Apparatus and method for separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid

Claim 1

An apparatus for separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid wherein particulate matter is collected in an overlying porous layer on an upstream side of a rotatable, fluid-permeable filter in a first chamber, and wherein the porous layer of particulate matter is rotatably conveyed into a second chamber and used as an additional filtering medium of enhanced filtering capacity to filter particulate matter not removed in the first chamber, comprising: a. an enclosed housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet therein; b. said rotatable filter being positioned within said enclosed housing and comprising a rotatably mounted, fluid permeable, endless band having a filter surface thereon for removing entrained particulate matter from a fluid as the fluid is passed through the filter surface from the upstream side to a downstream side thereof; c. fluid pumping means operatively communicating with said enclosed housing for inducing a flow of fluid into said enclosed housing through the inlet and out of said enclosed housing through the outlet; d. chamber means disposed within said enclosed housing and sealingly cooperating with said enclosed housing and with said endless band along substantially the entire width thereof and defining, respectively, said first chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid inlet and a first predetermined portion of said endless band on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, and said second chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid outlet and a second predetermined portion of said endless band on the upstream and downstream sides thereof; said first and second chambers being fluidly interconnected for fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber. e. drive means for rotating said endless band at a predetermined rate, respectively, through said first chamber for collecting on the filter surface thereof said overlying porous layer of particulate matter to be used as the additional filter medium of enhanced filtering capacity, and through said second chamber for filtering fluid through said filter surface and the overlying porous layer of particulate matter; and f. doffing means for cleaning said filter surface by removing said porous layer of particulate matter therefrom subsequent to the passage thereof through said second chamber.

Claim 2

An apparatus for separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid wherein particulate matter is collected in an overlying porous layer on an upstream side of a rotatable, fluid-permeable filter in a first chamber, and wherein the porous layer of particulate matter is rotatably conveyed into a second chamber and used as an additional filtering medium of enhanced filtering capacity to filter particulate matter not removed in the first chamber, comprising: a. an enclosed housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet therein; b. said rotatable filter being positioned within said enclosed housing and comprising a rotatably mounted, fluid permeable, endless band having a filter surface thereon for removing entrained particulate matter from a fluid as the fluid is passed through the filter surface from the upstream side to a downstream side thereof; c. fluid pumping means operatively communicating with said enclosed housing for inducing a flow of fluid into said enclosed housing through the inlet and out of said enclosed housing through the outlet; d. chamber means disposed within said enclosed housing and sealingly cooperating with said enclosed housing and with said endless band along substantially the entire width thereof and defining, respectively, said first chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid inlet and a first predetermined portion of said endless band on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, and said second chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid outlet and a second predetermined portion of said endless band on the upstream and downstream sides thereof; said first and second chambers being fluidly interconnected for fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber. e. drive means for rotating said endless band at a predetermined rate, respectively, through said first chamber for collecting on the filter surface thereof said overlying porous layer of particulate matter to be used as the additional filter medium of enhanced filtering capacity, and through said second chamber for filtering fluid through said filter surface and the overlying porous layer of particulate matter; and f. doffing means for cleaning said filter surface by removing said porous layer of particulate matter therefrom subsequent to the passage thereof through said second chamber.

Claim 11

An apparatus for separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid wherein particulate matter is collected in an overlying porous layer on an upstream side of a rotatable, fluid-permeable filter in a first chamber, and wherein the porous layer of particulate matter is rotatably conveyed into a second chamber and used as an additional filtering medium of enhanced filtering capacity to filter particulate matter not removed in the first chamber, comprising: a. an enclosed housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet therein; b. said rotatable filter being positioned within said enclosed housing and comprising a rotatably mounted, fluid permeable, cylindrical drum formed of expanded metal and having a filter surface for removing entrained particulate matter from a fluid as the fluid is passed through the filter surface from the upstream side to a downstream side thereof; c. chamber means disposed within said enclosed housing and sealingly cooperating with said enclosed housing and with said cylindrical drum along substantially the entire width thereof and defining, respectively, said first chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid inlet and a first predetermined portion of said cylindrical drum on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, and said second chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid outlet and a second predetermined portion of said cylindrical drum on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, said first and second chambers being fluidly interconnected for fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber; said chamber means comprising an imperforate chamber baffle positioned in said cylindrical drum and extending substantially the entire length thereof and defining on one longitudinal side thereof said first chamber, and on the opposite side thereof said second chamber; inner sealing means cooperatively engaging said chamber baffle and inner peripheral surface of said cylindrical drum; and outer sealing means cooperatively engaging the inner surfaces of said enclosed housing and the outer peripheral surface of said cylindrical drum opposite said inner sealing means; d. fluid pumping means operatively communicating with said enclosed housing for inducing a flow of fluid into said enclosed housing through the inlet and out of said enclosed housing through the outlet and comprising a first pump fluidly communicating with said first chamber for inducing a flow of fluid into said first chamber through the filter surfacd positioned therein and out of said first chamber on the downstream side of said filter surface, and a second fluid pump fluidly communicating with said second chamber for inducing a flow of fluid into said second chamber through the filter surface positioned therein and out of said second chamber on the downstream side of said filter surface; e. drive means for rotating said cylindrical drum at a predetermined rate, respectively, through said first chamber for collecting on the outer filter surface thereof said overlying porous layer of particulate matter to be used as the additional filter medium of enhanced filtering capacity, and through said second chamber for filtering fluid through said outer filter surface and the overlying layer of particulate matter, said drive means comprising a drive chain cooperatively engaging the periphery of said cylindrical drum, and a drive motor having a sprocket gear matingly engaging with said drive chain for rotating said cylindrical drum; and f. doffing means for removing the porous layer of particulate matter from the filter surface subsequent to the passage thereof through said second chamber and prior to the passage thereof into said first chamber.

Claim 12

An apparatus for separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid wherein particulate matter is collected in an overlying porous layer on an upstream side of a rotatable, fluid-permeable filter in a first chamber, and wherein the porous layer of particulate matter is rotatably conveyed into a second chamber and used as an additional filtering medium of enhanced filtering capacity to filter particulate matter not removed in the first chamber, comprising: a. an enclosed housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet therein; b. said rotatable filter being positioned within said enclosed housing and comprising a rotatably mounted, fluid permeable, cylindrical drum formed of expanded metal and having a filter surface for removing entrained particulate matter from a fluid as the fluid is passed through the filter surface from the upstream side to a downstream side thereof; c. chamber means disposed within said enclosed housing and sealingly cooperating with said enclosed housing and with said cylindrical drum along substantially the entire width thereof and defining, respectively, said first chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid inlet and a first predetermined portion of said cylindrical drum on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, and said second chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid outlet and a second predetermined portion of said cylindrical drum on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, said first and second chambers being fluidly interconnected for fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber; said chamber means comprising an imperforate chamber baffle positioned in said cylindrical drum and extending substantially the entire length thereof and defining on one longitudinal side thereof said first chamber, and on the opposite side thereof said second chamber; inner sealing means cooperatively engaging said chamber baffle and inner peripheral surface of said cylindrical drum; and outer sealing means cooperatively engaging the inner surfaces of said enclosed housing and the outer peripheral surface of said cylindrical drum opposite said inner sealing means; d. fluid pumping means operatively communicating with said enclosed housing for inducing a flow of fluid into said enclosed housing through the inlet and out of said enclosed housing through the outlet and comprising a first pump fluidly communicating with said first chamber for inducing a flow of fluid into said first chamber through the filter surfacd positioned therein and out of said first chamber on the downstream side of said filter surface, and a second fluid pump fluidly communicating with said second chamber for inducing a flow of fluid into said second chamber through the filter surface positioned therein and out of said second chamber on the downstream side of said filter surface; e. drive means for rotating said cylindrical drum at a predetermined rate, respectively, through said first chamber for collecting on the outer filter surface thereof said overlying porous layer of particulate matter to be used as the additional filter medium of enhanced filtering capacity, and through said second chamber for filtering fluid through said outer filter surface and the overlying layer of particulate matter, said drive means comprising a drive chain cooperatively engaging the periphery of said cylindrical drum, and a drive motor having a sprocket gear matingly engaging with said drive chain for rotating said cylindrical drum; and f. doffing means for removing the porous layer of particulate matter from the filter surface subsequent to the passage thereof through said second chamber and prior to the passage thereof into said first chamber.

Claim 22

A method of separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid, comprising the steps of: a. directing the particulate-containing fluid into a first chamber and through a rotatable, fluid permeable, endless band having a filter surface thereon and collecting particulate matter from said fluid in an overlying porous layer on the upstream side of said filter surface to form an additional filter medium of enhanced filtering capacity; b. rotating said endless band with said overlying porous layer of particulate matter thereon from said first chamber into a second chamber; and c. directing fluid once filtered in said first chamber from said first chamber into said second chamber and through said overlying porous layer of particulate matter from the upstream to the downstream side thereof, thereby removing additional particulate matter from said fluid.

Claim 23

A method of separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid, comprising the steps of: a. directing the particulate-containing fluid into a first chamber and through a rotatable, fluid permeable, endless band having a filter surface thereon and collecting particulate matter from said fluid in an overlying porous layer on the upstream side of said filter surface to form an additional filter medium of enhanced filtering capacity; b. rotating said endless band with said overlying porous layer of particulate matter thereon from said first chamber into a second chamber; and c. directing fluid once filtered in said first chamber from said first chamber into said second chamber and through said overlying porous layer of particulate matter from the upstream to the downstream side thereof, thereby removing additional particulate matter from said fluid.

Claim 31

An apparatus for separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid wherein particulate matter is collected in an overlying porous layer on an upstream side of a fluid-permeable filter in a first chamber, and wherein the porous layer of particulate matter is conveyed into a second chamber and used as a filtering medium, comprising: a. an enclosed housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet therein; b. said filter being positioned within said enclosed housing and comprising a band having a filter surface thereon for removing entrained particulate matter from a fluid as the fluid is passed through the filter surface from the upstream side to a downstream side thereof; c. fluid pumping means operatively communicating with said enclosed housing for inducing a flow of fluid into said enclosed housing through the inlet and out of said enclosed housing through the outlet; d. chamber means disposed within said enclosed housing and sealingly cooperating with said enclosed housing and with said band and defining, respectively, said first chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid inlet and a first predetermined portion of said band on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, and said second chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid outlet and a second predetermined portion of said band on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, e. drive means for moving said band through said first chamber for collecting on the filter surface thereof said overlying, porous layer of particulate matter to be used as the filtering medium and through said second chamber for filtering fluid through said filter surface and the overlying porous layer of particulate matter.

Claim 32

An apparatus for separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid wherein particulate matter is collected in an overlying porous layer on an upstream side of a fluid-permeable filter in a first chamber, and wherein the porous layer of particulate matter is conveyed into a second chamber and used as a filtering medium, comprising: a. an enclosed housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet therein; b. said filter being positioned within said enclosed housing and comprising a band having a filter surface thereon for removing entrained particulate matter from a fluid as the fluid is passed through the filter surface from the upstream side to a downstream side thereof; c. fluid pumping means operatively communicating with said enclosed housing for inducing a flow of fluid into said enclosed housing through the inlet and out of said enclosed housing through the outlet; d. chamber means disposed within said enclosed housing and sealingly cooperating with said enclosed housing and with said band and defining, respectively, said first chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid inlet and a first predetermined portion of said band on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, and said second chamber fluidly communicating with said fluid outlet and a second predetermined portion of said band on the upstream and downstream sides thereof, e. drive means for moving said band through said first chamber for collecting on the filter surface thereof said overlying, porous layer of particulate matter to be used as the filtering medium and through said second chamber for filtering fluid through said filter surface and the overlying porous layer of particulate matter.

Claim 33

A method of separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid, comprising the steps of: a. directing the particulate-containing fluid into a first chamber and through a fluid permeable band having a filter surface thereon and collecting the particulate matter from the fluid in an overlying porous layer on an upstream side of said filter surface to form a filter medium of enhanced filtering capacity; b. moving said band with said overlying porous layer of particulate matter thereon from said first chamber into a second chamber; and c. directing said fluid into said second chamber and through said overlying porous layer of particulate matter from an upstream to a downstream side thereof.

Claim 34

A method of separating entrained particulate matter from a conveying fluid, comprising the steps of: a. directing the particulate-containing fluid into a first chamber and through a fluid permeable band having a filter surface thereon and collecting the particulate matter from the fluid in an overlying porous layer on an upstream side of said filter surface to form a filter medium of enhanced filtering capacity; b. moving said band with said overlying porous layer of particulate matter thereon from said first chamber into a second chamber; and c. directing said fluid into said second chamber and through said overlying porous layer of particulate matter from an upstream to a downstream side thereof.