Meal cooler centrifugal separator
AssigneeScott Equipment Company
InventorRichard V. Lucas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A particulate capture system having a plurality of high speed rotating paddles for separating particulate from an air stream. The system includes an air circulating chamber within a centrifuge that separates a first portion of particulate trapped within an air stream. The particulate capture system also has a blender section that separates a second portion of particulate trapped within the air stream. The first portion of particulate is separated via circulating air flow. The second portion of particulate is separated via encapsulating the particulate in water. The water encapsulated particles may be recirculated to a cooler or other device where the particulate may be blended with a bulk product being processed.
Claims13
A particulate separator comprising:
- a substantially hollow cylindrical shaped chamber having an inside wall, and drive shaft which extends through the chamber, the drive shaft having a plurality of radially projecting members which project into the chamber, a drive source, the drive source engaged to the drive shaft and constructed and arranged to provide the drive shaft with a predetermined rotation rate, a separator plate, the separator plate being positioned within chamber to divide the chamber into a first section and a second section;
- the first section having:
- an air stream inlet port, the air stream inlet port constructed and arranged to allow an air stream to enter the chamber, the air stream having particulate matter suspended therein, the first section constructed and arranged to separate at least a portion of the particulate matter from the air stream to form separated particulate;
- and
- an aperture, the aperture having a predetermined length which corresponds to a predetermined length of the first section, the aperture being covered by a gate, the gate being pivotally engaged to the chamber, the gate having a shape which corresponds to the cylindrical shape of the inside wall of the chamber, the gate having an open position and a closed position, in the open position the at least a portion of the separated particulate being directed into the aperture, in the closed position the gate being constructed and arranged such that any of the separated particulate which may have accumulated on the gate is removed by one or more of the plurality of radially projecting members;
- the separator plate having:
- an air outlet port, the air outlet port being positioned through the separator plate, the separator plate constructed and arranged to allow the air stream to pass through the air outlet port from the first section and into the second section while preventing separated particulate from leaving the first section;
- the second section having:
- at least one water inlet port, the at least one water inlet port constructed and arranged to place water inside the second section, the plurality of radially extending members which are positioned within the second section being constructed and arranged to mix at least a portion of the particulate suspended in the air stream with the water thereby creating water encapsulated particles;
- and
- an outlet port, the outlet port constructed and arranged to allow the water encapsulated particles and the air stream to leave the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.