Air knife with diverging fins for uniform air flow distribution

A materials separating system comprising:

• an air knife device including:
• a base plenum having a side inlet configured to receive pressurized fluid from an air source coupled thereto;
• and
• a discharge chamber coupled to the base plenum and in fluid communication with the base plenum, the discharge chamber including a first plate, a second plate having a plurality of fins disposed thereon, and a pair of sidewalls coupling the first plate to the second plate, the first plate and the second plate converge to form an air knife discharge portion where the plurality of fins direct the pressurized fluid to the air knife discharge portion for release therefrom;
• an air source including a blower configured to release pressurized fluid therefrom, the blower coupled to the side inlet of the base plenum of the air knife device;
• and
• a material separating machine configured to receive a batch of mixed materials for separation thereof, the material separating machine in fluid communication with the blower, the blower configured to direct the pressurized fluid through the air knife device, wherein the pressurized fluid is configured to exit the air knife discharge portion of the air knife device to separate the batch of mixed materials received from the material separating machine.

A method of separating materials comprising:

• providing a materials separating system including:
• an air knife device including:
• a base plenum having a side inlet configured to receive pressurized fluid from an air source coupled thereto, and
• a discharge chamber coupled to the base plenum and in fluid communication with the base plenum, the discharge chamber including a first plate, a second plate having a plurality of fins disposed thereon, and a pair of sidewalls coupling the first plate to the second plate, the first plate and the second plate converge to form an air knife discharge portion where the plurality of fins direct the pressurized fluid to the air knife discharge portion for release therefrom,
• an air source including a blower configured to release pressurized fluid therefrom, the blower coupled to the side inlet of the base plenum of the air knife device;
• and
• a material separating machine configured to receive a batch of mixed materials for separation thereof, the material separating machine in fluid communication with the blower to direct the pressurized fluid through the air knife device, wherein the pressurized fluid is configured to exit the air knife discharge portion of the air knife device to separate the batch of mixed materials received from the material separating machine;
• coupling the air source to the side inlet of the base plenum;
• distributing the pressurized fluid through the discharge chamber;
• and
• releasing the pressurized fluid from the air knife discharge portion for separating the batch of mixed materials.