# US 11,897,000 B2 · Device for sorting powder particles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,000 B2 - Document ID: US11897000B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/766,009 - Filed: 2020-10-05 - Published: 2022-11-03 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-03 - Assignees: Value Ash Technologies NV; Vito NV - Applicants: Value Ash Technologies NV; Vito NV - Inventors: Roeland Geurts; Ruben Snellings; Michel Loots; Vladimir Zyryanov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897000B2 ## CPC - B07B 7/086: generated by the winding course of the gas stream - B07B 9/02: Combinations of similar or different apparatus for separating solids from solids using gas currents - B07B 2220/00: Type of materials being separated - B07B: SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL (wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid B03; combinations of dry separating apparatus with wet separating apparatus B03B; using liquids B03B, B03D; sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes B04; hand sorting, postal sorting, sorting by switching or other devices actuated in response to detection or measurement of some feature of articles or samples of material B07C) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a device (1) for sorting powder particles into ranges of particles according to one or more of a density, size and/or shape of the particles, wherein the device (1) comprises a particle sorting chamber (2) with at least one sloping side wall (3), which side wall (3) slopes from a lower part (4) of the sorting chamber (2) towards an upper part (5) thereof, wherein the lower part (4) of the sorting chamber (2) is larger dimensioned than the upper part (5), wherein at the upper part (5) of the particle sorting chamber (2) an inlet (6) is provided for supplying a flow of the powder particles to be sorted to the sorting chamber (2), wherein a particle outlet (7) is provided in the upper part (5) of the sorting chamber (2) for conducting sorted particles from the sorting chamber (2) through a duct (8) to at least one particle sedimentation classifier (9), wherein in the lower part (4) of the sorting chamber (2) means (11) are provided for generating an upward rotating gas flow in the sorting chamber (2), the rotating gas flow having a rotation axis which corresponds to an upward axis (10) of the sorting chamber (2). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for sorting powder particles into ranges of particles according to one or more of a density, size, and/or shape of the powder particles, the device comprising: a particle sorting chamber with at least one sloping side wall, the side wall sloping from a lower part of the particle sorting chamber toward an upper part of the particle sorting chamber, wherein: the lower part of the particle sorting chamber is larger dimensioned than the upper part; at the upper part of the particle sorting chamber a particle flow inlet is provided for supplying a flow of the powder particles to be sorted to the particle sorting chamber; a particle flow outlet is provided in the upper part of the particle sorting chamber for conducting sorted particles from the particle sorting chamber through a duct to at least one particle sedimentation classifier; means for generating an upward rotating gas flow in the particle sorting chamber are provided in the lower part of the particle sorting chamber; the upward rotating gas flow has a rotation axis corresponding to an upward axis of the particle sorting chamber; and the device provides a closed system, in which a gas supply from the lower part of the particle sorting chamber is provided between the particle flow inlet and the particle flow outlet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the particle sorting chamber has a shape with a circular symmetry around a central upward axis of the particle sorting chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the particle sorting chamber is conical. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, further comprising an upward axis of the at least one particle sedimentation classifier, the upward axis extending parallel to the central upward axis of the particle sorting chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the means for generating an upward rotating gas flow in the particle sorting chamber comprise a rotor or a fan or a venturi. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the particle flow outlet extends in a direction crosswise to an upward axis of the particle sorting chamber at a position between the particle flow inlet and an upper part of the sloping side wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one particle sedimentation classifier is a plurality of consecutive particle sedimentation classifiers positioned at varying distances from the particle sorting chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the device comprises a series of consecutive sedimentation classifiers positioned at a same or a different distance from each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein two or more series of consecutive sedimentation classifiers are provided at different sides of the upward axis of the particle sorting chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one particle sedimentation classifier comprises hurdles or separators provided to prevent at least a part of the particles exiting the particle sorting chamber to return to the particle sorting chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one particle sedimentation classifier is provided to be subjected to vibration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the particle flow inlet is positioned in a central part of the particle flow outlet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the particle flow inlet is releasably connected with an adaptor adapted to extend into an inner volume of the particle sorting chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein: the device comprises at least one gas supply adapted to connect the particle sorting chamber and/or the particle sedimentation classifier with at least one of a powder supply; and the gas supply is provided to equalize the pressure in the particle sorting chamber and/or the particle sedimentation classifier and powder supply. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method for sorting powder particles into ranges of particles according to one or more of a density, size, and/or shape of the powder particles, the method comprising: supplying a flow of powder particles to be sorted to the particle flow inlet of a device according to claim 1; and recovering the sorted particles from one or more particle sorting chambers and/or from one or more sedimentation classifiers. ### Claim 16 A device for sorting powder particles into ranges of particles according to one or more of a density, size, and/or shape of the powder particles, the device comprising: a particle sorting chamber with at least one sloping side wall, the side wall sloping from a lower part of the particle sorting chamber toward an upper part of the particle sorting chamber, wherein: the lower part of the particle sorting chamber is larger dimensioned than the upper part; at the upper part of the particle sorting chamber a particle flow inlet is provided for supplying a flow of the powder particles to be sorted to the particle sorting chamber; a particle flow outlet is provided in the upper part of the particle sorting chamber for conducting sorted particles from the particle sorting chamber through a duct to at least one particle sedimentation classifier; means for generating an upward rotating gas flow in the particle sorting chamber are provided in the lower part of the particle sorting chamber; the upward rotating gas flow has a rotation axis corresponding to an upward axis of the particle sorting chamber; and a large-particles duct is connected to a perimetral part of a circular bottom of the particle sorting chamber.