Acoustically fluidized bed of fine particles
AssigneeGeneral Atomics
InventorTihiro Ohkawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus to acoustically fluidize a bed of fine particles comprises a generally box-shaped hollow chamber. An acoustic source is located at the bottom of the chamber and a convection inhibiting heater is located at the top of the chamber. An acoustic wave is directed from the source into the chamber to levitate and suspend fine particles within the chamber at determinable distances from the acoustic source according to the intensity and frequency of the acoustic wave.
Claims16
An apparatus to acoustically fluidize a bed of fine particles which comprises:
- a chamber for confining said particles in a substantially motionless gaseous medium, said chamber having a top and a bottom;
- a sound source mounted on said bottom of said chamber for directing an acoustic wave into said chamber to suspend said particles on said wave therein;
- means for adjusting the intensity of said wave to vary the distance of said suspended particles from said sound source in said chamber;
- and
- an acoustic absorber effectively lining the interior of said chamber.
A fine particle filter which comprises:
- a hollow chamber having a top and a bottom for confining said particles in a substantially motionless gaseous medium;
- means mounted on said bottom of said chamber for generating an acoustic wave;
- means for adjusting the intensity of said wave to vary the distance of said particles at predetermined locations in said chamber according to the size of said particles;
- a heater mounted on the top of said chamber to inhibit convection currents within said chamber;
- and
- an acoustic absorber effectively lining the interior of said chamber.
A method for segregating fine particles according to size which comprises the steps of:
- generating an acoustic wave in a hollow chamber having a top and a bottom;
- directing said acoustic wave into said chamber from the bottom thereof;
- heating said chamber from the top thereof to inhibit convection currents therein;
- and
- setting the intensity of said wave to position particles within said chamber at a distance from said bottom of said chamber according to the size of said particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.