Classifications

• • 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
  • B04C5/08—Vortex chamber constructions
  • B04C5/081—Shapes or dimensions
• • 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
  • B04C5/02—Construction of inlets by which the vortex flow is generated, e.g. tangential admission, the fluid flow being forced to follow a downward path by spirally wound bulkheads, or with slightly downwardly-directed tangential admission
  • B04C5/04—Tangential inlets

Definitions

• This invention relates to a cyclone separator for separating denser components of a fluid mixture from less dense components thereof, said separator being of a kind having an axially extending separating chamber having towards one end inlet means for admission of the mixture with a tangential flow component, the separating chamber having an axially positioned overflow outlet adjacent said one end and said separating chamber of generally tapered form with a relatively larger cross-sectional size at said one end and a relatively small cross-sectional size at an axially positioned underflow outlet at the end of the separating chamber opposite said one end, wherein in use the denser component is directed to the underflow outlet in a fashion such as to encompass an inner axially positioned core of the less dense component which is subjected at least over a substantial part of its length to a pressure differential causing it to flow to the overflow outlet.
• a cyclone separator as above described is characterized in that said inlet means is defined by a portion of the separating chamber and at least one inlet tract communicating with said portion, said portion being that portion of the separating chamber which is at the same lengthwise position as the or each inlet tract, and the or each said tract being of a profiled configuration.
• a particular form of profile in accordance with the invention is substantially involute form arranged to admit the fluid in a spiral path.
• the or each inlet tract presents inner and outer profiles, when viewed axially of the separator. The outer profile extends from a first location at which it meets the circumference of the aforementioned portion of the separating chamber.
• At least the inward projection of said inner profile extending from a second location at which the inner profile or its said projection meets said circumference, the outer profile being characterised in that a first vector T describing the location of any particular point on said outer profile and contained in a plane normal to said axis, and having its origin at said first location, is such that as the magnitude of .'the vector T increases, an angle ⁇ between the vector T' and that tangent to said circumference which passes through said first location never decreases substantially and never becomes less than negative 0.1 radian; the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow direction contracts in the direction of flow.
• the outer profile is more important that the inner 'profile.
• the inner profile is characterised by a second vector U, describing the location of any particular point on the inner profile and having its point of origin at said second location is such that as the magnitude of vector U increases, an angle between vector U and that tangent to said circumference which passes through said second location never decreases substantially and never becomes less than negative 0.52 radian at least for substantial magnitudes of vector U.
• the invention provides a cyclone separator as first above described wherein an end wall of the separating chamber, through which said overflow outlet communicates with the separating chamber, is formed of curved configuration such as being concave or convex when viewed.in axial section.
• the invention provides a cyclone separator as first above described wherein the overflow outlet is in the form of a duct which extends through an end wall of the separating chamber and projects into the separating chamber.
• Figure 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of a separator constructed in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 2 is a cross-section substantially on the line 2-2 in Figure 1;
• Figures 3 and 4 illustrate alternative forms of an end wall of the separating chamber of Figure 1; 6/04271
• Figure 5 shows an alternative form of the overflow outlet for the separator of Figure 1;
• Figure 6 is a detailed axial cross-sectional view of the inlet means of a separator constructed in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 7 is a diagram like Figure 6 but showing preferred inlet tract profiles.
• FIG 8 is a fragmentary axial diagram of a modified inlet tract.
• the separator 10 comprises a separating chamber 12 having three coaxially arranged separating chamber portions 1.4, 16,. 18 of cylindrical configuration. These are of diameters and lengths d-, 1,; d 2 , 1_; and d 3 , 1 3 respectively.
• Portion 14 is of greater diameter than portion 16 and portion 18 is of lesser diameter than portion 16.
• a flow restricting means (not shown) may be provided at the outlet from the cylindrical portion 18 but in this instance the outlet end is shown as being provided by an underflow outlet 24 from cylindrical portion 18.
• a tapered section 17 may be provided between portions 14 and 16.
• the portion 16 shown exhibits a first section of parallel sided form followed by a tapered section, in practice, it is possible to form portion 16 as having a constant taper over its length.
• An involute inlet pipe 20 is provided to the separating chamber portion 14, this opening into a side wall of the separating chamber at an inlet opening 23.
• An overflow outlet 25 is -provided on the axis of the separating chamber portion 14, this leading to an axial overflow pipe 27.
• the involute inlet pipe 20 spirals around the periphery of the separating chamber portion 14 and exhibits a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area as it approaches the opening 23.
• the pipe 20 and opening 23 may be of rectangular cross-section.
• the separator 10 functions generally in accordance with past practice in that the fluid mixture admitted into the separating chamber via the inlet pipe 20 is subjected to centrifugal action causing the separated liquid components to be ejected, on the one hand from the outlet 24 and on the other through the outlet 25.
• the denser phase material flows to the underflow outlet 24 in an annular cross-sectioned flow around the wall of the separating chamber whilst the lighter phase forms a central core 40 which is subjected to differential pressure action driving the fluid therein out the overflow outlet 25.
• the separating chamber 12 may be constructed somewhat in accordance with the teachings of Australian patent specification 47105/79 the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated into the present specification to form part thereof. In specification 47105/79, the separating chamber is described as having the following dimensional relationships:
• A. is the total cross-sectional area of the feed inlet, provided by inlet opening 23
• d is the diameter of the overflow outlet 25 and the remaining terms have the meanings ascribed to above.
• A. is the total cross-sectional area of the feed inlet, provided by inlet opening 23
• d is the diameter of the overflow outlet 25 and the remaining terms have the meanings ascribed to above.
• a variant construction is described having parameters as above described save for the ratio d 0 /d_ which is specified in that case to be less than 0.1.
• Separators constructed in accordance with this variant form may also be adapted for use in the present invention. Generally, in any event the separator of this invention may advantageously be characterised by having the ratio l ?
• the ratio ⁇ /diere may be in the range 1.5 to 3.0, such as 2.0.
• the inlet means of the separator is shown as comprising an inlet tract 80 together with a portion of the separating chamber of the separator which is lengthwise adjacent thereto.
• the separator shown in Figure 1 is described as having three distinct portions of successively decreasing diameters, it is not essential that the separator be so formed as it could, for example, exhibit any generally tapered configuration extending from a larger diameter end adjacent the overflow outlet to a smaller cross-section end adjacent the underflow outlet.
• the tract 80 is shown as having an outer profile 82 and an inner profile. 84.
• the diameter D of the cyclone separator as shown in Figure 6 corresponds to the diameter d.
• the inlet tract 80 (as in the case of the Figure 1 construction) communicates with the separating chamber at the larger diameter end thereof.
• the tract 80 is considered as extending from a location indicated generally by reference numberal 85 inwardly towards the separating chamber.
• the location 85 is defined as a point beyond which, reckoned in the direction inwardly towards the separating chamber the flow of inlet liquid cannot be described by the simple flow equations.
• the points 83, 87 on the outer and inner profiles aligned with location 85 are points where, if the profiles were projected outwardly therefrom in parallel relationship the separator would operate substantially the same as if the profiles were continued in the profiled configurations defined in accordance with this invention.
• outwardly projected is meant a projection from the respective profile which is substantially tangential at the point of meeting the respective profile.
• the profiles extend in spiral fashion inwardly to meet the circumferential surface 86 of the separating chamber.
• Locations at which the profiles so meet circumference 86 are designated respectively by letters "C” and "E". Practically, although the profile 84 is shown as joining circumference 86 by continuance of the profile inwardly until it meets the circumference
• the outer profile 82 is such that vector T describing the location of any particular point on outer profile and contained in a plane normal to said axis, and having its origin at location "C", is such that as the magnitude of the vector T increases, an angle 0 between the vector T and a tangent 92 to circumference 86 passing through said location "C" never decreases substantially and never becomes less than negative 0.1 radian for all magnitudes of T less than
• a vector U describing the location of any particular point on the inner profile 84 and having its point of origin at location "E” is such that as the magnitude of vector U increases, the angle o between vector U and a tangent 93 to said circumference which passes through said location "E” never decreases and never becomes less than negative 0.52 radian, for all magnitude of vector U less than o D, at least for substantial magnitudes of vector U.
• substantial magnitude of vector U we mean that in the vicinity of the location "E", vector U may not be defined because of possible rounding of the 'inner profile as previously described.
• the cross-sectional area A., of the tract 80 measured in a radial and axial plane passing through the location where the inner profile 84 actually terminates is preferably defined as:
• d represents the underflow outlet diameter corresponding to diameter d, in Figure 1.
• the angle P measured about the axis of the separator between the points "C" and “E” was 86°.
• the inner profile 84 was terminated by a curved portion 84a co-joining with circumference 86, this portion had a curvature of approximately 0.5mm and located some 110° around the axis of the separator from the point "C M .
• r Q is the distance from the axis of the separator to any particular point on the outer profile 82
• r. is the distance from the axis of the separator to any particular point on the inner profile 84
• Z Q is the angle, reckoned from the line 91 joining the axis of the separator and the point "C", in a clockwise direction around the axis of the separator to any point on the outer profile 82
• Z. is the angle, reckoned from the line 100 in a clockwise direction to any particular point on the inner profile 84.
• the tract 80 may have a rectangular transverse cross-section such as having longer sides extending parallel to the axis of the separator and of length and shorter sides contained in planes normal to the axis of the separator and of length t. In this case the following relationships may prevail
• W will be greater than t.
• Figure 8 shows a further modification of the separator in accordance with the invention where the inlet tract 80 is shown as extending with its mean flow path 93 for liquid flowing therein as being at an angle to the axis 95 of the separator rather than being normal thereto as illustrated in Figure 1.
• the axis 93 of tract 80 makes an angle to axis in the range
• tract is of rectangular cross-section it is preferred that it be of such rectangular cross-section at least over a length q where q is less than c
• the described separator inlet configuration may readily be employed where more than one tract 80 is provided.
• ⁇ tn x Wn Al. , where tn and Wn are t.,he wi•d_>t. ⁇ h.
• the described separator has been found to provide excellent operating characteristics when separating smaller quantities of oil from larger quantities of water.
• Figure 3 shows a modification of the separator of
• FIG. 1 the end wall 50 of the separating chamber portion 14, adjacent overflow outlet 25, is formed of concave form.
• the end wall 50 is shown in a further modification as exhibiting a convex form when viewed in axial section.
• Figure 5 shows a still further modification where the overflow inlet 25 is formed from a pipe 27 having a portion 27a which extends through wall 50 (in this case, shown as being linear in axial section) and into the separating chamber
• involute is used in this specification to describe a curve being the locus of the end of a piece of string uncoiled from a base circle.
• the inner and outer profiles of the or each inlet tract as described are generally formed as involute curves. Each profile may however, have cojoining sections defined by cojoining involute curves having respective defining base circles of differing diameters, or the projected start points on the respective base circles may be relatively circumferentially spaced.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Geometry (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Cyclones (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=27154041

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (2)

Citations (9)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1985
  • 1985-07-23 DE DE8585903647T patent/DE3580112D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1985-07-23 BR BR8507311A patent/BR8507311A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1985-07-23 GB GB8716797A patent/GB2191720B/en not_active Expired
  • 1985-07-23 IT IT8548392A patent/IT1212056B/it active
  • 1985-07-23 NL NL8520210A patent/NL8520210A/nl unknown
  • 1985-07-23 EP EP85903647A patent/EP0240486B1/en not_active Expired
  • 1985-07-23 WO PCT/AU1985/000166 patent/WO1986004271A1/en active IP Right Grant
• 1986
  • 1986-09-19 DK DK448886A patent/DK164491C/da active

Patent Citations (9)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events