Airflow Separator With Weak Rotational Flow For Particle Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airflow separators face challenges in achieving high separation precision and speed while maintaining a simple apparatus structure, particularly in separating three or more components without upsizing, as they often suffer from non-uniform wind speed distribution and require multiple blowers for wind speed control.
Innovation Solution
The airflow separator employs a first column with a weak rotational flow generation mechanism, such as a spiral structure, to smooth wind speed distribution, and a second column with a variable cross-sectional area to adjust wind speeds, allowing for efficient separation of heavy, intermediate, and light particles using a single blower, and includes a joint with an orifice to enhance particle conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a straight column airflow separator is used, then separation precision is improved, but separation speed becomes slow due to particles repeating ascending and descending
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a weak rotational flow that dynamically adjusts the wind speed distribution across the column cross-section. This creates a time-varying flow pattern where particles experience different upward velocities at different radial positions, enabling faster separation while maintaining precision through the controlled rotational component.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the flow parameters by introducing a rotational component to the airflow. This modifies the velocity profile from a simple upward flow to a combined upward-rotational flow, where the rotational parameter controls the wind speed distribution to optimize both separation precision and speed.
2Measurement precision
If multiple blowers are used to control wind speed in multiple columns, then separation precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single blower serves multiple functions: it generates the primary upward airflow and, through the weak rotational flow mechanism, creates the differential wind speed distribution across the column cross-section. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple blowers while maintaining separation precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The weak rotational flow acts as an intermediary mechanism that translates the single blower's output into a differentiated wind speed distribution. This intermediary flow pattern enables precise separation of multiple components without requiring multiple independent airflow control systems.
3Productivity
If an orifice is introduced to accelerate particles, then separation speed is improved, but wind speed becomes non-uniform causing apparatus upsizing
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using an orifice to change particle velocity, the invention changes the airflow parameter by introducing a weak rotational component. This rotational parameter naturally creates a non-uniform but controlled wind speed distribution that accelerates particles differently across the cross-section, achieving fast separation without extending the column length.
4Device complexity
If a single blower is used for multiple columns, then device complexity is reduced, but wind speed control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The weak rotational flow creates local quality differences in the airflow across the column cross-section. Different radial positions experience different upward velocities, enabling precise local separation of particles with different specific gravities while using a single blower for overall airflow generation.
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 design improves separation precision, reduces energy consumption, and allows for efficient separation of multiple components with a compact apparatus, achieving high separation efficiency and precision comparable to batch-type systems with a continuous operation.
Implementation Method 1
a weak rotational flow generation mechanism, to smooth a wind speed distribution in a cross-section of a tube of the first column by making it substantially W-shaped from a portion of a wall of the tube, to a center of the tube, and to another portion of the wall of the tube
Implementation Method 2
the weak rotational flow generation mechanism provided for the first column is a spiral structure provided on a circumferential surface of an internal wall of the tube of the first column
Implementation Method 3
the heavy particle recovery device recovers from the sample, heavy particles that fall down
Implementation Method 4
an emission gas, intermediate particles, and light particles are recovered from an upper portion of the first column
Data Source
AI summary
An airflow separator of the present invention includes: a first column into which gas is introduced from a lower portion and inside which a sample is made to flow; a heavy particle recovery device provided at the lower portion of the first column; and a control device configured to control a wind speed by an amount of gas to be introduced into the first column. The first column has a weak rotational airflow generation mechanism to smooth wind speed distribution in a cross-section of a tube of the first column by making it substantially W-shaped from a portion of a wall of the tube to the center of the tube to another portion of the wall of the tube. The heavy particle recovery device recovers from the sample, heavy particles falling down. The airflow separator recovers emission gas, intermediate and light particles from an upper portion of the first column.