US1987884A - Separator - Google Patents

Description

J, C. WHITE Jan. 15, 1935.

SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheefl l Invenoh@ Jan. 15, 1935. .1. c. WHITE SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 2e, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Til- Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention pertains generally to apparatus for separating heavy particles out of moving streams of lighter iluids and is especially useful in the removing of dust, ashes and cinders from air or gas streams.

Where fluid streams are propelled with blowers or other propellers at high velocity, the separation of heavy particles or sedimentary particles therein is facilitated by this high velocity, but where it is impractical or too expensive to employ propellers for increasing the velocity of the streams, it has heretofore been diflicult to eiTect such separation.

The present invention aims to attain increased velocity in moving fluid streams without the use of any mechanical propelling apparatus, this feature being accomplished by temporarily reducing the cross sectional area of the streams in order to accomplish an increase in their velocity.

The drawings herein disclose the manner of utilizing this invention for separating ashes and cinders from the products of combustion of boilers while these products of combustion are on their way to the chimney. In this case the gases are flowing at a speed which is not normally considered fast enough to utilize the advantages of centrifugal force in effecting such separation However, by dividing the total stream into a plurality of small streams and temporarily reducing the area of each stream to increase its velocity, I have found that a high eiciency in centrifugal separation of the solid particles can be attained. This I have a1- ready demonstrated by an actual industrial installation wherein I have found that the device operates without any care being required to keep it clean or to prevent it from clogging. There being no moving parts in the device no expense attends the operation of it nor is there any apparent necessity for maintenance costs.

It is accordingly the general object of this invention to effect such separation of heavy particles from moving streams by centrifugal action without employing blowers and the like for attaining the velocity necessary for such separation.

Various particular objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a perusal of this specification in connection with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a boiler, ue and chimney with the device of this invention installed in the latter,

Fig. 2 is a plan section of the apparatus shown in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section of a portion of the separating device,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the separating device shown positioned in the ilue, and,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same device.

The drawings show the device mounted in association with the apparatus which gives it its usefulness. This includes a boiler l, a horizontal flue 2 and a chimney 3. Mounted where the fiue enters the chimney is the separator itself which consists of a structure having a plurality of vertically disposed partitions 4 which extend between the cover plate 5 and the bottom plate 6 of the separator. Where the gases enter Abetween thesev vertical partitions there is no restriction to their flow, the gases being merely subdivided into a plurality of smaller streams by maintaining substantially the same velocity.` The trailing ends, however, of each of these partitions are curved, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

each to form a part of a pocket 7 which is closed at its top by means of the cover plate 5 and each being open at its bottom so that cinders and'y ashes-retained within the curved portion '7 may drop down into the bottom of the chimney.

Each or" these partial cylindrical surfaces is provided in any suitable manner with a baille plate 8 which restrains further centrifugal travel ofthe cinder particles and baffles them and causes them to drop vertically downwardly.

In order to reduce the cross sectional area of each of the subdivided streams, I provide converging plates 9 which themselves are vertically disposed, as shown in Fig. 4, and cause the gases at their positions to acquire increased velocity. In a iiue of this character, without employing blowers, these converging or restricting plates 9 will cause the subdivided streams to obtain a sufficient velocity as they are delivered into the separating pockets 7 to have considerable centrifugal force as they move along the curved surfaces of these pockets. The solid particles will be retained within the pockets by the anges 8 while the gases themselves readily escape through the apertures between the walls 9 and the baiiles 8.

By curving the pockets on one side of the vertical center line one way, that is, laterally outwardly, and the pockets on the other side of the vertical line in the opposite direction and by staggering the pockets in the manner shown in Fig. 4, great economy of space can be attained and the several pockets permitted to accomplish their functions without mutual interference.

By subdividing the main stream of flue gases, as this invention provides, the small streams may be conducted to and subjected to centrifugal separators of smaller radius than could be utilized by a single large stream. Since the centrifugal force imparted to a stream increases as the radius of the turn or deection decreases the employment of a large number of centrifugal separators of small radius yields a tota-l centrifugal force greater than could readily be applied to the entire stream if undivided.

The space within each separator pocket becomes a somewhat dead air space which will repel the oncoming stream of gases and deflect it sharply out of the pocket but will, nevertheless, receive readily the solid particles such as cinders which may be directed toward the pocket by the oncoming gases. These particles are prevented from escaping from the pockets by reason of the bailies 8 and will therefore fall under the action of gravity to the lower open ends or" the several pockets. The downward discharge of these particles is aided somewhat by the gradual downward movement of the gas which results from the natural draft of the chimney acting on the lower ends of these pockets, further assisted by the impact on the air in these pockets by the streams which are discharged toward them in the subdivided liuc channels.

One important advantage possessed by the invention resides in the fact that the heavy particles which are removed from the moving stream of fluid are discharged in a manner and at a position where they will not be picked up again by the fluid from which they were separated. There is no danger of re-entrainment of the separated particles.

While the drawings show an embodiment of the invention which has been designed and utilized for separation of cinders from flue gases, it will be apparent that the principles of the invention may readily be employed in apparatus for separating oil and water from exhaust steam, and also for the accomplishment of other similar separation problems.

Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the advantages of this invention may be attained by utilizing structures which may differ in various respects from the disclosed embodiment and which will, nevertheless, remain within the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A separator comprising a plurality of vertical parallel partitions including a middle partition forming passages for fluids, the outermost passage on each side of said middle partition having a vertically extending bafe converging partially across its associated passage toward the next adjacent partition arranged for constricting the fluid stream passing thereby, each passage intermediate said outside passages and said middle partition having a similar converging bale but arranged progressively further along in the advancing fluid streams, all of said bafes on either side of said middle partition converging inwardly toward the middle partition, and dust collecting pockets providing vertical channels open at the bottom and closed at the tops thereof positioned beyond the re- Istricted outlet provided beween each partition and its associated converging baflie, all of said pockets discharging the escaping fluids in directions outwardly from said middle partition.

2. A separator comprising a chamber having a closed top and bottom provided with a plurality of vertical parallel partitions including a middle partition, the middle partition being the longest as measured from the entrance ond of said chamber, the partitions on either side of said middle partition terminating' successively and progressively short of the end of said middle partition, dust collecting pockets connected at the end of each partition providing vertically extending channels closed at the top and open at the bottom and discharging gases outwardly from said middle partition, and a converging baie positioned between each pair of partitions for narrowing a stream of fluid flowing therebetween toward said associated pocket extending vertically between the associated partitions and inclined toward the entrance of each associated pocket.

JOHN C. WHITE.

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