Abstract Electrogasdynamic apparatus for suppressing airborne particles, dust or the like, by a distribution of charged, minute liquid droplets throughout the zone contaminated by the airborne particles. Passage through a corona discharge region charges the droplets, which then are passed through a channel to the contaminated zone. There, a space charge field is established. As they continue to be forced through the channel, the charged droplets decelerate under the influence of an axial field gradient. An electrogasdynamic exchange occurs, by which the droplets exchange kinetic energy for electrical potential. The droplets disperse, passing among the contaminant particles, attracting, being attracted to, and charging contaminant particles. Now having an associated electrical charge, the particles move to nearby surfaces. An enclosure about the contaminated location reduces the spread of airborne particles and adds additional collection surface area. In mining, dust is suppressed at mine product transfer points, or the dust control apparatus is mounted on a continuous mining machine effectively to isolate the machine''s operator station from locations of greatest dust concentration.
Inventors
👤 M Gourdine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-27 13:10
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03C; B03C3/00; B03C3/02; B03C3/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
Apparatus for suppressing airborne contaminant particles about a work zone at which the contaminant particles are expelled into the surrounding atmosphere; the apparatus including means for supplying a quickly moving stream of gas, means for entraining fine seed particles in the quickly moving stream of gas, means for establishing a corona discharge region through which the gas and entrained seed particle stream passes and means comprising an elongate channel opening toward and extending toward the work zone and positioned intermediate the work zone and the corona region for directing the gas and seed particle stream toward the work zone against in opposing electric field to electrogasdynamically increase the electrical potential of the seed particles, said corona region establishing means comprising a corona needle, an electrode and an associated attractor electrode, the channel comprising an elongate nonconductive member interposed between the electrodes and the work zone, the distance along said channel from the corona region to the channel exit being sufficient to isolate the corona electrodes from the charge build-up and the contaminant at the exit, thereby substantially reducing the possibility of interelectrode arcing, whereby the contaminant particles are charged by the fine, charge carrying seed particles, and are propelled to surfaces adjacent the work zone, and further including mounting means for the apparatus including means for encasing the corona region, shock damping material within the encasing means and supporting the apparatus therein to substantially lessen jarring of the apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
Apparatus for suppressing airborne contaminant particles about a work zone at which the contaminant particles are expelled into the surrounding atmosphere; the apparatus including means for supplying a quickly moving stream of gas, means for entraining fine seed particles in the quickly moving stream of gas, means for establishing a corona discharge region through which the gas and entrained seed particle stream passes and means comprising an elongate channel opening toward and extending toward the work zone and positioned intermediate the work zone and the corona region for directing the gas and seed particle stream toward the work zone against in opposing electric field to electrogasdynamically increase the electrical potential of the seed particles, said corona region establishing means comprising a corona needle, an electrode and an associated attractor electrode, the channel comprising an elongate nonconductive member interposed between the electrodes and the work zone, the distance along said channel from the corona region to the channel exit being sufficient to isolate the corona electrodes from the charge build-up and the contaminant at the exit, thereby substantially reducing the possibility of interelectrode arcing, whereby the contaminant particles are charged by the fine, charge carrying seed particles, and are propelled to surfaces adjacent the work zone, and further including mounting means for the apparatus including means for encasing the corona region, shock damping material within the encasing means and supporting the apparatus therein to substantially lessen jarring of the apparatus.