Device for distribution of liquid
Present invention concerns a device for separation of particles in a liquid, according to the introductory part of patent claim 1.
Background
At treatment and cleansing of liquids, particle separation is included as a technology and process. A lot of liquids contain initially particles, and in connection with other treatment processes, such as chemical sedimentation/coagulation and biological treatment-/ cleansing processes, the liquid is added new particles. The table below shows different particles and particle dimensions that can be characteristic for liquids, and different treatment processes and technology that is used for removing these particles.
For separation of suspended matter having a particle size from 0,5 to 10 mm in low concentration in liquids, mechanical sieves has been widely used instead of mechanical sedimentation. This is due to the advantage of the sieve as to technical demands to building and plant. A lot of stationary and rotating sieves are available, in different technical embodiments. What is common for all the sieves, is that they include a mechanical sieve surface, where the liquid is transported through the sieve opening, simultaneously as particle matter having dimension larger than the sieve opening is accumulated on the sieve as a sludge. The sludge
is either removed continuously from the sieve surface, or, by intermittent operation, removed from the sieve surface when the sieve opening is cloged, by registration of increased liquid level upstream of the sieve, due to decreasing hydraulic capacity. The sludge is removed by a mechanical scraper and/or reverse washing of the sieve openings. The hydraulic capacity of the sieve surface is characterised by the opening dimensions in the sieve surface and the relative opening area in the surface, described as percentage light opening. The capacity is also dependent upon the geometry of the sieve construction, as well as the efficiency in the cleansing routines of the sieve surface. During normal operation of rotating and stationary sieves, the liquid transportation through the sieve surface is described by continuity of liquid flow, and the gravity force. Correspondingly, the "drag"-force of the liquid stream and the gravity influence the particles being separated on the sieve surface. The system for removing the sludge from the sieve surface is therefore a large and complex construction. For stationary sieves there are severe demands to the construction in order to achieve an even distribution of liquid throughout the sieve surface. In spite of relatively small dimensions of the sieve plants, the constructions comprises relatively large liquid filled volumes, which makes it necessary with a steady construction on a solid foundation. This can be a problem for example at cleansing plants at moving installations, such as ships.
Object
It is therefore an object with present invention to provide a stationary mechanical sieve, having a high hydraulic capacity in relation to dimension and weight, and which allows relatively large movements in foundation and handling, without influencing the operation and the cleansing efficiency.
The invention
The object of the invention is achieved by a device having features as stated in the characterising part of patent claim 1. Further features are clear from the belonging dependent claims. According to present invention, a stationary, cylindrical sieve is mounted inside a cyclone separator, where the centrifugal force is utilised as an initial separation step, before the liquid is transported through the sieve surface. The centrifugal force is created in a cylindrical inlet chamber where the liquid is transported tangentially, so that a cyclone is established. Particles having a specific weight higher than the liquid, are transported due to
the centrifugal force towards the cylinder wall, and are concentrated in the shape of a particle rich liquid layer, moving downwards along the cylinder wall. Particles having a specific weight lower than the liquid, are concentrated in the shape of a particle rich liquid column in the centre of the axis of symmetry of the cylinder, and are concentrated upwards in this axis of symmetry. Particles being separated in the cylindrical sieve, will mainly be influenced by the rotation of the liquid in the cyclone, and dependent upon the specific weight of the particles in relation to the liquid, the particles will be transported away from the sieve surface and towards the particle rich liquid layer at the cylinder wall, or the particle rich column in the centre of the axis of symmetry of the cylinder, respectively. The invention is particularly suited for example as a sieve in moving installations, in ships, areoplanes, trains and cars, and as controllable sieve installation instead of particle separators and particle collectors in a particle trap system, for example as shown in NO patent publications No. 175.082 and No. 175.231.
The invention can be installed as an integrated pipe installation in a pressurised or vacuum based system.
Example of the invention
In the following, the invention will be explained more in details, by means of examples of embodiments and with reference to enclosed drawings, where Fig. 1 shows a sectioned view of a first example of a cyclone installation according to present invention, view from one side,
Fig. 2 shows a sectioned view of the cyclone sieve in Fig. 1, taken along the line II-II in Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 shows a sectioned view of the cyclone sieve in Fig. 1, taken along the line III-III in Fig. 1,
Fig. 4 shows a sectioned view of a second example of an cyclone installation according to present invention, view from one side, and
Fig. 5 shows a sectioned view of the cyclone sieve in Fig. 4, taken along the line V-V in Fig. 4.
In Fig. 1 is shown a first embodiment of a cyclone sieve 1 for separation of particles in a liquid, according to present invention. In the figure is shown a generally cylindrical cyclone sieve, which in the shown example is closed against the environ-ment by a cylinder wall 2, a bottom 3, and an annular lid 4. In the upper part of the cylinder wall of the cyclone sieve 1
is mounted a tangential, cylindrical liquid inlet 5 having a gradual geometrical passage 6 to a mainly rectangular inlet opening 7.
Inside the cyclone sieve 1, through the annular lid 4 in the axis of symmetry of the cyclone, is mounted a cylindrical sieve 8. The cylindrical sieve 8 is formed as an wound sieve pole 9 and a corresponding slit opening 10, forming a cylindrical sieve surface 11. The sieve pole 9 has a substantially triangular section with an inwardly directed tip 12 against the centre of the cylindrical sieve 8, and a outwardly directed side edge 13, which together forms the sieve surface 11. The cylindrical sieve 8 is terminated inside the cyclone sieve 1 by an annular, semicircular end section 14, with an inner pipe section 15 having an opening 16 against a particle rich liquid column 17 in the centre of the axis 18 of symmetry for the cylinder. The pipe section 15 and the cylindrical sieve 8 form an annular sieve chamber 19 with outlet for particle separated outlet water 20 through a liquid outlet pipe 21.
Particles having a specific weight lower than the specific weight of the liquid, will be concentrated as a particle rich liquid column 17 in the centre of the axis 18 of symmetry, and is concentrated upwardly in this axis 18 of symmetry, through the opening 16, and is led up through the pipe section 15 as floating sludge. The floating sludge is accumulated in a sludge chamber 22, operating as a temporary store for floating sludge drained by intermittent operation by a draining valve (not shown).
The pipe section 15 is terminated inside the floating sludge chamber 22 as an annular piston 23 enclosing an air vented, annular chamber 24. By this arrangement, the pipe section 15 can be moved in axial direction and thus change the light opening of the sieve surface 11.
Particles having a specific weight higher than the specific weight of the liquid, are transported due to the centrifugal force outwardly against the cylinder wall 2, and are concentrated as a particle rich liquid layer moving downwards along the cylinder wall 2. In the lower section of the cyclone sieve 1 is mounted a sinking sludge chamber 25 formed as a pipe, having eccentric axis of symmetry in relation to the axis 18 of symmetry for the cyclone sieve 1. The sink sludge chamber 25 cuts the cylinder wall 2 of the cyclone sieve 1, so that a rectangular slit opening 26 is formed between the cylinder wall 2 of the cyclone sieve 1 and the sink sludge chamber 25. This section of the sink sludge chamber 25 forms a particle trap 27 for the particle rich liquid layer moving downwards along the cylinder wall 2. The sink sludge chamber 25 operates as a intermediate storage for sink sludge drained by intermittent operation by a drain valve (not shown).
Fig. 2 shows a section of the cyclone sieve 1 as a horizontal section through the liquid inlet 5 along the line II-II in Fig. 1, and shows the tangential, cylindrical liquid inlet 5 having a gradual passage 6 to the substantial rectangular inlet opening 7. The figure also shows a section through the cylindrical sieve 8 and the pipe section 15. The section of the sieve 9 shows that it is laid in a spiral.
Fig. 3 shows a section of the cyclone sieve 1 as a horizontal section through the particle trap 27 along the line III-III in Fig. 1, and shows the rectangular slit opening 26 between the cylinder wall 2 of the cyclone sieve 1, and the particle trap 27.
Fig. 4 shows a second example of a cyclone sieve 1 according to present invention, differing from the example in Fig. 1 by the particle separated outlet water 17 flowing through the cyclone sieve 1 through the cylindrical sieve 8 and the liquid outlet pipe 21 which in this case goes through an annular lid 28 in the bottom of the cyclone sieve 1. The example also shows sieve surface 29 formed by a sieve pole 9 having opposite winding as the example in Fig. 1. In this example the light opening of the sieve surface 29 is manipulated through a piston axle 30 and a piston 31, closing an air ventilated chamber 32. The piston axle 30 is fixed mounted in the end section 33 of the cylindrical sieve 8.
Particles having higher specific weight than the liquid are concentrated as a particle rich liquid column 17 in the centre of the axis 18 of symmetry of the cylinder, and are concentrated through an opening 34 in an annular top lid 35. The particles are accumulated in a floating sludge chamber 22, operating as an intermediate storage for floating sludge.
Fig. 5 shows a section of the cyclone sieve 1 as a horizontal section through the cyclone sieve 1 and the particle trap 27 along the line V-V in Fig. 4, and shows the opening 26 between the cyclone sieve 1 and the particle trap 27. The figure also shows a section through the cylindrical sieve 8 and the piston axle 30, and the outlet for the particle separated outlet water 20 through the liquid outlet pipe 21.