Method and apparatus for discharging or extracting transport fluid from a blast stream

Abstract

The method and apparatus entrain particles from a flow of a transport fluid (4) carrying the particles into a flow of a blast fluid, with an effective amount of the transport fluid being discharged or extracted before the particles are entrained into the flow of the blast fluid (6).

Claims

1. It is a flow mixer, a. A first flow passage for allowing the blast fluid to flow, b. A second flow passage for passing a flow of entrained particles, wherein the flow of entrained particles includes a transport fluid and a plurality of particles entrained in the transport fluid, and the second flow passage intersects the first flow passage at an intersection. c. A combined flow passage that is in fluid communication with the first flow passage and the second flow passage at the intersection, and through which a combined flow is passed in which the flow of the blast fluid and the plurality of particles of the accompanying particle flow are combined, d. One or more second flow passage vents that are in direct fluid communication with the second flow passage, A flow mixer, including...

2. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents are arranged adjacent to the intersection.

3. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein one or more second flow passage vents extend in the upstream direction.

4. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents extend upstream from the intersection.

5. The flow mixer according to claim 1, further comprising one or more combined flow passage vents that are in direct fluid communication with the combined flow passage.

6. The flow mixer according to claim 5, wherein the one or more combined flow passage vents are arranged adjacent to the intersection.

7. The flow mixer according to claim 5, wherein the combined flow passage vent extends in the downstream direction.

8. The flow mixer according to claim 5, wherein the combined flow passage vent extends downstream from the intersection.

9. The flow mixer according to claim 5, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents are in direct fluid communication with the one or more combined flow passage vents.

10. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents are in fluid communication with the vent passage.

11. The flow mixer according to claim 10, further comprising one or more combined flow passage vents that are in direct fluid communication with the combined flow passage, wherein the combined flow passage vents are in fluid communication with the vent passage.

12. The flow mixer according to claim 10, wherein the vent passage includes a vent outlet, and the vent outlet is defined by the outer surface of the flow mixer.

13. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the first flow passage includes a first flow passage inlet and a first flow passage cross-sectional area, and the first flow passage cross-sectional area decreases as the first flow passage extends from the first flow passage inlet toward a first flow passage transition stop point.

14. The flow mixer according to claim 13, wherein the first flow passage transition stop point is the intersection.

15. The flow mixer according to claim 13, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow passage decreases continuously as the first flow passage extends from the inlet of the first flow passage toward the transition stop point of the first flow passage.

16. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the second flow passage includes a second flow passage inlet and a second flow passage cross-sectional area, the second flow passage cross-sectional area decreases as the second flow passage extends from the second flow passage inlet toward a second flow passage transition stop point.

17. The flow mixer according to claim 16, wherein the second flow passage transition stop point is the intersection.

18. The flow mixer according to claim 16, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow passage decreases continuously as the second flow passage extends from the inlet of the second flow passage toward the transition stop point of the second flow passage.

19. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the first flow passage includes a first flow passage inlet and a first flow passage vertical dimension, the first flow passage vertical dimension decreases as the first flow passage extends from the first flow passage inlet toward a first flow passage transition stop point.

20. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the second flow passage includes a second flow passage inlet and a second flow passage vertical dimension, the second flow passage vertical dimension decreases as the second flow passage extends from the second flow passage inlet toward a second flow passage transition stop point.

21. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the second flow passage includes a second flow passage inlet and a second flow passage lateral dimension, the second flow passage lateral dimension increasing as the second flow passage extends from the second flow passage inlet toward a second flow passage transition stop point.

22. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the combined flow passage includes a combined flow passage outlet and a combined flow passage cross-sectional area, and the combined flow passage cross-sectional area increases as the combined flow passage extends from the intersection toward the combined flow passage outlet.

23. The flow mixer according to claim 22, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the combined flow passage increases continuously as the combined flow passage extends from the intersection toward the outlet of the combined flow passage.

24. It is an assembly, a. The flow mixer according to claim 1, b. A blast nozzle, wherein the blast nozzle is in fluid communication with the combined flow passage, An assembly that includes this.

25. The assembly according to claim 24, wherein the blast nozzle is integrated with the flow mixer.

26. It is a flow mixer, a. An upper insert including an upper insert channel, b. A central insert comprising a first central insert channel and a second central insert channel, wherein the first central insert channel and the upper insert channel define a first flow passage for allowing a flow of blast fluid to pass through, c. A lower insert comprising a lower insert channel, wherein the second central insert channel and the lower insert channel define a second flow passage for a flow of entrained particles, the second flow passage intersects the first flow passage at an intersection, and the flow of entrained particles comprises a transport fluid and a plurality of particles entrained in the transport fluid, d. One or more second flow passage vents formed in the lower insert that are in direct fluid communication with the second flow passage, A flow mixer, including...

27. The flow mixer according to claim 26, further comprising a combined flow passage that is in fluid communication with the first flow passage and the second flow passage at the intersection, and which carries a combined flow through which the flow of the blast fluid and the plurality of particles of the accompanying particle flow are combined.

28. The flow mixer according to claim 27, further comprising one or more combined flow passage vents that are in direct fluid communication with the combined flow passage.

29. The flow mixer according to claim 26, further comprising a central nozzle insert and a lower nozzle insert, wherein the central nozzle insert includes a central nozzle insert channel and the lower nozzle insert includes a lower nozzle insert channel, and a combined flow passage is defined by the central nozzle insert channel and the lower nozzle insert channel.

30. The flow mixer according to claim 29, wherein the combined flow passage includes a throat, and the combined flow passage includes a converging portion upstream of the throat and a diverging portion downstream of the throat.

31. The flow mixer according to claim 26, wherein one or more second flow passage vents are in fluid communication with the vent passage.

32. The flow mixer according to claim 31, wherein the vent passage includes a vent outlet, and the vent outlet is defined by the outer surface of the flow mixer.

33. A method for discharging a stream of entrained particles from a blast nozzle, a. To provide a flow of blast fluid through the first flow passage, b. Providing a flow of entrained particles through a second flow passage, wherein the flow of entrained particles includes a transport fluid and a plurality of particles entrained in the transport fluid. c. Separating at least a portion of the transport fluid of the accompanying particle flow from the plurality of particles of the accompanying particle flow, thereby forming a discharge flow containing the transport fluid separated from the plurality of particles, wherein the discharge flow flows through one or more second flow passage vents that are in direct fluid communication with the second flow passage. d. To create a combined flow by combining the flow of the blast fluid with the plurality of particles of the accompanying particle flow, e. The combined flow is flowed outside the blast nozzle through the blast nozzle, wherein the discharged flow remains separated from the combined flow leaving the blast nozzle. Methods that include...

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the plurality of particles include cryogenic particles.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the blast fluid includes a heated fluid.

36. It is a flow mixer, a. A first flow passage for allowing the blast fluid to flow, b. A second flow passage for a flow of entrained particles, wherein the flow of entrained particles comprises a transport fluid and a plurality of particles entrained in the transport fluid, the second flow passage intersects the first flow passage at an intersection, the second flow passage comprises a second flow passage inlet, a second flow passage vertical dimension, and a second flow passage lateral dimension, wherein the second flow passage vertical dimension decreases as the second flow passage extends from the second flow passage inlet toward the second flow passage transition stop point, and the second flow passage lateral dimension increases as the second flow passage extends from the second flow passage inlet toward the second flow passage transition stop point, c. A combined flow passage that is in fluid communication with the first flow passage and the second flow passage at the intersection, and through which a combined flow is passed in which the flow of the blast fluid and the plurality of particles of the accompanying particle flow are combined, d. One or more second flow passage vents that are in direct fluid communication with the second flow passage, A flow mixer, including...

37. The flow mixer according to claim 36, wherein the vertical dimension of the second flow passage decreases continuously as the second flow passage extends from the inlet of the second flow passage toward the transition stop point of the second flow passage.

38. The flow mixer according to claim 36, wherein the lateral dimension of the second flow passage increases continuously as the second flow passage extends from the inlet of the second flow passage toward the transition stop point of the second flow passage.

39. The flow mixer according to claim 36, wherein the second flow passage transition stop point is the intersection.

40. The flow mixer according to claim 36, wherein the first flow passage includes a first flow passage inlet and a first flow passage vertical dimension, the first flow passage vertical dimension decreases as the first flow passage extends from the first flow passage inlet toward a first flow passage transition stop point.

41. The flow mixer according to claim 40, wherein the vertical dimension of the first flow passage decreases continuously as the first flow passage extends from the inlet of the first flow passage toward the transition stop point of the first flow passage.

42. The flow mixer according to claim 40, wherein the first flow passage transition stop point is the intersection.

43. The flow mixer according to claim 36, wherein the blast fluid includes a heated fluid.

44. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents are located in the second flow passage upstream of the intersection.

45. The flow mixer according to claim 1, wherein a discharge flow comprising at least a portion of the transport fluid of the encompassed particle flow separated from the plurality of particles of the encompassed particle flow flows through one or more second flow passage vents.

46. The flow mixer according to claim 12, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents are configured such that at least a substantial portion of the transport fluid passes through the one or more second flow passage vents and exits through the vent outlet when the flow of the entrained particles merges with the flow of the blast fluid at the intersection.

47. The flow mixer according to claim 46, wherein the transport fluid is air.

48. The flow mixer according to claim 44, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents include a plurality of second flow passage vents.

49. The flow mixer according to claim 48, wherein each of the plurality of second flow passage vents has a width smaller than the minimum size of the plurality of particles.

50. The flow mixer according to claim 32, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents are configured such that when the flow of the entrained particles merges with the flow of the blast fluid at the intersection, at least a substantial portion of the transport fluid passes through the one or more second flow passage vents and exits through the vent outlet.

51. The flow mixer according to claim 50, wherein the transport fluid is air.

52. The flow mixer according to claim 26, wherein the one or more second flow passage vents include a plurality of second flow passage vents.

53. The flow mixer according to claim 52, wherein each of the plurality of second flow passage vents has a width smaller than the minimum size of the plurality of particles.

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