Filament extension atomizers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9707577-B2
Application number	US-201514812505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2015
Priority date	Jul 29, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

An atomization device includes a pair of counter-rotating rollers, a fluid source configured to coat at least one of the rollers in a feed fluid, and a baffle unit. The counter-rotation of the rollers stretches the feed fluid into a fluid filament between the two diverging surfaces of the rollers. The stretched fluid filaments break into a plurality of droplets at a capillary break-up point of the feed fluid. The baffle unit introduces a baffle fluid within the interior of the device and the baffle fluid transports formed droplets of the feed fluid from the atomization device. Excess or misguided atomized fluid droplets are collected by the baffle unit and are recycled back into the device for use in later atomization processes. The variation of atomization device parameters allows for the selection of droplets having desired physical parameters.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An atomization device, comprising:
a pair of rotating rollers positioned adjacent to each other and defining a nip therebetween, the nip having an upstream side and a downstream side;
a fluid source configured to coat at least one of the rollers with a feed fluid; and
a baffle unit having a pair of exterior baffles and an interior baffle positioned between the exterior baffles, the interior baffle configured to direct a baffle fluid towards the downstream side of the nip and the exterior baffles configured to receive a suspension that includes at least a portion of the baffle fluid and fluid droplets formed from stretching the feed fluid on the downstream side of the nip between diverging surfaces of the pair of rollers.

2. The atomization device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing including side walls and an exit port, the pair of rotating rollers, the fluid source and the baffle unit are disposed in the housing, the baffle unit further configured to interface with the housing and exit port.

3. The atomization device of claim 2 , wherein the side walls of the housing are insulative.

4. The atomization device of claim 1 , further comprising a heat source configured to heat at least one of an interior of the housing, the pair of rotating rollers, the fluid source, the feed fluid, the baffle fluid and the baffle unit.

5. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pair of exterior baffles are configured to collect at least a portion of the fluid droplets in the suspension.

6. The atomization device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the pair of exterior baffles includes vents disposed therein, the vents configured to receive a portion of the collected suspension and direct the received portion of the collected suspension to coat at least one of the pair of rotating rollers.

7. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein the interior baffle is configured to collect at least a portion of the fluid droplets in the suspension.

8. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the interior baffle includes vents disposed therein, the vents configured to receive a portion of the suspension and direct the received portion of the collected suspension towards the upstream side of the nip.

9. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein the baffle unit surfaces are coated with a coating, the coating configured to promote travel of the suspension along a baffle unit surface.

10. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein the interior baffle has an inlet port configured to receive the baffle fluid.

11. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of rotating rollers are positioned substantially horizontal and side-by-side, the baffle unit aligned with the pair of rotating rollers in a substantially vertical plane extending away from the downstream side of the nip.

12. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of rotating rollers are configured to counter-rotate.

13. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein each roller has a centerline, the centerlines of the rollers spaced a roller spacing distance from each other.

14. The atomization device of claim 1 , further comprising a doctor blade positioned adjacent to and a doctor blade spacing distance from a surface of a roller.

15. The atomization device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of rotating rollers are positioned substantially horizontal and are stacked, the baffle unit aligned with the pair of rotating rollers in a substantially horizontal plane extending away from the downstream side of the nip.

16. The atomization device of claim 15 , wherein the pair of exterior baffles includes a lower and an upper exterior baffle, the lower exterior, upper exterior and interior baffles configured to direct the received suspension towards at least one of the rollers and the nip.

17. The atomization device of claim 15 , wherein the pair of exterior baffles includes a lower and a upper exterior baffle, the lower exterior baffle having vents disposed therein, the upper and lower exterior baffles configured to be in fluid communication with each other.

18. The atomization device of claim 17 , wherein the interior baffle features a protrusion on a lower surface, the protrusion aligned with the vents of the lower exterior baffle.

19. An atomization device, comprising: a pair of rotating rollers having a pair of diverging surfaces positioned adjacent to each other and defining a nip therebetween, the nip having an upstream side and a downstream side; a fluid source configured to coat at least one of the diverging surfaces with a fluid; and a baffle unit having a pair of exterior baffles and an interior baffle positioned between the exterior baffles, the interior baffle configured to direct air towards the downstream side of the nip and the exterior baffles configured to receive a suspension of at least a portion of the air and fluid droplets formed from stretching the fluid on the downstream side of the nip between the diverging surfaces.

20. A method of atomizing a feed fluid, comprising:
drawing the feed fluid from a fluid source through a nip defined between a pair of rotating rollers, the nip having an upstream side and a downstream side;
stretching the feed fluid between the diverging surfaces of the pair of rotating rollers on the downstream side of the nip to form a fluid filament;
expelling at least a portion of a baffle fluid from an interior baffle of a baffle unit positioned adjacent to the downstream side of the nip; and
suspending a plurality of feed fluid droplets within at least a portion of the baffle fluid, the plurality of feed fluid droplets formed from the stretched feed fluid filament on the downstream side of the nip between the diverging surfaces of the pair of rotating rollers.

21. The method of atomizing a fluid of claim 20 , further including heating one or both of the feed fluid and the baffle fluid.

22. The method of atomizing a fluid of claim 20 , further including collecting at least a portion of the suspension of the baffle fluid and the plurality of feed fluid droplets on at least a surface of the baffle unit.

23. The method of atomizing a fluid of claim 20 , further including sensing at least a physical characteristic of the plurality of atomization fluid droplets and altering at least one of the stretching, expelling or suspending steps in response to the sensed physical characteristic.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Beck Victor Alfred
• Johnson David Mathew

Classifications

• B05B17/04

  operating with special methods · CPC title

• B05B7/0075

  Nozzle arrangements in gas streams · CPC title

• B05B1/28

  with integral means for shielding the discharged liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to limit area of spray; with integral means for catching drips or collecting surplus liquid or other fluent material · CPC title

• B01J13/0095 Primary

  Preparation of aerosols · CPC title

• B05B3/082

  the spraying being effected by centrifugal forces · CPC title