Powder coating systems with air or liquid cooled cyclone separators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10913085-B2
Application number	US-201515521283-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2015
Priority date	Nov 12, 2014
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A cyclone is disclosed that includes an enclosure that encloses at least a portion of the cyclone. The enclosure delimits an enclosed volume between an interior surface of the enclosure and the exterior surface of the body. The enclosure retains a gas coolant or liquid coolant in thermal exchange with the enclosed exterior surface of the cyclone. A powder coating system is disclosed that includes a spray booth and a cyclone, where ambient air is added to process air that is drawn from the spray booth into the cyclone. The ambient air may be added to the process air to cool the process air to a temperature that is lower than the process air would be if ambient air were not added, and also may be used to dilute the powder overspray entrained process air.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooled cyclone for a powder recovery system, the cooled cyclone comprising:
a body configured to receive powder entrained air from a spray booth, said body comprising an exterior surface and an interior surface of said body defining a volume for separating the powder from the air, said body further comprising a cyclone upper portion and a conical cyclone lower portion;
an enclosure that is separate from the body and that encloses the cyclone upper portion in a fluid-tight manner without enclosing the cyclone lower portion, said enclosure delimiting an enclosed and fluid-tight volume between an interior surface of said enclosure and said exterior surface of said body, the enclosure further comprising a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet; and
a pump in fluid communication with the cooling medium inlet and configured to move a cooling medium through said volume,
wherein said enclosure is configured to retain the cooling medium in thermal exchange with said exterior surface of said body.

2. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , wherein said cooling medium comprises a liquid.

3. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , wherein said cyclone upper portion is a first portion and said cyclone lower portion is a second portion,
wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to align with each other along a first axis, and
wherein said second portion is pivotally attached to said first portion by a joint.

4. The cooled cyclone of claim 3 , wherein said second portion is configured to pivot about said joint between a first position and a second position, and
wherein said second portion is configured to align with said first portion along said first axis when said second portion is in said first position.

5. The cooled cyclone of claim 4 , wherein said second portion comprises a powder outlet end that is releasably connectable to a powder receptacle.

6. The cooled cyclone of claim 5 , wherein said powder receptacle is moveable away from said cooled cyclone when said second portion is released from said powder receptacle.

7. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , wherein said cooling medium comprises a gas.

8. The cooled cyclone of claim 7 , wherein said gas is ambient air.

9. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , further comprising a cooler configured to reduce a temperature of the cooling medium.

10. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure does not contact the body.

11. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a plurality of panels that enclose the cyclone upper portion in a fluid-tight manner.

12. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , wherein the cyclone lower portion is moveable with respect to the cyclone upper portion.

13. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is insulated to increase heat exchange efficiency.

14. A system, comprising:
a plurality of cooled cyclones according to claim 1 ; and
a single inlet through which said powder entrained air is received into each of said cooled cyclones.

15. The cooled cyclone of claim 1 , wherein the cyclone upper portion is cylindrical.

16. A cooled cyclone for a powder recovery system, the cooled cyclone comprising:
a body configured to receive powder entrained air, said body comprising an exterior surface and an interior surface of said body defining a volume for separating the powder from the air, said body further comprising a cyclone upper portion and a conical cyclone lower portion, the cyclone lower portion being releasable and separable from the cyclone upper portion so as to be moveable away from the cyclone upper portion; and
an enclosure comprising a plurality of panels that enclose the cyclone upper portion in a fluid-tight manner, said panels delimiting an enclosed and fluid-tight volume between an interior surface of said enclosure and said exterior surface of said body such that said enclosure does not contact said body, the enclosure further comprising a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet,
wherein said enclosure is configured to retain a cooling medium in thermal exchange with said exterior surface of said body.

17. The cooled cyclone of claim 16 , wherein said cooling medium comprises a liquid.

18. The cooled cyclone of claim 16 , wherein said cooling medium comprises a gas.

19. The cooled cyclone of claim 18 , wherein said gas is ambient air.

20. The cooled cyclone of claim 16 , further comprising a cooler configured to reduce a temperature of the cooling medium.

21. A system, comprising:
a plurality of cooled cyclones according to claim 16 ; and
a single inlet through which said powder entrained air is received into each of said cooled cyclones.

22. The cooled cyclone of claim 16 , wherein the cyclone upper portion is cylindrical.

23. A cooled cyclone for a powder recovery system, the cooled cyclone comprising:
a body configured to receive powder entrained air, said body comprising an exterior surface and an interior surface of said body defining a volume for separating the powder from the air, said body further comprising a cyclone upper portion and a conical cyclone lower portion, the cyclone lower portion being moveable with respect to the cyclone upper portion; and
an enclosure comprising a plurality of panels that enclose the cyclone upper portion in a fluid-tight manner, wherein the enclosure does not enclose the cyclone lower portion, said panels delimiting an enclosed and fluid-tight volume between an interior surface of said enclosure and said exterior surface of said body such that said enclosure does not contact said body, the enclosure further comprising a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet,
wherein said enclosure is configured to retain a cooling medium in thermal exchange with said exterior surface of said body.

Assignees

• Nordson Corp

Inventors

• Shutic Jeffrey R

Classifications

• B05B14/48

  specially adapted for particulate material · CPC title

• B05B14/45 Primary

  using cyclone separators · CPC title

• B05C19/06

  Storage, supply or control of the application of particulate material; Recovery of excess particulate material · CPC title

• B05B16/00

  Spray booths (arrangements for collecting, re-using or eliminating excess spraying material in spray booths B05B14/40) · CPC title

• Y02P70/10

  Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working · CPC title