A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332171-A1
Application number	US-201515112552-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2015
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus comprises a housing with an air inflow port, an air outflow port separate from the air inflow port and an air flow channel extending in an air flow direction from the air inflow port to the air outflow port. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of cyclones arranged in a matrix arrangement and in the air flow channel. Each cyclone comprises a cylindrical portion defining an inside vortex space. The cylindrical portion has a top end and a lower end. A conical portion contiguous to the lower end has a dust opening at its bottom. An air inlet is arranged tangentially with regard to the cylindrical portion and opens in the inside vortex space. The air inlet has an effective air passage surface area. An air outlet tube having an air outlet passage is arranged at the top end of the cylindrical portion and extends into the inside vortex space. The plurality of cyclones comprises at least one module of cyclones, which comprises a top module plate to which a number of cyclones is connected to. The top module plate comprises through going air passages, each communicating with a respective air outlet tube. The air passage surface areas of the air inlets of all the cyclones of the number of cyclones of said at least one module are at least approximately identical.

First claim

1 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus comprising:
a housing with an air inflow port, an air outflow port separate from the air inflow port and an air flow channel extending in an air flow direction from the air inflow port to the air outflow port; a plurality of cyclones mounted inside the housing and arranged in the air flow channel, said plurality of cyclones being arranged in a matrix arrangement, each cyclone comprising:
a cylindrical portion defining an inside vortex space, said cylindrical portion having a top end and a lower end;
a conical portion contiguous to the lower end and having a dust opening at its bottom;
an air inlet arranged tangentially with regard to the cylindrical portion and opening in the inside vortex space, said air inlet having an effective air passage surface area; and
an air outlet tube having an air outlet passage, said air outlet tube being arranged at the top end of the cylindrical portion and extending into the inside vortex space,
said plurality of cyclones comprising at least one module of cyclones, said at least one module of cyclones comprising a top module plate to which a number of cyclones is connected to, said top module plate comprising through going air passages, each communicating with a respective air outlet tube, the air passage surface area of the air inlet of all the cyclones of the number of cyclones of said at least one module being at least approximately identical.

2 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises at least a first module of cyclones and at least one further module of cyclones, the first module of cyclones being releasably connected in an airtight manner to the at least one further module of cyclones forming an assembled unit of modules, said first module of cyclones being arranged in the housing upstream of the at least one further module of cyclones or said at least one further module of cyclones being arranged transversely adjacent the first module of cyclones, seen in a direction transverse to the air flow direction, the air passage surface area of the air inlet of the cyclones of said at least one further module and being equal to the air passage surface area of the air inlet of the cyclones of the first.

3 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein each module of cyclones comprises connection means arranged for providing a releasable connection to another module of cyclones.

4 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the connection means are quick-coupling means.

5 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus comprises a first module of cyclones and a second module of cyclones separated from the first module of cyclones, said first module of cyclones being arranged in the housing upstream of the second module of cyclones, the air passage surface area of the air inlet of the cyclones of said first module being larger than the air passage surface area of the air inlet of the cyclones of said second module.

6 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the top module plate of each module of cyclones is mounted in the housing under a tilting angle, the tilting angle being such that the dust openings of the cyclones of each module are directed to the air inflow port.

7 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus comprises a first assembled unit of modules and a second assembled unit of modules separated from the first assembled unit of modules, said first assembled unit of modules being arranged in the housing upstream of the second assembled unit of modules, the air passage surface area of the air inlet of the cyclones of said first assembled unit of modules being larger than the air passage surface area of the air inlet of the cyclones of said second assembled unit of modules.

8 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the top module plate of each module of each assembled unit of modules cyclones is mounted in the housing under a tilting angle, the tilting angle being such that the dust openings of the cyclones of each module of each assembled unit of modules are directed to the air inflow port.

9 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the modules of cyclones are identical to each other.

10 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the cyclones further comprises an internal dust collector.

11 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises an external dust collector releasably connected in an airtight manner to a module of cyclones.

12 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the apparatus comprises an external dust collector releasably connected in an airtight manner to an assembled unit of modules.

13 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the effective air passage surface area of the cyclones of said at least one module of cyclones has a value in a range between 4 mm 2 and 250 mm 2 .

14 . A multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air outlet tubes of the cyclones of said at least one module of cyclones are integrally connected to the top module plate to form a first sub-unit and the cylindrical portion and conical portion of the cyclones of said at least one module are integrally connected to the cylindrical portions and conical portions of adjacent cyclones to form a second sub-unit and the first and second sub-units are releasably connected to each other in an airtight manner to form the at least one module.

Assignees

• Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno

Inventors

• Moons Andreas Mattheus Maria
• Henquet Ellemieke Mary-Rose

Classifications

• B04C5/28 Primary

  for parallel flow · CPC title

• B04C5/04

  Tangential inlets · CPC title