looped section can be made either of flexible tubing or of rigid material, such as metal. It may be integral with non-looped and non-rotating parts or may be separate therefrom and connected through rotary seal joints to non-rotatable end connections. Means may be provided so that separated materials may be withdrawn from the loop during or after centrifuging.
  • Centrifuging devices have long been known in the prior art for separating ingredients or components in liquids which have different densities.
  • apparatus for separating materials of closely similar densities comprise relatively massive machinery, often driven at very high rotational speeds.
  • the equipment usually is designed with rotating centrifuging parts having relatively short radius.
  • the mechanical parts In order to accomplish the centrifugal separation of components which differ only slightly in their specific gravities, where the machinery must be driven at extremely high rotational speeds, the mechanical parts must be carefully balanced and the whole apparatus made of rugged construction.
  • the types of equipment just mentioned is adapted for heavy duty service and for separation of relatively large amounts of material.
  • a looped length of tubing preferably of substantial loop radius, which may or may not be part of a continuous liquid flow line, is mounted appropriately and provided with suitable driving means so that it can be swung or rotated through a circular path at a suitable velocity.
  • the radius of the path and the velocity are chosen to cause concentration of the denser particles or components in the outermost portion of the loop.
  • the tubing may simply be filled once and have its ends blocked, prior to swinging, or it may comprise part of a continuous flow line so that the desired separation of components can be more or less continuous.
  • the device thus may be made capable of collecting dense particles either from a small discrete quantity or continuously from a fluid which is constantly flowing through it.
  • the invention is particularly suitable for centrifuging to remove small quantities of relatively easily separable materials.
  • it may be designed for driving at high velocity for more difficult centrifuging operations. It is useful for treatment of small quantities or batches but can be used, with suitable precautions, for effecting relatively continuous separations at low feed ratio.
  • a particular object is to accomplish this with apparatus of relatively few parts and of very simple construction.
  • FIGURE 1 illustrates a simple embodiment of the invention wherein a centrifuging loopis formed of part of a continuous flexible tubing. Appropriate supporting means and drive mechanisms are included.
  • FIGURE 2 shows some relative dynamic relationship between the mounting means, the drive means and the loop of FIG. 1.
  • FIGURE 3 shows a modification wherein the loop is in the form of a rigid length, of pipe or tubing, having oppositely disposed end portions axially aligned substantially along the axis of the centrifuging path, the loop ends being connected by rotary seal joints with relatively fixed lengths of tubing.
  • Appropriate drive means are included.
  • FIGURE 4 is a detail on a larger scale of a modified loop portion having a valve arrangement by means of which a centrifuged or separated material may be removed from the loop while the loop is still in motion.
  • FIGURE 5 illustrates another modification wherein the (tube is simply filled and centrifuged for small batch operations, valve outlet mechanism being included here also.
  • FIGURE 1 there is shown a length of hollow tubular material such as a plastic tubing capable of containing a liquid.
  • This tube has an intermediate looped part 15 supported towards .one end 11 in a stationary clamp or hearing device 13 which holds this part of the tubing relatively fixed and Without rotation.
  • the loop 15 is formed in the tube of the appropriate length for its centrifuging function.
  • an eccentric rotatable tube holding device 17 is provided. It is arranged to be driven through a circular path, indicated at 25, FIG. 2, by an electric motor 19.
  • the tube contains a flowing stream of material, instead of a small fixed batch, the stream itself will tend to sweep separated components, e.g. at 0, FIG. 1, on through the line.
  • the flow rate is kept relatively quite low and the speed of centrifuge is relatively high, a concentration of heavier particles or components will be built up at 0 without being substantially swept on through the line.
  • valve means may be provided, if desired, for removing separated materials from the outer part of the loop.
  • a suitable catching shroud not shown but of obvious type surrounding the loop, will be provided to 1collect the centrifuged material released through the va ve.
  • the loop itself is in the form of a piece of rigid pipe or tubing, for example, a U-shaped pipe of stainless steel, copper, or other metal, having oppositely extending bearing end portions 33 and 35, respectively. These end portions are rotatably mounted in axial alignment along the axis or center line 37 of their rotation.
  • Non-rotatable pipe sections 39 and 41 are provided with appropriate connecting end elements 43 and 45 to establish fluid tight connections respectively with the ends 33 and 35 of the revolvable loop 31.
  • Rotary seals of conventional type, enclosed within conventional housing 47 and 49, respectively, may be packed with any conventional material in a manner appropriate to maintain the fluid tight relationship.
  • the loop 31 may be rotated with respect to the sealed joints whereas the connecting tubes sections 39 and 41 are stationary. With this arrangement, a liquid may be fed in from the left as indicated by arrow 51, passing through the loop 31 and out the other end, as indicated by arrow 53. As noted above, the flow rate must be relatively slow.
  • a gear 55 is fixed to one of the end portions 33 or 35, e.g. the left end or side of the loop.
  • the centrifuging portion 31 thus is driven by a gear 57 shown as mounted on the extended shaft 59 of a suitable electric driving motor 61. Obviously, the motor will be geared to drive the loop through its circular path at a suitable speed, depending on the radius of the loop, the centrifuging requirements, etc.
  • outlet valve means may be needed for the separated material.
  • a valve is not shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, but it is shown in outline in FIGURE and in greater detail in FIGURE 4.
  • Any suitable outlet valve mechanism through which the centrifuged material may be removed, either continuously or intermittently, can be used.
  • Such a valve is fixed to and must rotate with the loop. Therefore it should be capable of control, manual or automatic, from a point not in the path of the loop.
  • this valve per se may comprise a body member 63, having an outlet 65, capable of being closed by a longitudinally shiftable slide valve element 67, under suitable control.
  • a Bowden wire or equivalent device 69 is shown for the purpose but other controls may be used.
  • the material centrifuged or separated from the main liquid is represented in FIGURE 4 by the area above the dotted line, indicated at 71.
  • the centrifuge may be stopped at the bottom of its circular path, if desired, and the contents may be withdrawn from outlet 65 by opening valve 67. If it is desired to remove such material while the centrifuge is still in motion a surrounding and collecting shroud member of obvious type will be placed around the centrifuge to catch the material thrown therefrom by centrifugal force.
  • the flow rate of liquid through the centrifuge and the centrifugal force by which the removed material is concentrated must be properly coordinated if centrifuging is to take place from a flowing stream.
  • the material to be removed may be built up to a modest supply before opening the valve 65.
  • the tube can simply be emptied continuously, or periodically at intervals. By shutting off the supply and disconnecting and draining the tube, e.g. in FIGURE 1 or FIGURE 5, the centrifuged material may be taken off in small increments, assuming that a concentration of the material to be collected has occurred within the outer most portion of the loop.
  • FIGURE 5 one arrangement is shown by which the tube is simply filled with a liquid and then its ends are sealed off.
  • the tube 15 is looped much as in FIGURE 1 and supported on one end by a fixed member 13.
  • a driving eccentric 17 operated by suitable gearing 81 from amotor 85 drives the tube in an orbital path, although the tube does not rotate with respect to its own axis.
  • Suitable flow control or cut off means such as C-clamps 87 and 89, are applied after the tube is filled from one end or the other or partly filled. Centrifuging now takes place, building up a concentration of the material to be removed near the point marked P at the bottom of FIGURE 5.
  • a valve 91 is shown, which may be of the same general type as that shown in FIG- URE 4.
  • This valve is operable by moving to right or left a slidable collar 93, which is connected to the valve V by a suitable control such as a Bowden wire 95.
  • a suitable control such as a Bowden wire 95.
  • the wire should be wrapped with or otherwise fastened to the tube so that it will not fly freely in space as the tube is rotated.
  • the material to be centrifuged may be concentrated and removed at the end of the operation by simply opening the valve after the centrifuge has come to a stop.
  • the accumulated separated material may be removed by opening the valve while the tube is still in rotation, provided that a suitable catching shroud and drain structure is arranged around the path of the centrifuge.
  • centrifuging tube or at least the loop portion may be either flexible and continuous and non-rotatable per se, or it may comprise a short revoluble loop section mounted in suitable bearings for rotation and with suitable liquid seals with respect to associated non-rotatable tubing connections.
  • the centrifuge can be operated continuously while flow is continuous, or it can be shut oif or disconnected and reconnected at intervals for centrifuging a small batch of liquid contained within the looped tube.
  • the centrifuged and separated material may be withdrawn continuously, by use of appropriate valve mechanism as will be described above, or it may simply be removed by occasional disconnecting and purging of the loop section Without the use of valves.
  • the arrangement can be varied as desired, depending on the particular requirements.
  • a centrifuge for separating materials of different densities contained in a liquid comprising:
  • the centrifuge according to claim 1 wherein the second means comprises a rotatable eccentric member adapted to drive or carry a part of said flexible tubing through a circular path of smaller radius than the path of the loop.
  • a centrifuge according to claim 1 wherein a slide valve is provided in said loop to release centrifuged material therefrom and means secured to said loop for operating said slide valve.
  • a centrifuge for separating materials of different densities contained in a liquid comprising flexible tubing having one portion thereof forming a flexible loop, first means secured secured to said flexible tubing for holding substantially stationary one end of said loop,
  • a centrifuge for separating materials of diflFerent densities contained in a liquid comprising in combination an elongated tube in the form of aloop adapted to hold a liquid,
  • said loop being rotatable per se and comprising a rigid metal tube having oppositely disposed end portions axially aligned along the center of said circular path, a pair of non-rotatable tube sections aligned with said respective end portions, a pair of rotary liquid type seal joints connecting said respective sections to the respective end portions to maintain fluid type connections while supporting said loop for free rotation,
  • a centrifuge for separating materials of different densities contained in a liquid comprising, in combination,
  • an elongated flexible tube having one portion thereof forming a flexible loop adapted to hold a liquid

Landscapes

  • Centrifugal Separators (AREA)
US668766A 1967-09-19 1967-09-19 Tubular centrifuge Expired - Lifetime US3498533A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US66876667A 1967-09-19 1967-09-19

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3498533A true US3498533A (en) 1970-03-03

Family

ID=24683642

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US668766A Expired - Lifetime US3498533A (en) 1967-09-19 1967-09-19 Tubular centrifuge

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US3498533A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR1579235A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3817449A (en) * 1971-02-19 1974-06-18 Aga Ab Centrifuge
DE2612990A1 (de) * 1975-03-27 1976-10-21 Baxter Laboratories Inc Stroemungssystem fuer die bearbeitung von zellen in einer zellbearbeitungszentrifuge
US4082217A (en) * 1973-08-27 1978-04-04 Separex Sa Centrifuge apparatus
US4113173A (en) * 1975-03-27 1978-09-12 Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. Centrifugal liquid processing apparatus
US4372484A (en) * 1981-02-04 1983-02-08 Gambro Ab Device for the separation of a liquid, especially whole blood
US4623470A (en) * 1981-11-09 1986-11-18 Helipump, Inc. Process and apparatus for separating or fractionating fluid mixtures
US20030081494A1 (en) * 2001-10-31 2003-05-01 Shukla Ashok Kumar Flexible arm shaker

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2849078A (en) * 1955-09-09 1958-08-26 Olin Mathieson Apparatus for separating entrained particles from gases

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2849078A (en) * 1955-09-09 1958-08-26 Olin Mathieson Apparatus for separating entrained particles from gases

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3817449A (en) * 1971-02-19 1974-06-18 Aga Ab Centrifuge
US4082217A (en) * 1973-08-27 1978-04-04 Separex Sa Centrifuge apparatus
DE2612990A1 (de) * 1975-03-27 1976-10-21 Baxter Laboratories Inc Stroemungssystem fuer die bearbeitung von zellen in einer zellbearbeitungszentrifuge
US4113173A (en) * 1975-03-27 1978-09-12 Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. Centrifugal liquid processing apparatus
US4372484A (en) * 1981-02-04 1983-02-08 Gambro Ab Device for the separation of a liquid, especially whole blood
US4623470A (en) * 1981-11-09 1986-11-18 Helipump, Inc. Process and apparatus for separating or fractionating fluid mixtures
US20030081494A1 (en) * 2001-10-31 2003-05-01 Shukla Ashok Kumar Flexible arm shaker
US6764214B2 (en) * 2001-10-31 2004-07-20 Ashok Kumar Shukla Flexible arm shaker

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1579235A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1969-08-22

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4082217A (en) Centrifuge apparatus
US3885735A (en) Centrifuge apparatus
US3775309A (en) Countercurrent chromatography with flow-through coil planet centrifuge
US4950401A (en) Centrifugal separator
US3498533A (en) Tubular centrifuge
JPS5829871B2 (ja) 連続式向流クロマトグラフイ−装置
US4056224A (en) Flow system for centrifugal liquid processing apparatus
EP0109652A3 (en) Centrifuge
EP0019038A1 (en) Centrifugal fluid processing device and method
JPS5837022B2 (ja) 遠心力液体処理装置
CA1089825A (en) Compensating rotor
US20020016243A1 (en) Automatic solids discharge tubular bowl centrifuge
US4228009A (en) Toroidal coil planet centrifuge
US5511880A (en) Method and apparatus for storing and mixing a plurality of fluids and body fluid sampling cartridge using same
US2757375A (en) Apparatus for agitating liquids particularly suitable in blood transfusion operations
US4162761A (en) Flow-through coil planet centrifuges with adjustable rotation/revolution of column
US3420436A (en) Apparatus for fluid treatment by utilizing the centrifugal force
FR2417339A1 (fr) Appareil pour recuperer des boues
US3817449A (en) Centrifuge
US3090549A (en) Centrifuge apparatus
US2626746A (en) Centrifuge
GB1276884A (en) A centrifuge
US3306541A (en) Rotating spray device
JPS5665647A (en) Fluid passing device
HU176212B (en) Continuous conical centrifuge

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: COBE LABORATORIES, INC., 1201 OAK STREET, LAKEWOOD

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, A CORP. OF NEW YORK;REEL/FRAME:004528/0945

Effective date: 19860225