US3860401A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and device for producing dry vapor
Assignee: Ecolab Inc
•
Filing: 1973-06-25
•
Granted: 1975-01-14
•
Expires: 1993-06-25
Abstract
Abstract A device for producing dry vapor from a liquid air-treating agent, for use in air-conditioning systems or the like, includes a generally vertically extending vortex separator into which liquid air-treating agent is tangentially introduced as a spray mist having particles in a size range from less than one micron to at least several microns. The vortex separator has a centrally-located upper vapor-discharge opening and a lower liquid-discharge opening formed therein. By this arrangement the tangentially introduced spray mist moves spirally through the vortex separator with the larger particle sizes gravitating towards the periphery of the separator and settling out at the bottom thereof as a liquid, while vapor particles having a size of one micron or less remain adjacent the center of the separator and are discharged therefrom through the upper vapor opening for use in an air supply line.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles W Clark
- 👤 John M Paulovich
- 👤 William Perlberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 20:58
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F3/00; F24F3/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
THE METHOD OF TREATING AIR WITH DRY VAPOR PARTICLES, WITH THE AID OF A VORTEX SEPARATOR, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES PRODUCING A SPRAY MIST OF LIQUID AIR-TREATING AGENT HAVING VAPOR PARTICLE SIZES FROM LESS THAN ONE MICRON TO AT LEAST SEVERAL MICRONS, INTRODUCING SAID SPRAY MIST TANGENTIALLY INTO SAID VORTEX SEPARATOR AT THE UPPER END OF THE SPERATOR, DIRECTING SAID SPRAY MIST IN SAID SEPARATOR ALONG A SPIRAL FLOW PATH TO CAUSE THE LARGER OF SAID PARTICLES TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PATH AND THE VAPOR PARTICLES OF ONE MICRON OR LESS TO REMAIN ADJACENT THE CENTER OF SAID PATH, REMOVING SAID VAPOR PARTICLES FROM ADJACENT THE CENTER OF SAID PATH, AND INTORDICING SAID VAPOR PARTICLES INTO THE AIR TO BE TREATED; SAID STEP OF PRODUCING A SPRAY MIST COMPRISING THE STEP OF ASPIRATING LIQUID AIR-TREATING AGENT IN AN AIR SPRAY NOZZLE BY PASSING AIR THROUGH SAID NOZZLE.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
149 words
THE METHOD OF TREATING AIR WITH DRY VAPOR PARTICLES, WITH THE AID OF A VORTEX SEPARATOR, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES PRODUCING A SPRAY MIST OF LIQUID AIR-TREATING AGENT HAVING VAPOR PARTICLE SIZES FROM LESS THAN ONE MICRON TO AT LEAST SEVERAL MICRONS, INTRODUCING SAID SPRAY MIST TANGENTIALLY INTO SAID VORTEX SEPARATOR AT THE UPPER END OF THE SPERATOR, DIRECTING SAID SPRAY MIST IN SAID SEPARATOR ALONG A SPIRAL FLOW PATH TO CAUSE THE LARGER OF SAID PARTICLES TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PATH AND THE VAPOR PARTICLES OF ONE MICRON OR LESS TO REMAIN ADJACENT THE CENTER OF SAID PATH, REMOVING SAID VAPOR PARTICLES FROM ADJACENT THE CENTER OF SAID PATH, AND INTORDICING SAID VAPOR PARTICLES INTO THE AIR TO BE TREATED; SAID STEP OF PRODUCING A SPRAY MIST COMPRISING THE STEP OF ASPIRATING LIQUID AIR-TREATING AGENT IN AN AIR SPRAY NOZZLE BY PASSING AIR THROUGH SAID NOZZLE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of passing air through said nozzle comprises passing air through the nozzle at a pressure of between 3 psi and 20 psi.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said removing step comprises the step of flowing said vapor particles of one micron or less from adjacent the center of said path in a generally vertical direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as defined in claim 3 including the steps of collecting unremoved vapor particles from said flow path as a liquid and utilizing said liquid in said step of producing a spray mist.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 4 including the steps of maintaining said flow path at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as defined in claim 4 including the step of continuously supplying fresh liquid air-treating agent for said spraying step to replace agent lost in said removing step.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
230 words
A device for producing a dry vapor from a liquid air-treating agent for use in air-conditioning systems or the like, which comprises a generally vertically extending vortex separator having upper and lower ends and including a centrally-located vapor discharge opening at its upper end and a liquid discharge opening at its lower end, and means for tangentially introducing liquid air-treating agent into said vortex separator adjacent the upper end thereof in a spray mist having particles in a size range from less than one micron to at least several microns, whereby said spray mist moves downwardly through said separator in a spiral, with the larger size particles therein being located adjacent the periphery of said separator and particles having a size of one micron or less being located adjacent the center of said separator and being discharged through said opening in said upper end portion; and means for collecting said larger size particles as a liquid and conduit means for providing fluid communication between said collecting means and said means for tangentially introducing liquid air-treating agent into said separator; said means for introducing liquid air-treating agent into said separator comprising a liquid aspirator spray nozzle and means for suppplying pressurized air to said nozzle whereby said nozzle aspirates liquid air-treating agent into said conduit means and projects said agent into the upper end of said separator as a spray mist.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
230 words
A device for producing a dry vapor from a liquid air-treating agent for use in air-conditioning systems or the like, which comprises a generally vertically extending vortex separator having upper and lower ends and including a centrally-located vapor discharge opening at its upper end and a liquid discharge opening at its lower end, and means for tangentially introducing liquid air-treating agent into said vortex separator adjacent the upper end thereof in a spray mist having particles in a size range from less than one micron to at least several microns, whereby said spray mist moves downwardly through said separator in a spiral, with the larger size particles therein being located adjacent the periphery of said separator and particles having a size of one micron or less being located adjacent the center of said separator and being discharged through said opening in said upper end portion; and means for collecting said larger size particles as a liquid and conduit means for providing fluid communication between said collecting means and said means for tangentially introducing liquid air-treating agent into said separator; said means for introducing liquid air-treating agent into said separator comprising a liquid aspirator spray nozzle and means for suppplying pressurized air to said nozzle whereby said nozzle aspirates liquid air-treating agent into said conduit means and projects said agent into the upper end of said separator as a spray mist.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
191 words
A device for producing a dry vapor from a liquid air-treating agent for use in air-conditioning systems or the like, which comprIses a generally vertically extending vortex separator having upper and lower ends and including a centrally-located vapor discharge opening at its upper end and a liquid discharge opening at its lower end, and means for tangentially introducing liquid air-treating agent into said vortex separator adjacent the upper end thereof in a spray mist having particles in a size range from less than one micron to at least several microns, whereby said spray mist downwardly through said separator in a spiral, with the larger size particles therein being located adjacent the periphery of said separator and particles having a size of one micron or less being located adjacent the center of said separator and being discharged through said opening in said upper end portion; said means for introducing liquid air-treating agent into said separator comprising a liquid aspirator spray nozzle and means for supplying pressurized air to said nozzle whereby said nozzle aspirates liquid air-treating agent and projects said agent into the upper end of said separator as a spray mist.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
191 words
A device for producing a dry vapor from a liquid air-treating agent for use in air-conditioning systems or the like, which comprIses a generally vertically extending vortex separator having upper and lower ends and including a centrally-located vapor discharge opening at its upper end and a liquid discharge opening at its lower end, and means for tangentially introducing liquid air-treating agent into said vortex separator adjacent the upper end thereof in a spray mist having particles in a size range from less than one micron to at least several microns, whereby said spray mist downwardly through said separator in a spiral, with the larger size particles therein being located adjacent the periphery of said separator and particles having a size of one micron or less being located adjacent the center of said separator and being discharged through said opening in said upper end portion; said means for introducing liquid air-treating agent into said separator comprising a liquid aspirator spray nozzle and means for supplying pressurized air to said nozzle whereby said nozzle aspirates liquid air-treating agent and projects said agent into the upper end of said separator as a spray mist.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as defined in claim 8 wherein said vortex separator includes means for collecting said larger size particles as a liquid and conduit means for providing fluid communication between said collecting means and said means for tangentially introducing liquid air-treating agent into said separator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device as defined in claim 9 including means for selectively preventing fluid flow in said conduit means during operation of said air supply means whereby only air flows through said nozzle to remove air-treating agent or the like therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as defined in claim 4 including timing means for controlling the operation of said air supplying means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device as defined in claim 9 including a reservoir containing a supply of said liquid air-treating agent and being operatively connected in fluid communication with said conduit means, whereby air-treating agent used in said separator is replenished.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
248 words
A device for producing a dry vapor from a liquid air-treating agent for use in air-conditioning systems or the like, which comprises a generally vertically extending unobstructed vortex separator having upper and lower end portions, said upper end portion having a centrally-located vapor discharge opening therein and said lower end portion having a liquid discharge opening therein, a liquid spray aspirator nozzle operatively associated with said vortex separator adjacent the upper end thereof and positioned to project a spray mist of liquid air-treating agent tangentially into the interior of said separator, conduit means operatively connected in fluid communication between said liquid discharge opening and said nozzle for supplying liquid from the lower end of said separator to said nozzle, and means for supplying pressurized air to said nozzle, whereby said nozzle aspirates liquid air-treating agent into said conduit means and tangentially projects into said separator a spray mist of said agent having a particle range from less than one micron to at least several microns, said spray mist thereby moving generally downwardly through said separator in a spiral path with the larger size particles thereof located adjacent the periphery of said separator and particles having a size of one micron or less being located adjacent the center of said separator at an area of reduced pressure and passing upwardly from the separator through said vapor opening, said larger particles being collected in the lower end of said separator and passing into said conduit for recycling through said nozzle.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
248 words
A device for producing a dry vapor from a liquid air-treating agent for use in air-conditioning systems or the like, which comprises a generally vertically extending unobstructed vortex separator having upper and lower end portions, said upper end portion having a centrally-located vapor discharge opening therein and said lower end portion having a liquid discharge opening therein, a liquid spray aspirator nozzle operatively associated with said vortex separator adjacent the upper end thereof and positioned to project a spray mist of liquid air-treating agent tangentially into the interior of said separator, conduit means operatively connected in fluid communication between said liquid discharge opening and said nozzle for supplying liquid from the lower end of said separator to said nozzle, and means for supplying pressurized air to said nozzle, whereby said nozzle aspirates liquid air-treating agent into said conduit means and tangentially projects into said separator a spray mist of said agent having a particle range from less than one micron to at least several microns, said spray mist thereby moving generally downwardly through said separator in a spiral path with the larger size particles thereof located adjacent the periphery of said separator and particles having a size of one micron or less being located adjacent the center of said separator at an area of reduced pressure and passing upwardly from the separator through said vapor opening, said larger particles being collected in the lower end of said separator and passing into said conduit for recycling through said nozzle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device as defined in claim 13 wherein said air supply means supplies air to said nozzle at a pressure of between 3 and 20 psi.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device as defined in claim 14 including a reservoir containing a supply of said liquid air-treating agent and being operatively connected in fluid communication with said conduit means whereby air-treating agent discharged from said separator as vapor is repLenished.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device as defined in claim 15 including timing means for controlling the period of operation of said air supplying means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device as defined in claim 16 including a discharge vent operatively connected to said separator in fluid communication with said vapor opening for directing said discharged vapors in a predetermined direction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device as defined in claim 16 wherein said vortex separator has a generally cylindrical upper portion and a conically tapered lower portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device as defined in claim 16 including means for selectively preventing liquid flow in said conduit means during operation of said air supply means, whereby only air flows through said nozzle to remove particles of liquid air-treating agent or the like therefrom.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device as defined in claim 19 wherein said liquid flow-preventing means comprises valve means in said conduit means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device as defined in claim 20 wherein said valve means is responsive to said timing means and said timing means is adapted to control operation of both said valve and said air supply means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1130849A
Cited
US2725951A
Cited
US3304011A
Cited
US3324632A
Cited
US3570472A
Cited
US3724180A
Cited
US3710554A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-13 | 1978-07-15 | 1979-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-13 | 1982-07-15 | 1983-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-13 | 1986-07-15 | 1987-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |