# US 12,179,221 B2 · Spiral-shaped separation device for fluid purification device

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- Number: US 12,179,221 B2
- Document ID: US12179221B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/620,130
- Filed: 2020-06-24
- Published: 2022-08-18
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-27
- Assignees: Paques I.P. B.V.
- Applicants: Paques I.P. B.V.
- Inventors: Erik Mozes; Wilhelmus Johannes Bernardus Maria Driessen; Jelle Faber; René Alexander Rozendal; Wiebe Abma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179221B2

## CPC

- B01D 21/003: {Sedimentation tanks provided with a plurality of compartments separated by a partition wall (B01D21/0039 takes precedence)}
- B04C 5/103: Bodies or members, e.g. bulkheads, guides, in the vortex chamber (cores B04C5/107)
- B01D 19/0042: {modifying the liquid flow (B01D19/0021 takes precedence)}
- B01D 21/0003: {Making of sedimentation devices, structural details thereof, e.g. prefabricated parts}
- B01D 21/0042: {Baffles or guide plates}
- B01D 21/0087: {Settling tanks provided with means for ensuring a special flow pattern, e.g. even inflow or outflow (B01D21/2411 takes precedence)}
- B01D 21/2444: {Discharge mechanisms for the classified liquid}
- B01D 21/30: Control equipment
- C02F 3/2846: {using upflow anaerobic sludge blanket [UASB] reactors}
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B04C: APPARATUS USING FREE VORTEX FLOW, e.g. CYCLONES ({centrifugal separation of water from steam B01D45/12;} jet mills B02C19/06; {wind sifters B07B7/00;} cyclonic type combustion apparatus F23; {vortex burners for cyclone-type combustion apparatus F23D1/02; cyclonic type combustion apparatus for gas turbines F23R3/00})
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)

## Abstract

A separation device for a fluid purification device is provided, the separation device comprising: at least three concentric enclosures including an outermost enclosure and an innermost enclosure and defining at least two concentric cavities; a plurality of spiral-shaped channels formed in each of the at least two concentric cavities, so that fluid can flow through said plurality of spiral-shaped channels; a fluid inlet, for receiving fluid, located in an upper section of an outermost cavity among the at least two concentric cavities, the fluid inlet corresponding to a gas outlet; a solids outlet, for discharging solids comprised in the fluid, located in a lower section of the separation device; and a liquid outlet, for discharging liquid comprised in the fluid, located in an upper section of at least one inner cavity among the at least two concentric cavities.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A separation device for a fluid purification device, the separation device comprising:
at least three concentric enclosures including an outermost enclosure and an innermost enclosure and defining at least two concentric cavities;
a plurality of spiral-shaped walls extending between two of the at least three concentric enclosures such that each of the plurality of spiral-shaped walls forms a horizontal angle with a radial line of the at least three concentric enclosures, wherein the horizontal angle is not zero;
a plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels formed in each of the at least two concentric cavities, so that fluid can flow through said plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels, wherein each of the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels includes an opening width of at least 25 millimetres, wherein each of the plurality of spiral-shaped channels is enclosed by two of the plurality of spiral-shaped walls and two of the at least three concentric enclosures;
a fluid inlet, for receiving a fluid, located in an upper section of an outermost cavity among the at least two concentric cavities, the fluid inlet corresponding to a gas outlet;
a solids outlet, for discharging solids comprised in the fluid, located in a lower section of the separation device; and
a liquid outlet, for discharging liquid comprised in the fluid, located in an upper section of at least one inner cavity among the at least two concentric cavities,
wherein the lower section of the separation device comprises a redirecting chamber located below the at least three concentric enclosures, the redirecting chamber being configured to allow the fluid to switch from a downward flow through the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels of the outermost cavity, to an upward flow through the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels of the at least one inner cavity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The separation device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels in each concentric cavity extend parallel to each other so as to define one single spiral formation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The separation device of claim 2, wherein the lower section of the separation device comprises a solids collection chamber located below the at least three concentric enclosures and including the redirecting chamber, wherein the solids outlet is located in a bottom part of the solids collection chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The separation device according to claim 1, wherein a top of the outermost cavity is open thereby defining an outermost top opening, and the fluid inlet comprises an area formed by the outermost top opening.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The separation device according to claim 4, further comprising a delimiting structure for separating the outermost top opening from at least one inner top opening.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The separation device according to claim 5, wherein the delimiting structure comprises a delimiting enclosure located above and in contact with a second outermost concentric enclosure, and the at least one inner top opening is confined by the delimiting enclosure and the innermost enclosure, thereby forming a liquid collection section.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The separation device according to claim 6, wherein the innermost enclosure comprises the at least one collection opening in an upper section thereof to allow liquid in the liquid collection section to enter the internal chamber, and wherein the separation device further comprises at least one liquid collection pipe protruding from the innermost enclosure towards the outside of the separation device, so as to collect the liquid in the internal chamber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The separation device according to claim 6, wherein the liquid collection section comprises at least one division element, so as to divide the liquid collection section into at least two compartments, and wherein the innermost enclosure comprises at least one collection opening for each of the at least two compartments.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The separation device according to claim 8, wherein the separation device comprises a compartment control mechanism to close the at least one of the collection openings thereby stopping liquid from leaving a corresponding compartment.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The separation device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spiral-shaped walls have an inner region and an outer region with respect to a vertical cross-section, wherein each of the plurality of spiral-shaped walls are curved upwards from the inner region towards the outer region, or curved downwards from the inner region towards the outer region.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The separation device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of spiral-shaped walls of the outermost cavity are curved downwards from the inner region towards the outer region, and the plurality of spiral-shaped walls of the at least one inner cavity are curved upwards from the inner region towards the outer region.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The separation device of claim 1, wherein a distance between each concentric enclosure and the next enclosure is between 50 millimetres and 800 millimetres.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The separation device of claim 1, wherein the at least three concentric enclosures correspond to at least three concentric tubes having a cylindrical shape and the at least two concentric cavities correspond to at least two concentric rings.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The separation device of claim 1, comprising at least four concentric enclosures defining at least three concentric cavities.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The separation device of claim 1, wherein the solids collection chamber has a hollow inverted conical shape.

### Claim 16 (depends on 3)

The separation device of claim 3, further comprising an aeration device located at an outside part of a lower half of the solids collection chamber, so as to supply gas from underneath the separation device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The separation device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels are defined by spiral-shaped walls with a corrugated surface.

### Claim 18

A method of separating a fluid containing liquid, gas and solids, the method being performed by a separation device comprising at least three concentric enclosures including an outermost enclosure and an innermost enclosure, and defining at least two concentric cavities;
a plurality of spiral-shaped walls extending between two of the at least three concentric enclosures such that each of the plurality of spiral-shaped walls forms a horizontal angle with a radial line of the at least three concentric enclosures, wherein the horizontal angle is not zero; a plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels formed in each of the at least two concentric channels wherein each of the plurality of spiral-shaped channels is enclosed by two of the plurality of spiral-shaped walls and two of the at least three concentric enclosures, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a fluid through an upper section of an outermost cavity among the at least two concentric cavities;
allowing the fluid to flow downwards through the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels of the outermost cavity and allowing gas contained in the fluid to move upwards through the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels of the outermost cavity and to leave the separation device through the upper section of the outermost cavity;
when the fluid reaches a redirecting chamber located below the outermost cavity, allowing the fluid to switch from a downward flow through the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels of the outermost cavity, to an upward flow through the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels of at least one inner cavity and, when reaching an upper section of the at least one inner cavity converted into liquid, allowing the liquid to leave the separation device, wherein each of the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels includes an opening width of at least 25 millimetres; and
allowing solids to move downwards through the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels of the outermost cavity and through the plurality of enclosed spiral-shaped channels of the at least one inner cavity and to leave the separation device through a lower section of the separation device.