Separation device comprising a swirler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional swirlers cut from sheet material cause significant friction and pressure drop, leading to inefficient separation of fluids, particularly in low-cost applications, and fail to effectively cover the through flow area due to gaps between vanes and the channel wall.
Innovation Solution
A swirler design with bent vanes having an entrance angle greater than the exit angle, where the entrance angle is typically above 70 degrees and the exit angle is between 30-60 degrees, and a circular peripheral edge to prevent gaps, optionally using stacked subswirlers to ensure full coverage and enhance swirling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the flat vanes are bent away from the plane of the original sheet metal, then the swirling efficiency is improved, but gaps are created between the vanes and the inner wall of the channel, allowing gas to flow through without being impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional flat vane structure to a three-dimensional bent vane structure. By bending the vanes away from the original sheet plane, the design creates a spatial configuration that improves swirling efficiency while the bent geometry itself helps eliminate gaps between vanes and the channel wall, thus resolving the contradiction between improved performance and gap formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies curvature to the vane geometry by bending them at specific angles (entrance angle and exit angle). This curved configuration optimizes the flow guidance and swirling action, allowing the vanes to effectively engage the gas flow while maintaining full coverage of the through-flow area without gaps.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional swirlers are cut from sheet material, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but friction increases causing more pressure drop and energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the vane structure by introducing specific entrance angles (greater than 70 degrees, preferably greater than 80 degrees) and exit angles (30-60 degrees, preferably 40-50 degrees). These parameter changes optimize the flow guidance, reducing friction and pressure drop while maintaining the cost-effective sheet material construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The bent vane configuration creates a dynamic flow path that gradually guides the gas flow from the entrance section through the swirler to the exit section. This dynamic geometry reduces flow separation and turbulence, minimizing energy loss while maintaining the simple manufactured structure.
3Loss of energy
If the entrance angle is increased to substantially coincide with the average flow direction, then pressure drop is reduced, but the vane geometry becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise angular parameters: entrance angles greater than 70 degrees (preferably greater than 80 degrees) and exit angles of 30-60 degrees (preferably 40-50 degrees). These parameter definitions provide a clear design guideline that achieves optimal flow guidance with reduced pressure drop while maintaining manufacturability through standardized geometric specifications.
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 reduces pressure drop and improves swirling efficiency by ensuring the gas flow is guided effectively through the swirler, with the option of stacked subswirlers ensuring no gas passes without being impacted, thus enhancing separation efficiency while maintaining low-cost manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
swirlers can be used for separation in separation devices in which they generate centrifugal vortices in a flow of a fluid, such as a gas or a liquid optionally further containing solid particles
Data Source
AI summary
Separation device comprising a swirler of a sheet material comprising a plurality of vanes (4) with a flow entrance side edge (6) defining an entrance angle (α) and a flow exit side edge (8) defining an exit angle (β). The flow entrance side edge and flow exit side edge extend from a center section (3) to a peripheral edge (9), which extends between end points of the flow entrance edge and the flow exit edge. The entrance angle is larger than the exit angle.