US1973764A - Apparatus for separating suspended material from gases - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 18, 1934. G. H. HORNE ET AL APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SUSPENDED MATERIAL FROM GASES Original Filed Oct. 28, 192

INVENTOR 650%: H. Home MPCEL. AL/ssm/u BY M ATTOR Y Patented Sept. 18, 1934 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mm'rus FOR saraaa'rmasosmn FROM ,GA SES George H. Home GlendalqandMar-cel A.'Lissman,- City, Calif assignors to International Precipitation Company, Los Angeles, Calif a corporatiomot qahiornia Original application oc'mb'wzs, 1929, Serial No. 403,003. Divided and this" application 'May 31.

No. 114,356. neneweds-Eebggry 6 Claims. (Cl. 185-43) This invention relates to the treatment 01! therein are forced outwardly by centrifugalaction, gases or vapors for the purpose of removing suseand accumulate adjacent the walls of the separatpended material thereirom,'and more particularly ing elements. The velocity of gas flow through to apparatus for eflectlng such removal of susthe apparatus is preferably maintained sufllciently 5 pended material by means 0! cyclonic or vortical high to cause the downward whirling motion 01 action in the gases or vapors being treated. the external vortex to persist throughout the This application is a division of our applic'alength of each separating element and at the tion Ser. No. 403,003 filed October 28, 1929. restricted central outlet opening for separated Animportant object of the invention is to promaterial at the end opposite the inlet means. The

vide an apparatus which is adapted to eflect a separated particles are thus carried downwardly highly eflicient separation of suspended material by the frictional effect of the downwardly moving from gases by centrifugal action, and which is gas, and also by gravity, and are finally discharged provided with improved means for maintaining through the restricted outlet openings into the the walls of the separating apparatus at subcommon enlarged receiving chamber.

stantially the same temperature as the gas passed While the maintenance of active whirling motherethrough. tionin the gas at these restricted dust outlet A particular object of the invention is to provide openings is ordinarily effective in insuring the an apparatus in which heat contained in the gases discharge of all separated particles into said delivered to the apparatus is utilized to maintain receiving chamber and preventing accumulation the walls of the separating apparatus at a temthereof on the walls of the separating elements, perature higher than that of the surrounding atit has been found that, in the removal of certain mosphere. types of suspended materials from gases there A further object of the invention is to provide a is a tendency for the separated material to stick v centrifugal gas cleaning apparatus having a 11 1-. together and to the walls of the separating eleso rality oi centrifugal separating elements and pro-. ments, particularly at. the portions of said walls vided with novel and advantageous gas inlet and adjacent the dust outlet openings. Said sticking gas outlet means for effecting passage 01' gas is found to occur most commonly in the-cleaning through all of said elements in parallel. of gases which enter the apparatus at a temper-- The invention is particularly applicable to a ature above atmospheric temperature and which type of centrifugal gas cleaning apparatus having are of sufliciently high relative humidity so that,

one ormore 0t axially elongated tubular separatif the walls of the separating elements are subing elements of circular cross-section, each of jected to cooling by the atmosphere, these walls which separating elements communicates atone and the gasv coming in contact therewith are end with an inlet chamber common to all of said cooled sufficiently to cause condensation of moiselements and is provided at that end with inlet ture to occur within the separating elements. means adapted to deliver gas into said element in This condensation of moisture tends to moisten a substantially tangential direction or with a or wet the separated solid particles and causethe whirling motion, and is also provided at the same same to stick to one another and to the walls of end with centrally disposed gas outlet means, and the separating elements. This is particularly is further provided at the other end with a re-' true with certain classes of solidmaterials, such stricted central outlet opening for separated maas powdered milk or powdered products derived terial communicating with an enlarged receiving from milk, which have a great tendency to bechamber common to all oi the elements. In the come stickyinthe presenceof even asmall amount operation of such apparatusihe gas carrying susof condensed moisture.

pended material is kept in active whirling or vor- According to the present invention the com- 100 tical motion throughout its passage through each mon inlet chamber through which the gas is inseparating element, while at the same time movtroduced to all of the separating elements is ing in a compound vortical motion from the inlet formed as a housing surrounding the separating means to the outlet means. In such compound elements, preierablythroughout the entire length vertical motion the gas passes first in an outer' thereof,- and the incoming gas is delivered to said 105 vortex moving in a general direction from the inlet housing at a position adjacent the dust outlet means toward the separated material outlet, and ends of said elements and remote from the gas .passes gradually inwardly into an inner vortex inlet ends of said elements, so that this incoming moving-in the reverse direction toward, the, gas gas is caused to pass around and in contact with,

outlet means. By the vortical motion of the gas, the external walls of said elementsbefore enter-- no the particles of suspended material contained in: the interiors thereof, thus causing the walls of said elements to be maintained at substantially the same temperature as the gas, and preventing cooling thereof by the surrounding atmosphere.

. In this manner condensation of moisture within the separating elements is substantially prevented and the tendency to sticking of theseparated material is eliminated.

' of separating apparatus according tothis invention, and referring thereto:

Fig. 1 is a partly sectional plan viewo'f suchapparatus, on line 1 d in'Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional front elevation thereof on line'2'2 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, taken from the right side of Fig. 2.

The separating elements of the apparatus may be disposed in any desired direction, either vertically, horizontally, or at any" suitable angle.

However, one of the simplest forms of construction is obtained by placing these separating ele-' ments invertical or upright position, as shown in the drawing, and the following description will therefore be directed to an apparatus in.

which the separating elements are so disposed.

When so disposed, the gas inlet means for-the respective separating elements and the central gas outlet openings thereof are preferably provided at the upper ends of said-elements, and the restricted dust outlet openings at the lower ends thereof. However, as above stated this particular disposition is not essential and it will be understood that reference herein to the upper ends'of the separating elements refer in general to the ends of the separating elements at which 1 the gas inlet and gas outlet openings of. the re-- spective elements are located, and references to the lower ends of said separating elements refer in general to the ends of the respective elements at whichthe restricted dust outlet openings are located.

The apparatus is shown-as comprising a plurality of axially elongated tubular separating ele ments 1 of circular cross-section disposed vertically within acasing 2 havinga tapering or hopper-shaped bottom portion 3. Each of said separating elements preferably comprises.'as shown. a

cylindrical portion 10 extending throughout the maiorportion of the height thereof. and a conical pr inwardly tapering bottom portion 12: below said the inner end thereof being substantially tangent to the prolongation of the cylindrical portion 1c; andtheouterendthereofbeingspacedradially outward from said inner end so as to provide an opening therebetween. Each separating element is also provided witha centrally disposed gas outletopening'ladiacenttheupperendthereof, said gas outlet opening being preferably provided at the lower end of a frusto-conical outlet axial with respect to the separating element I. The outlet opening '7 is preferably at approximately the same level as the lower end. of the inlet opening 6. A top plate llextends over the upper ends of all of the separating elements and serves to close the upper end of. the common inlet chamber provided by easing 2 and also to close the upper ends of the spaces between the involute-shaped wall portions 6 and the central outlet pipes 9. Said plate 11, however, is provided with openings 12 disposed over the upper ends of the respective outlet pipes 9 so as to permit outflow of gas therethrough.

Within and spaced from the hopper-shaped bottom portion 3 of housing 2, there is provided a hopper-shaped dust-receiving chamber 14 provided with a cover plate 15. The conical portions 1b of the respective separating elements are shown as extending through said cover plate 15 and projecting into the dust-receiving chamber 14, and are provided at their lower ends with restrlcted dust outlet openings 16. The hoppershaped bottom portion 3 of housing 2 is provided at one end with an inlet opening 17 having a collar 18 for connection to a flue or conduit through which the gases to be cleaned are delivered to the top plate 11 and communicating with the outlet pipes 9 of all of the [separating elements,

through the openings 12 in said top plate. Said outlet header is provided at one end. with an outlet opening 25 having a collar 26 or other suitable means for connection to aflue or conduit through which the cleaned gas isconducted from the apparatus. I

The entire structure is shown as mounted on a suitable supporting frame indicated at 27, although it willbe understood that any desired form of supporting means-may be provided.

In the operation of the above-described apparatus, the gas containing dust or other suspended material is delivered through inlet opening 1'! into the hopper-shapedbottom portion ,3 of casing 2 and passes upwardly around dust-receiving chamber 14 and around the several separating elements 1 to the individualinlet .openings 6 of the several separating elements.

constitutes a common inlet chamber for delivering gas substantially uniformly to the inlet open-;

tire length thereof and also to surround the dust-.

receiving chamber 14.

The gas then passes through the respective separating elements in the manner above described, and the clean gas is delivered through outlet pipes 9 to the outlet header 24, while the dust or other suspended material separating from the .gas by centrifugal force due to the vertical motion of the gas within the separating elements is discharged through the restricted openings 16 into the receiving chamber 14. The velocity of gas flow through thefapparatus is preferably maintained The casing 2 with its hopper-shaped bottom portion 3 thus pipesdisposcdwithinthe'wallportiond'andcohightocauseflieactivewhirlingmo- 15o ratus.

tion of the descending outer vortex to continue throughout the length of the separating elements and at the discharge openings 16, thus promoting the discharge of separated material through said openings. The material collected in said receiving chamber may be discharged therefrom a through discharge means 23. Also, any material settling from the gas by gravity within the inlet adapted for use on gases above atmospheric temperature and having a high relative humidity, particularly when the suspended-material to be removed from such gases is of such a natureas to become sticky in the presence of moisture. Under theseconditiona'tlie passage of the incoming-gas aroundv the receiving chamber 14'and the separating elements 1 causes the walls thereof to be maintained at substantially the same temperature as the gas, so that substantially no cooling of the gas occurs within the separating elements. This prevents condensation ,of moisture within said elements or upon the separated particles therein. The-separated particles, therefore, remain in. substantially dry condition and pass readily down, along the walls of the separating elements and through the outlet openings 16. The tendency of such material to become sticky and adhere to the walls is eliminated, and such walls are kept in substantially clean condition. This not only prevents clogging of the outlet openings 16 which would seriously interfere with the proper operation of the apparatus, but also prevents injury to the collected material which might occur if it were permitted to accumulate at this point instead of being removed from the appa- The condensation of moisture within the receiving chamber 14 is also substantially, prevented, so that the material collected therein is also kept in substantially dry condition so as to thereof through discharge means 23.

We claim: 1. An apparatus for separating suspended material from gases comprising a plurality of elongated tubular separating elements of circular cross-section each provided with inlet means at one end adapted to deliver gas thereto with a whirling motion, each of said separating elements being further provided with centrally disposed of said separating elements.

gas outlet means adjacent the same end as said, inlet means and with a restricted central outlet opening for separated material at the other end thereof, and a common gas inlet chamber formed as a casing surrounding all of said separating elements and communicating with said inlet means of all of said separating elements and provided with an inlet opening for introduction of gas to said casing at a position adjacent said other ends with a restricted central outlet opening for separated material at the other end thereof, and a common gas inlet chamber formed as a casing surrounding all of said separating elements throughout substantially the entire length of said elements and provided with an inlet opening at elements .and coinmimicatingv with said inlet means of all of saidelements and provided with an inlet opening for introduction of gas to said I casing at a position adjacent said other ends of said separating elements and remote from the inlet means of the respective elements.

'3. An apparatus for separating suspended material from gases comprising a plurality of elon-- gated tubular separating elements of circular cross-section each provided'at one end with inlet means for introducing gas thereto with a whirling I motion, each of :said separating elements being .also provided with centrally disposed gas outlet means adjacent said oneend and with a restricted central outlet opening for separated material adjacent the other end thereof, a common-mas terial-receiving chamber connected to said other ends of all of the separating elements in such.

-manner as to receive separated material dis-,

section and also having individual inlet means at 110.

one end adapted to deliver gas substantially tan- -'gentially into said chamber adjacent the outer wall thereof and a restrictedoutlet for separated material at the otherend, common gas inlet means for delivering gas to the inlet means of the respective separating elements, and a clean gas outlet pipe disposed substantially centrally of each element and adjacent the same end as said individual inlet means, said common gas inletmeans comprising a casing surrounding said separating elements and communicating with the individual inlet means of said elements, and provided with'an inlet opening for introduction of gas at a point adjacent saidother ends of the separating elements.

6. An apparatus for treating gases comprising a plurality of tubular separating elements, each having a vertically elongated chamber of circular cross-section and also having individual inlet meansat its upper end adapted to direct gas 30 downwardly into said chamber and adjacent the outer wall thereof with a vortical motion, and a clean gas outlet pipe disposedfsubstantially cen trally of said element and within said inlet means, the "lower end of said outlet pipebeing open and being substantially at the level of theupper'encl of said elongated chamber, a common material receptacle, all of said separating elements opening freely into said material receptacle through restricted openings at the lower ends of the respective separating elements, and common gas inlet means for delivering gas to the individual inlet I means of the respective elements, said common gas inlet means comprising a casing surrounding,

said separating elements and communicating with the individual inlet means of said elements; and having a gas inlet opening adjacent'the lower ends of said elements. r

' g GEORGE H. HORNE.)

, MARCEL A. LISSMAN.- 1

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