Mini-cyclone biocollector and concentrator

A particle separator and collector assembly having a longitudinal axis, the assembly comprising:

• at least one particle separation chamber each formed with an internal surface and a longitudinal axis;
• a lower vacuum chamber disposed in fluid communication with the at least one particle separation chamber;
• at least one inlet in fluid communication with the at least one particle separation chamber, the at least one inlet enabling particle-laden gas external from the assembly to enter the at least one particle separation chamber;
• a liquid reservoir disposed in fluid communication with the lower vacuum chamber;
• and
• a liquid passage conduit interconnecting the liquid reservoir with the internal surface of the particle separation chamber to supply liquid from the reservoir to the internal surface of the particle separation chamber;
• wherein the particle-laden gas is drawn into the at least one inlet by a blower and channeled in a helical pattern through the conical-shaped particle separator chamber and into the lower vacuum chamber, the particles being forced outwardly away from the longitudinal axis of the particle separation chamber by centrifugal force as the gas is channeled through the conical-shaped particle separation chamber resulting, in the particles being separated from the gas and collected by the liquid being supplied to the internal surface.

An apparatus which separates particles from a gas stream and collects the particles within a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing defining a longitudinal axis, the housing comprising a top end portion connectable to a blower and a bottom end connectable to a pump;
• at least one cyclone chamber disposed within the housing and having an upper end and a lower end, the cyclone chamber having an outlet for exiting gas and liquid;
• at least one housing inlet in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber, the housing inlet enabling particle-laden gas external from the apparatus to enter the cyclone chamber;
• a liquid passage conduit disposed within the housing and connectable to a pump, the liquid passage conduit delivering the liquid to the upper end of the cyclone chamber;
• and
• a reservoir in fluid communication with a lower vacuum chamber, the cyclone chamber and the liquid passage conduit;
• wherein particle-laden gas is pulled through the cyclone chamber so that the particles are separated from the gas by centrifugal force and collected by the liquid supplied to the cyclone chamber, and wherein particle trapped liquid and particle separated gas exits the cyclone chamber through the cyclone chamber outlet.

A method for separating particles having an aerodynamic diameter greater than a specific cut size from a gas and entrapping the particles in a liquid using a particle separation assembly, the particle separation assembly having a plurality of cyclone separation chambers disposed longitudinally within a housing of the assembly and having an internal wall and defining a longitudinal axis, the housing including a top end connectable to a blower, a bottom end connectable to a pump, and housing inlets in communication with the cyclone separation chambers for external gas to enter the assembly, a liquid passage conduit connectable to the pump for delivering the liquid to the cyclone separation chambers, and a vacuum chamber in communication with the cyclone separation chambers, the method comprising:

• drawing a particle-laden gas into the inlets of the housing and through the plurality of cyclone separation chambers so that a the gas flows in a circular path conforming to the configuration of the chambers;
• separating particles greater than the cut size from the gas by the centrifugal force imposed on the particles from the circular flow path of the gas within the chambers to move the particles outwardly away from the longitudinal axis and toward the inner wall of each cyclone chamber;
• supplying each cyclone chamber with the liquid through the liquid passage conduit;
• entrapping the particles within the liquid and washing the particles down the inner walls of the cyclone chambers;
• and
• directing the particle entrapped liquid and the particle separated gas into the vacuum chamber.

An apparatus which separates particles from a gas and collects the particles within a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one particle separation chamber having an inlet for supplying particle laden gas external from the apparatus to the particle separation chamber, an outlet, and an internal surface, the particle separation chamber operable to separate particles entrained in the gas;
• a liquid passage conduit connected in fluid flow communication with the particle separation chamber, the liquid passage conduit connectable to a reservoir and operable to supply liquid from the reservoir to the internal surface of the particle separation chamber;
• and
• a vacuum chamber connected in fluid flow communication with the particle chamber outlet such that the particle separated gas and the particle entrained liquid exit the particle separation chamber outlet into the vacuum chamber.

An apparatus which separates particles from a gas stream and collects the particles within a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one particle separation chamber having an inlet for supplying particle laden gas external from the apparatus to the particle separation chamber, an outlet for allowing the gas or liquid to exit the particle separation chamber, and an internal surface, the particle separation chamber operable to separate particles entrained in the gas;
• a reservoir for holding a liquid;
• a liquid passage conduit interconnecting the reservoir and the particle separation chamber in fluid flow communication, the liquid passage conduit operable to supply the liquid from the reservoir to the internal surface of the particle separation chamber;
• and
• a vacuum chamber connected in fluid flow communication with the particle chamber outlet and the reservoir, the vacuum chamber adapted to receive exiting particle separated gas and the particle entrained liquid from the particle separation chamber.

An apparatus which separates particles from a gas stream and collects the particles within a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing defining a longitudinal axis, the housing comprising a top end portion connectable to a blower and a bottom end connectable to a pump;
• a plurality of cyclone chambers having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the housing longitudinal axis, the cyclone chambers disposed within the housing such that the longitudinal axis of the cyclone chambers are equidistant from the housing longitudinal axis;
• a housing inlet in fluid communication with each cyclone chamber, the housing inlets enabling particle-laden gas external from the apparatus to enter the cyclone chambers;
• and
• a liquid passage conduit disposed within the housing and connectable to a pump, the liquid passage conduit delivering the liquid to the cyclone chambers;
• wherein particle-laden gas is pulled through the cyclone chambers so that the particles are separated from the gas by centrifugal force and collected by the liquid supplied thereto.