US3861532A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vortex separator
Assignee: Fractionator AB
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Filing: 1973-10-25
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Granted: 1975-01-21
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Expires: 1993-10-25
Abstract
Abstract A multiple vortex separator or hydro cyclone, particularly for separating or cleaning fibrous suspensions, as for instance paper stock, including a plurality of individual separator units working in parallel. Each individual separator unit has an elongate external casing, which encloses the vortex chamber and has sealed axial ends and a uniform external cross-sectional profile over its entire length. Preferably, the external casing of the individual separator units is cylindrical. The individual separator units extend completely through the reject, inject and accept compartments in aligned openings in the walls between the compartments and the outer end walls of the reject and accept compartments respectively, so that the axial ends of the separator units are accessible from the outside at said outer walls of the accept and reject compartments respectively, and so that the separator units can be moved axially into and out of the compartments for replacement of the individual separator units. Such replacement of the individual separator units is possible during continued operation of the separator.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl Arvid Skardal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 15:08
CPC Classifications
B; B04; B04C; B04C5/00; B04C5/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
370 words
A vortex separator, particularly for separating fibrous suspensions, comprising a plurality of individual separator units, each including an at least partially conical vortex chamber having at its larger end at least one substantially tangential inject inlet for the suspension to be treated and an axial accept outlet for a lighter fraction of the treated suspension and at its smaller end an axial reject outlet for a heavier fraction of the treated suspension; a common inject compartment for the suspension to be treated communicating with the inject inlets of all said individual separator units; a common accept compartment for said lighter fraction communicating with the accept outlets of all said individual separator units; and a common reject compartment for said heavier fraction communicating with the reject outlets of all said individual separator units, said compartments being arranged side by side with said reject and accept compartments located on opposite sides of said inject compartment, each of said individual separator units having an elongated external casing enclosing said conical vortex chamber and having sealed axial ends and an uniform external cross-sectional profile over its entire length, each individual separator unit extending completely through said reject, inject and accept compartments in aligned openings in the walls between the inject compartment and the reject and accept compartments respectively, and in the outer walls of the reject and accept compartments furthest removed from the inject compartment, whereby both axial ends of the separator units are accessible from the outside of said outer walls of the reject and accept compartments and the separator units can be pushed axially into and out from said compartments through said openings in the compartment walls, the external casing of each separator unit being provided with at least one reject port communicating with the reject outlet of the vortex chamber and positioned in the portion of the separator unit located within the reject compartment, at least one inject port communicating with the inject inlet of the vortex chamber and positioned in the portion of the separator unit located within the inject compartment, and at least one accept port communicating with the accept outlet of the vortex chamber and positioned in the portion of the separator unit located within the accept compartment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
370 words
A vortex separator, particularly for separating fibrous suspensions, comprising a plurality of individual separator units, each including an at least partially conical vortex chamber having at its larger end at least one substantially tangential inject inlet for the suspension to be treated and an axial accept outlet for a lighter fraction of the treated suspension and at its smaller end an axial reject outlet for a heavier fraction of the treated suspension; a common inject compartment for the suspension to be treated communicating with the inject inlets of all said individual separator units; a common accept compartment for said lighter fraction communicating with the accept outlets of all said individual separator units; and a common reject compartment for said heavier fraction communicating with the reject outlets of all said individual separator units, said compartments being arranged side by side with said reject and accept compartments located on opposite sides of said inject compartment, each of said individual separator units having an elongated external casing enclosing said conical vortex chamber and having sealed axial ends and an uniform external cross-sectional profile over its entire length, each individual separator unit extending completely through said reject, inject and accept compartments in aligned openings in the walls between the inject compartment and the reject and accept compartments respectively, and in the outer walls of the reject and accept compartments furthest removed from the inject compartment, whereby both axial ends of the separator units are accessible from the outside of said outer walls of the reject and accept compartments and the separator units can be pushed axially into and out from said compartments through said openings in the compartment walls, the external casing of each separator unit being provided with at least one reject port communicating with the reject outlet of the vortex chamber and positioned in the portion of the separator unit located within the reject compartment, at least one inject port communicating with the inject inlet of the vortex chamber and positioned in the portion of the separator unit located within the inject compartment, and at least one accept port communicating with the accept outlet of the vortex chamber and positioned in the portion of the separator unit located within the accept compartment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reject, inject and accept compartments are parts oF a common vessel having two substantially plane and parallel outer walls for the reject compartment and the accept compartment respectively, and two internal plane partition walls parallel to said outer walls between the inject compartment and the reject and accept compartments respectively, said individual separator units extending through said vessel with their longitudinal axes mutually parallel and substantially perpendicular to said walls of the vessel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 2, wherein said vessel is cylindrical and supported with its axis horizontal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
152 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said individual separator units is provided at its one axial end with first mechanical coupling means and at its opposite axial end with second mechanical coupling means, said first and second coupling means being complementary, so that one end of a first separator unit can be connected to the opposite end of a second separator unit by means of said first and second coupling means respectively, provided at said ends of said first and second separator units, whereby a separator unit can be removed from said reject, inject and accept compartments and replaced with a new separator unit in that one end of said new separator unit is connected to the opposite end of said first mentioned separator unit and subsequently pushed into said compartments, at the same time, as the first mentioned separator unit is pushed out from the compartments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
83 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said individual separator units is provided with two valve means operable from the outside of the opposite axial ends of the separator unit for shutting off respectively the communication between the reject outlet of the vortex chamber, and the reject port in the external casing of the separator unit and the communication between the accept outlet of the vortex chamber and the accept port in the external casing of the separator unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 5, wherein said valve means include threaded plugs screwed into aixal threaded bores in the axial end walls of the external casing of the separator unit and provided at their inner ends with valve discs adapted to close the reject outlet and the accept outlet of the vortex chamber respectively when the threaded plugs are screwed inwards into the separator unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axial end walls of the external casing of the separator unit are transparent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 1, comprising an additional compartment provided with an inlet for feeding a dilution liquid into the compartment, said additional compartment being located next to said reject compartment and separated therefrom by a partition wall, which is provided with openings through which said individual separator units extend, at least some of said openings being provided with annular flow passages around the separator units extending through said flow passages, whereby dilution liquid can flow through said annular flow passages from said additional compartment into said reject compartment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 8, wherein only those openings in the partition wall between the reject compartment and said additional compartment, which are associated with a predetermined group of separator units, are provided with said annular flow passages, whereas the openings provided in said partition wall for all other separator units are sealed against the outside of the separator units extending therethrough, said predetermined group of separator units comprising those separator units which are located furthest away from the reject outlet from said reject compartment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A vortex separator, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said additional compartment is located between said reject compartment and said inject compartment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A vortex separator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said external casing of each individual separator unit is cylindrical with a constant diameter over the entire length of the casing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
238 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 11, wherein each individual separator unit comprises a cylindrical, substantially tubular central body forming a central portion of the cylindrical casing of the separator unit, and having an internal transverse wall provided with a central axial aperture and in its circumferential wall at least one flow duct extending substantially tangentially from the outside of the central body to the interior of the central body on one side of said transverse wall; a conical tube forming said vortex chamber and joined with its larger end to the axial end of said central body located on said one side of said transverse wall; a first cylindrical tubular sleeve having the same external diameter as said central body and attached at one end to said axial end of said central body so as to enclose said conical tube and extending at its opposite end axially past the smaller end of said conical tube; a first end plate sealing said opposite end of said first tubular sleeve; a second cylindrical tubular sleeve having the same external diameter as said central body and connected at its one end to the opposite axial end of said central body; and a second end plate sealing the opposite end of said second tubular sleeve; each of said first and second tubular sleeves being provided with at least one aperture in its wall adjacent said opposite end of the sleeve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
A vortex separator as claimed in claim 12, comprising a tube having substantially the same inner diameter as said central aperture in said transverse wall of said central body and extending from said transverse wall within said second tubular sleeve to a point adjacent but axially spaced from said second end plate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-20 | 1978-07-22 | 1979-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-07-22 | 1983-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-20 | 1986-07-22 | 1987-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |