Two-Stage Airflow Separator With Dirty-Stream Cyclone Bypass

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cyclonic separators in vacuum cleaners face challenges in achieving high separation efficiency and compact size while maintaining energy efficiency, especially in battery-powered devices, due to the need for multiple small cyclone bodies which increase size and energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

A two-stage separation system where a first stage with an impeller generates swirl to separate dirt particles into a dirty and clean airflow, with only the dirty airflow passing through a second stage of cyclone bodies, reducing the number of cyclone bodies and energy required, and incorporating a turbine to recapture energy from the clean airflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the number of small cyclone bodies is increased to improve separation efficiency, then the separation performance is improved, but the overall size of the separator increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation efficiencyVSAvoidseparator size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The airflow is segmented into two separate streams: a clean airflow stream that bypasses the cyclone bodies and a dirty airflow stream that passes through them. This segmentation allows only the necessary portion of airflow to be processed by the cyclone bodies, reducing the total number needed while maintaining separation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The clean portion of the airflow is extracted and removed from the processing path before it reaches the cyclone bodies. By taking out the clean airflow that doesn't require further separation, the system reduces the workload on the cyclone bodies, allowing fewer of them to achieve the same separation performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the number of small cyclone bodies is increased to improve separation efficiency, then the separation performance is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The airflow is segmented into clean and dirty portions, with only the dirty portion being directed through the cyclone bodies for separation. This segmentation reduces the total volume of air that must be processed by the energy-consuming cyclone bodies, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining separation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The clean airflow is extracted and bypassed from the cyclone processing path. By removing the clean airflow that doesn't require separation from the energy-consuming processing path, the system significantly reduces energy consumption while preserving separation performance for the dirty airflow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If the size of cyclone bodies is decreased to improve separation efficiency, then the centrifugal forces are increased, but the volume of air each cyclone body can handle is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation efficiencyVSAvoidairflow capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The total airflow is segmented into clean and dirty portions. By directing only the dirty portion through the small cyclone bodies, the system ensures that each cyclone body handles a manageable volume of air that it can effectively separate, while the clean portion bypasses the cyclones entirely, maintaining overall productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The clean airflow is extracted and removed from the path through the cyclone bodies. This extraction allows the small cyclone bodies to focus their limited airflow capacity on processing only the dirty airflow that requires separation, thereby maintaining high separation efficiency without being bottlenecked by excessive air volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for high separation efficiency with a compact design, reducing the overall size and energy consumption of the separator, and extending battery life in battery-powered vacuum cleaners by minimizing the volume of air passing through the second stage and utilizing energy from the clean airflow.

Implementation Method 1

the impeller generates the airflow through the separator and generates swirl within the airflow in the first separation stage, the swirl throws the dirt particles radially outwards

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

a second separation stage having one or more cyclone bodies arranged in parallel, wherein the dirty portion of airflow passes through the second separation stage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCyclone separation: Cyclone Separation

Data Source

PatentUS10143346B2Separator for removing dirt particles from an airflow

Publication Date: 2018.12.04 DYSON TECH LTD

AI summary

A separator for removing dirt particles from an airflow, the separator comprising a first separation stage having an impeller, and a second separation stage having one or more cyclone bodies arranged in parallel, the first separation stage being upstream of the second separation stage. The impeller generates the airflow through the separator and concentrates the dirt particles within the airflow to produce a clean portion and a dirty portion of airflow, and wherein only the dirty portion of airflow is passed through the second separation stage.