Patent US3629656A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3629656A
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Method and apparatus for neutralizing electrostatically charged fluids
Assignee: FRANK J WILLIG
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Filing: 1970-09-21
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Granted: 1971-12-21
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Expires: 1990-09-21
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for neutralizing electrostatically charged flammable fluids typically occurring during handling, agitation, filtration or turbulent conditions. The method involves positioning two sets of conductive members in series with the path of fluid flow therepast and locating the sharpened edges of one set closely spaced from the rounded blunt edges of the other set and electrically isolated therefrom. The sharpedged members function to release electric charges into the fluid to neutralize it under the influence of an electrostatic field produced by an electrical potential between these sharp edges and the rounded blunt edges of the second set of conductive members. One set of conductive members is typically grounded and the other set operates at a potential closely related to the unbalanced charge present in the fluid being neutralized. The members of both sets are aligned generally with the path of flow therepast and are closely spaced from one another transversely of this path.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank J Willig
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 06:32
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05F; H05F3/00; H05F3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of distributing the members of said first and second sets thereof closely to one another and aligned with but crosswise of the path of said fluid thereby to provide ample opportunity for all portions of the fluid to pass close to a surface of said first set of members and thereby to release said neutralizing charges generally uniformly into the full cross section of the fluid flow path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
That method of reducing hazardous conditions in a body of flammable fluid having a high electrical resistivity and likely to be excited with dangerously high electric charges due to agitation and movement past filtering equipment and past restraining walls and the like surfaces, said method comprising: collecting charges from charged ions present in said fluid on first conductive members electrically isolated from other conductive means and which conductive members are closely spaced crosswise of the path of fluid flow therepast and having at least one edge thereof rounded, supporting second conductive members spaced closely from one another crosswise of and submerged in said flowing fluid, grounding said second members and locating the sharpened edges thereof in closely spaced relation to and upstream from the rounded edges of said first conductive members, and utilizing the high potential electrical charge collecting on the rounded edges of first first conductive members to produce oppositely charged ions in fluid flowing past the sharpened edges of said second conductive members to neutralize the fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
That method defined in claim 3 characterized in the steps of utilizing conductive members having wide surface areas generally aligned with the direction of fluid flow and with said sharpened edges adjacent said rounded edges.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
That method defined in claim 4 characterized in the step of radially offsetting said sharpened edges to lie opposite and generally between said rounded edges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
That method defined in claim 5 characterized in the step of arranging said first and second conductive members generally concentrically of the axis of fluid flow therepast.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
That method defined in claim 5 characterized in the step of arranging said first conductive members in a flaring array with their rounded edges spaced relatively cLose together and the edges remote from said rounded edges spaced relatively widely from one another.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
That method defined in claim 3 characterized in the step of electrically interconnecting said first conductive members to one another and said second conductive members to one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
That method defined in claim 3 characterized in the step of enclosing said first and second conductive members in passage means confining the electrostatically charged fluid to a flow path passing in succession first over second members and then over said first members.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
That method defined in claim 9 characterized in the steps of passing said charged fluid first over the conductive members having sharpened edges and then over the rounded edges of said first conductive members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
That method defined in claim 10 characterized in the steps of supporting said first conductive members spaced from the wall of said fluid passage means and insulated therefrom, and supporting said second conductive means from and in electrical contact with the wall of said fluid passage means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
177 words
Apparatus for minimizing the magnitude of the net electrostatic charge in fluid having a high electrical resistivity and often generated by turbulence and agitation occurring incident to the transfer of said fluid along a confined flow path, said apparatus comprising: first and second sets of conductive charge collecting members arranged end to end about and generally parallel to the axis of said flow path, means for supporting said first and second sets of collector members with their adjacent ends closely spaced and electrically isolated from one another, one end edge of said first set of collector members being sharpened and the adjacent end edges of said second set of collector members being blunt and rounded, and means for grounding one of said sharp-edged set of collector members and for isolating the other of said sets of collectors from ground while said apparatus is supported substantially submerged within said fluid, and said first and second sets of members cooperating with one another to neutralize electrostatic charges developed in said fluid during the transfer thereof along said flow path.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 characterized in the provision of electrically conductive means interconnecting the members of each of said sets to one another.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 13 characterized in that at least certain of the charge collecting members of one of said first and second sets flare away from one another from points adjacent the closest end of the other of said sets of charge collecting members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 characterized in the provision of conduit means surrounding each of said sets of charge collecting members with the walls thereof spaced therefrom and effective to convey said fluid past said first and second sets of members in succession.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 characterized in that the surface areas of the set of members having sharpened edges is relatively small compared with the aggregate surface area of the set of members having blunt and rounded edges.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 characterized in that said sharpened edged are substantially uniformly spaced between an adjacent pair of said blunt and rounded edges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 17 characterized in that the spacing between said sharpened and said rounded edges is of the order of 1/8 -inch.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 characterized in that the members of said first and second sets thereof are generally tubular and arranged concentrically of one another.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 19 characterized in that said charge collecting members are smooth surfaced, thin and aligned with the flow path of said fluid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
102 words
That improvement in apparatus for minimizing the hazard of explosion of flammable fluid having high electrical resistivity and which hazard arises from the discharge of high electrostatic chargEs developing in the fluid due to agitation and movement of the fluid relative to other objects, said improvement comprising: supporting first charge collector means in the flow path of said fluid by resistive means, supporting second conductive charge collector means within the flow path of said fluid having sharp edges in closely spaced relation to blunt rounded edges of said first conductive means, and providing means for connecting said second conductive means to ground.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
That improvement defined in claim 21 characterized in supporting a third conductive charge collector means in the flow path of said fluid and spaced upstream from said sharp-edged collector means, and isolated from ground, and means electrically interconnecting said first and third charge collector means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
That improvement defined in claim 22 characterized in that said third charge collector means has a very substantially smaller electrical charge capacity than said first charge collector means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
That method defined in claim 3 characterized in the steps of supporting third conductive members spaced upstream from both said first and second conductive members and electrically connected only with said first members, and utilizing said third conductive members to collect an electrical charge from the fluid thereby to expedite the charging of said first members with a charge having a particular polarity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
That method defined in claim 24 characterized in the step of utilizing third charge collector members having an electrical capacity substantially less than the electrical capacity of said first collector members.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of connecting said sharp-edged set of conductive members to a source of zero potential, and electrically isolating said set of round-edged conductive members from conductive means external to the fluid undergoing neutralization.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the steps of connecting said round-edged set of conductive members to a source of zero potential, and electrically connecting said set of sharp-edged conductive members to means in contact with flowing and agitated fluid undergoing neutralization.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
That method defined in claim 27 characterized in the step of locating said first and second sets of conductive members in the path of fluid discharging from fluid processing means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
That method defined in claim 27 characterized in the step of utilizing the flow of charged fluid past said set of electrically isolated conductive members.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
121 words
That improvement in apparatus for minimizing the hazard of explosion of flammable fluid having high electrical resistivity and which hazard arises from the discharge of high electrostatic charges developing in the fluid due to agitation and movement of the fluid relative to other objects, said improvement comprising: supporting first sharp-edged conductive means in the flow path of fluid to be neutralized, supporting second conductive means having blunt rounded edges in said fluid with said rounded edges closely spaced from said sharp edges, connecting one of said first and second conductive means to a source of zero potential, and connecting the other thereof to means in contact with portions of said fluid subject to agitation and friction while flowing over other objects.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
38 words
That improvement defined in claim 30 characterized in the step of connecting said sharp-edged conductive means to the means in contact with flowing and agitated fluid, and connecting said round-edged conductive means to a source of zero potential.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
That improvement defined in claim 30 characterized in the step of connecting said sharp-edged conductive means to a source of zero potential and said round-edged conductive means to said means in contact with flowing and agitated fluid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA686686A
Cited
US3141113A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-20 | 1975-06-21 | 1975-12-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-20 | 1979-06-21 | 1979-12-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-20 | 1983-06-21 | 1983-12-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |