Gaseous flow separator and heat exchanger

Claim 2

In combination, a gaseous flow separator comprising an enclosure, said enclosure having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a plurality of laterally spaced substantially vertical filter elements mounted in said enclosure, said filter elements extending transversely of said enclosure, heat transfer means coacting with said enclosure for removing heat from said gaseous flow in said enclosure, each of said filter elements comprising, an elongated member formed generally symmetrically on opposite sides of the longitudinal vertical center plane thereof, and having laterally disposed wing portions defining a pair of open pockets facing in the direction of said gas inlet and a forwardly extending bluff nose portion disposed intermediate said wing portions, the leading end of said nose portion being of generally semi-circular configuration, the outermost extremitites of said wing portions defining the outermost lateral extremities of said member, the configuration of each of said pockets in plan being partial ellipsoid-like and comprising a major and a minor axis, the major axis extending generally in the longitudinal direction of extension of said center plane, and said minor axis extending in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal direction of said extension of said center plane, said minor axis defining the open extent of the respective of said pockets facing in the direction of said gas inlet, as well as the respective generally outermost lateral extremity of said member whereby the outer end of each of said wing portions is relatively narrow in width, the ellipsoid-like interior surface of each of said pockets merging smoothly with the respective side surface of said nose portion, the diameter of said leading end of said nose portion being generally the same magnitude as the length of said minor axis of each of said pockets, said pockets being disposed downstream of the distal end of said nose portion, said nose portion and said pockets of said wing portions being operable to cause formation of vortexes in said gaseous flow moving generally rotatively in said pockets in the general direction of said nose portion with respect to said interior surface of the respective of said pockets, and adapted to entrap in said pockets particulate material carried in the gaseous flow.

Claim 3

The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said filter elements is disposed obliquely longitudinally of said enclosure, and means coacting with the lower end of each of said filter elements for draining particulate material downwardly relative to the respective filter element and away from said enclosure.

Claim 4

The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means coacting with each of said filter elements comprises a tube coacting with the respective pocket of each of said wing portions, said heat transfer means including fluid flow for removing heat from said filter elements, each said tube extending through an associated of said heat transfer means and isolating the particulate material therein collected from the pockets of said wings from the fluid flow in said heat transfer means.

Claim 5

The combination in accordance with claim 1 including means coacting with said enclosure and with said filter elements for receiving therein particulate material removed from the gas flow by said filter elements.

Claim 6

The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said wing portions merges into a single generally vertical leading edge in the direction of said gas inlet.

Claim 7

The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein each filter element includes a body portion defining a partial elliptical configuration in horizontal cross section, and projecting rearwardly of the nose portion of the respective filter element in the direction of gaseous flow, the major axis of the partial elliptical configuration of said bodY portion being generally coplanar with the longitudinal vertical center plane of the filter element, and the exterior defining surface of said body portion merging smoothly with the respective wing portion.

Claim 8

The combination in accordance with claim 6 wherein each filter element is of a hollow metallic construction.

Claim 9

The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said filter elements are arranged in at least two rows extending across the cross section of said enclosure, the filter elements of one row being staggered with respect to the filter elements of the other row, for intercepting substantially the entire cross-sectional area of the gaseous flow.

Claim 10

In combination, a gaseous flow separator and heat exchanger comprising, an enclosure, said enclosure having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a plurality of laterally spaced substantially vertical filter elements mounted in said enclosure, said filter elements extending transversely of said enclosure, said filter elements being arranged in at least two spaced rows extending across said enclosure, the filter elements of one row being staggered with respect to the filter elements of the other row for intercepting substantially the entire cross sectional area of the gaseous flow, heat transfer means including upper and lower chambers adapted for containing coolant, coacting with said enclosure for removing heat from said gaseous flow in said enclosure, each of said filter elements comprising an elongated member formed generally symmetrically on opposite sides of the longitudinal vertical center plane thereof and having laterally spaced wing portions each defining an open pocket facing in the direction of said gas inlet and a forwardly extending bluff nose portion disposed intermediate said wing portions, each of said pockets defining in plan a partial elliptical configuration comprising a major and a minor axis with the minor axis thereof being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the filter element, said major axis extending generally in the direction of longitudinal extension of said center plane, said minor axis defining the open extent of the respective of said pockets facing in the direction of said gas inlet, as well as the respective generally outermost lateral extremity of said member whereby the outer end of each of said wing portions is relatively narrow in width, the partial elliptical-like interior surface of each of said pockets merging smoothly with the respective side surface of said nose portion, the leading end of said nose portion being of generally semi-circular configuration in horizontal cross section with the diameter of said semi-circular portion being approximately the same dimension as said minor axis of each of said partial elliptical configurations of said pockets, said pockets being disposed downstream of the leading end of said nose portion, each filter element being of hollow construction communicating with said upper and lower chambers for passage therethrough of coolant of said heat transfer means, means coacting with each of said filter elements for receiving therein material removed from the gaseous flow by said pockets, the last mentioned means comprising a tube coacting with the pocket of each said wing portion, said tube extending to said lower chamber of said heat transfer means and isolating the material collected from said wings from coolant flow in said lower chamber, each said filter element including a body portion defining a partial elliptical configuration in horizontal cross section projecting rearwardly of the nose portion of the respective filter element in the direction of gaseous flow, the major axis of the partial elliptical configuration of said body portion being co-planar with the longitudinal vertical center plane of the filter element, the exterior defining surface of said body portion merging smoothly with said wing portions, said nose portion and said pockets of said wing portions being operable to cause formation of vortexes in said gaseouS flow moving generally rotatively in said pockets in the general direction of said nose portion with respect to said interior surface of the respective of said pockets, and adapted to entrap in said pockets matter carried in the gaseous flow.

Claim 11

In combination, a gaseous flow separator and heat exchanger comprising, an enclosure, said enclosure having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a plurality of laterally spaced substantially vertical filter elements mounted in said enclosure, said filter elements extending transversely of said enclosure, said filter elements being arranged in at least two spaced rows extending across said enclosure, the filter elements of one row being staggered with respect to the filter elements of the other row for intercepting substantially the entire cross sectional area of the gaseous flow, heat transfer means including upper and lower chambers adapted for containing coolant, coacting with said enclosure for removing heat from said gaseous flow in said enclosure, each of said filter elements comprising an elongated member formed generally symmetrically on opposite sides of the longitudinal vertical center plane thereof and having laterally spaced wing portions each defining an open pocket facing in the direction of said gas inlet and a forwardly extending bluff nose portion disposed intermediate said wing portions, each of said pockets defining in plan a partial elliptical configuration comprising a major and a minor axis with the minor axis thereof being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the filter element, said major axis extending generally in the direction of longitudinal extension of said center plane, said minor axis defining the open extent of the respective of said pockets facing in the direction of said gas inlet, as well as the respective generally outermost lateral extremity of said member whereby the outer end of each of said wing portions is relatively narrow in width, the partial elliptical-like interior surface of each of said pockets merging smoothly with the respective side surface of said nose portion, the leading end of said nose portion being of generally semi-circular configuration in horizontal cross section with the diameter of said semi-circular portion being approximately the same dimension as said minor axis of each of said partial elliptical configurations of said pockets, said pockets being disposed downstream of the leading end of said nose portion, each filter element being of hollow construction communicating with said upper and lower chambers for passage therethrough of coolant of said heat transfer means, means coacting with each of said filter elements for receiving therein material removed from the gaseous flow by said pockets, the last mentioned means comprising a tube coacting with the pocket of each said wing portion, said tube extending to said lower chamber of said heat transfer means and isolating the material collected from said wings from coolant flow in said lower chamber, each said filter element including a body portion defining a partial elliptical configuration in horizontal cross section projecting rearwardly of the nose portion of the respective filter element in the direction of gaseous flow, the major axis of the partial elliptical configuration of said body portion being co-planar with the longitudinal vertical center plane of the filter element, the exterior defining surface of said body portion merging smoothly with said wing portions, said nose portion and said pockets of said wing portions being operable to cause formation of vortexes in said gaseouS flow moving generally rotatively in said pockets in the general direction of said nose portion with respect to said interior surface of the respective of said pockets, and adapted to entrap in said pockets matter carried in the gaseous flow.