Device for separating solid or liquid particles from a gaseous medium

Claim 1

A device for decomposing particulate agricultural waste products such as peanut hulls, which comprises: a. an elongate cylinder having first end wall means at one end thereof and second end wall means at the opposite end thereof whereby to define a chamber; b. inlet means for forcibly introducing the particulate waste product and combustion supporting gas tangentially into said chamber adjacent said first end wall means and axially toward said second end wall means, whereby to form an outer helical flow layer adjacent the inner surface of said cylinder which reacts with said second end wall means to reverse axial direction and form a second helical flow layer within the confines of said outer layer; c. exhaust conduit means extending through said first end wall means and presenting a discharge mouth disposed concentrically within said chamber and positioned beyond said inlet means toward said second end wall means; d. means for heating said chamber sufficiently to at least partially decompose the waste products; and e. flow control means disposed adjacent said second wall of said chamber to trap partially decomposed waste products adjacent said second end while constraining the gas to reverse its flow and form a compressible vortex from said flow control means to said discharge mouth of the exhaust conduit.

Claim 2

A device for decomposing particulate agricultural waste products such as peanut hulls, which comprises: a. an elongate cylinder having first end wall means at one end thereof and second end wall means at the opposite end thereof whereby to define a chamber; b. inlet means for forcibly introducing the particulate waste product and combustion supporting gas tangentially into said chamber adjacent said first end wall means and axially toward said second end wall means, whereby to form an outer helical flow layer adjacent the inner surface of said cylinder which reacts with said second end wall means to reverse axial direction and form a second helical flow layer within the confines of said outer layer; c. exhaust conduit means extending through said first end wall means and presenting a discharge mouth disposed concentrically within said chamber and positioned beyond said inlet means toward said second end wall means; d. means for heating said chamber sufficiently to at least partially decompose the waste products; and e. flow control means disposed adjacent said second wall of said chamber to trap partially decomposed waste products adjacent said second end while constraining the gas to reverse its flow and form a compressible vortex from said flow control means to said discharge mouth of the exhaust conduit.

Claim 15

A device for separating and removing entrained material from a gaseous medium, comprising: a. an elongate cylinder having first end wall means at one end thereof and second end wall means at the opposite end thereof whereby to define a chamber; b. inlet means for forcibly introducing the gaseous medium and entrained material tangentially into chamber adjacent said first end wall means to flow axially toward said second end wall means, whereby to form an outer helical flow layer adjacent the inner surface of said cylinder which reacts with said second end wall means to reverse axial direction and form a second helical flow layer within the confines of said outer layer; c. outlet passage means extending through said first end wall means and presenting a discharge mouth disposed concentrically within said chamber and positioned beyond said inlet means toward said second end wall means; d. flow control means defining an annular residence pocket for said entrained material adjacent said second end wall means and within which pocket said axial flow reversal takes place, said flow control means providing a constricted annular entrance mouth which positions said second flow layer toward said outer flow layer and causes said second layer to extend to the region of said discharge mouth whereat it reverses axial direction to form a third helical flow layer within the confines of said second layer, said flow control means including a tip portion spaced from said discharge mouth and contoured to reverse the axial direction of said third flow layer and create a stable vortex extending therefrom to said discharge mouth; e. a hopper located below said flow control means for retaining said separated material; and f. means in said hopper for removing material therefrom.

Claim 16

A device for separating and removing entrained material from a gaseous medium, comprising: a. an elongate cylinder having first end wall means at one end thereof and second end wall means at the opposite end thereof whereby to define a chamber; b. inlet means for forcibly introducing the gaseous medium and entrained material tangentially into chamber adjacent said first end wall means to flow axially toward said second end wall means, whereby to form an outer helical flow layer adjacent the inner surface of said cylinder which reacts with said second end wall means to reverse axial direction and form a second helical flow layer within the confines of said outer layer; c. outlet passage means extending through said first end wall means and presenting a discharge mouth disposed concentrically within said chamber and positioned beyond said inlet means toward said second end wall means; d. flow control means defining an annular residence pocket for said entrained material adjacent said second end wall means and within which pocket said axial flow reversal takes place, said flow control means providing a constricted annular entrance mouth which positions said second flow layer toward said outer flow layer and causes said second layer to extend to the region of said discharge mouth whereat it reverses axial direction to form a third helical flow layer within the confines of said second layer, said flow control means including a tip portion spaced from said discharge mouth and contoured to reverse the axial direction of said third flow layer and create a stable vortex extending therefrom to said discharge mouth; e. a hopper located below said flow control means for retaining said separated material; and f. means in said hopper for removing material therefrom.