Vortex tube blender and conditioner
AssigneeThe Lummus Company
InventorsMark David Cory, Joseph W. Thomas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vortex tube system for conditioning and blending fibrous material utilizing a helical inlet to the base of a central vortex tube, to condition and blend fibers in a fluidly conveyed stream, and to separate the fibers from debris, by abruptly changing direction of the conveying air flow. The vortex tube system for conditioning and blending combines the helical input with helical shaping of the air flow through the central vortex tube to induce greater dynamics which is continued at the top of the vortex tube through a separate drying chamber.
Claims22
A vortex tube system for conditioning a first lot of fiber comprising a first fiber type for entering the system in a fluidly conveyed stream, and for accomplishing a blending of the first lot as it is fluidly conveyed, the vortex tube system comprising a tubular housing, the tubular housing comprising:
- a vertical central tube defining an interior between a top end and a bottom end;
- a spiraling inlet housing in fluid communication with the bottom end of the vertical central tube, the vertical central tube being partially circumscribed by the spiraling inlet housing;
- at least two inlet transition sections, the spiraling inlet housing being accessible via the at least two inlet transition sections, and at least one of the at least two inlet transition sections configured to introduce fibers from the first lot into the spiraling inlet housing, without initiating a blending of the first lot until the fibers from the first lot enter the vortex tube system;
- a plurality of fixed helical vanes situated about the interior of the vertical central tube, wherein the plurality of fixed helical vanes homogenizes the fibers from the first lot in the fluidly conveyed stream;
- and
- a head forming a diverter dish for directing the fibers from the first lot in the fluidly conveyed stream to a tangential fiber discharge outlet, and for further homogenizing the fibers from the first lot in the fluidly conveyed stream.
A vortex tube system for blending a first fiber with a second fiber in a fluidly conveyed stream, the vortex tube system comprising a tubular housing, the tubular housing comprising:
- a spiraling intake guide;
- a lower separating chamber comprising at least two inlet transition sections, wherein each of the at least two inlet transition sections provide access to the lower separating chamber, and wherein each of the at least two inlet transition sections are configured to tangentially introduce at least a first fiber and at least a second fiber, respectively, into the spiraling intake guide, entrained in an airstream, without a mixing of the at least a first fiber and the at least a second fiber until the at least a first fiber and the at least a second fiber are introduced into the system;
- an upper drying chamber comprising an upper deflector head and a fiber discharge outlet;
- a central vertical tube defining an air passage from the lower separating chamber to the upper drying chamber, the central vertical tube comprising a plurality of fixed vanes extending inwardly;
- and
- an access port for selectively introducing air into the lower separating chamber to promote airflow upwardly alongside the airstream,
- wherein the spiraling intake guide delivers the at least a first fiber and the at least a second fiber entrained in the airstream to the central vertical tube,
- wherein the plurality of fixed vanes promote homogenization of the at least a first fiber and the at least a second fiber entrained in the airstream,
- wherein the upper deflector head is positioned above the central vertical tube, and the fiber discharge outlet is positioned below the deflector head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.