Apparatus for transporting atomizable material

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING ATOMIZED PETROLEUM FROM A WELL, AN ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATOR AT THE SURFACE OF SAID WELL FOR SEPARATING THE ATOMIZED PETROLEUM FROM A CARRIER GAS, SAID SEPARATOR COMPRISING A HOUSING, A SPIRAL WALL SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOTTOM THEREOF, SAID WALL DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY SPIRAL CHAMBER AND INCLUDING AN INNER SURFACE OF DIELECTRIC, ELECTROPHORUS MATERIAL AND AN OUTER SURFACE OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, FIRST CONDUIT MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A FINELY DIVIDED MIST OF SAID ATOMIZED PETROLEUM AND CARRIER GAS INTO SAID SPIRAL CHAMBER, THE PETROLEUM PARTICLES WITHIN SAID MIST HAVING A PREDETERMINED ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE, MEANS FOR PRODUCING A DIFFERENT ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID WALL, WHEREBY SAID PETROLEUM PARTICLES ARE ATTRACTED TO SAID INNER SURFACE AND ARE COLLECTED THEREON, SECOND CONDUIT MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SPIRAL CHAMBER AND INCLUDING A COANDA NOZZLE FOR WITHDRAWING THE SEPARATED CARRIER GAS FROM SAID CHAMBER, AND DISCHARGE MEANS LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID HOUSING FOR RECIEVING THE PETROLEUM PARTICLES COLLECTED ON SAID SURFACE.