Apparatus and method for the formation of droplets from a liquid
AssigneeSandvik AB
InventorAlf Andersson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Droplets are formed from a liquid by supplying liquid to a feeding rotor and rotating the feeding rotor about an axis to discharge the liquid generally radially outwardly by centrifugal force. A distributor disposed radially outside of the feeding rotor is rotated relative to the feeding rotor about the axis to receive liquid discharged from the feeding rotor. A slinger disposed radially outside of the distributor is rotated relative to the distributor about the axis to receive liquid discharged from the distributor by centrifugal force. The slinger slings that received liquid is slung outwardly in the form of droplets from cusps distributed circumferentially around an outer periphery of the slinger.
Claims23
Apparatus for forming droplets from a liquid, comprising:
- a slinger rotatable about an axis and having droplet-forming cusps disposed on an outer periphery thereof, the cusps arranged in the form of at least two annular rows spaced along the axis;
- a distributor rotatable about the axis and disposed radially inside of at least a portion of the slinger for supplying liquid to the slinger by centrifugal force;
- a feeder including a feeding rotor rotatable about the axis for supplying the liquid to the distributor by centrifugal force, at least a portion of the feeding rotor being disposed radially inside of the distributor;
- and
- a drive mechanism for driving the feeding rotor, the distributor, and the slinger, wherein the feeding rotor and the slinger are rotated relative to the distributor.
Apparatus for forming droplets from a liquid, comprising:
- a slinger rotatable about an axis and having droplet-forming cusps disposed on an outer periphery thereof, the cusps arranged in at least two annular rows spaced along the axis;
- a distributor rotatable about the axis and disposed radially inside of at least a portion of the slinger for supplying liquid to the slinger by centrifugal force;
- a feeder including a feeding rotor rotatable about the axis for supplying the liquid to the distributor by centrifugal force, at least a portion of the feeding motor being disposed radially inside of the distributor;
- a drive mechanism for driving the feeding rotor, the distributor, and the slinger, wherein the feeding rotor and the slinger are rotated relative to the distributor;
- the feeding rotor being rigidly coupled to the slinger for rotation therewith at the same velocity and in the same direction;
- the distributor including an annular groove opening toward the feeding rotor, a plurality of openings disposed radially outwardly of the grooves and communicating therewith, and tubes extending downwardly and communicating with respective ones of the openings, the tubes including lower outlets for distributing liquid from the respective openings to respective rows of cusps of the slinger.
A method for the formation of droplets from a liquid, comprising the steps of:
- (a) supplying liquid to a feeding rotor and rotating the feeding rotor about an axis to discharge the liquid generally radially outwardly by centrifugal force;
- (b) rotating a distributor about the axis, with at least a portion of the distributor surrounding the feeding rotor to receive liquid discharged from the feeding rotor, the distributor being rotated relative to the feeding rotor;
- and
- (c) rotating a slinger relative to the distributor about the axis, at least a portion of the slinger surrounding the distributor to receive liquid discharged from the distributor by centrifugal force, the liquid being slung outwardly in the form of droplets from cusps distributed circumferentially around an outer periphery of the slinger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.