Cyclone Separator Curved Housing for Waste Fraction Purity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cyclone-like classifiers for waste management struggle to achieve high purity separation of heterogeneous bulk materials into individual fractions, with existing designs being inefficient and lacking in separation precision between light and medium-heavy material fractions.

Innovation Solution

A cyclone-like classifier with a cylindrical housing part that directs the gas flow into a circular path, utilizing adjustable baffle plates and curved deflection elements to optimize the separation process, and a suction device positioned strategically to separate medium-heavy and light fractions effectively, achieving high purity separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rotary valve with blades is used to regulate airflow in a cyclone separator, then the airflow is slowed down and regulated, but the large entrained fractions of the material stream only reach a predetermined speed which has a detrimental effect on the degree of separation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedegree of separationVSAvoidspeed of material stream
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the rotary valve with blades from the cyclone separator design. Instead of using a mechanical flow regulation device that slows down the material stream, the invention relies on the natural cyclonic flow patterns and centrifugal forces to achieve separation, thereby maintaining high speeds while improving separation efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs curved housing walls that guide the gas-particle flow in a circular path, creating a cyclonic flow pattern. This curvature generates centrifugal forces that enhance separation of material fractions by weight without requiring mechanical flow regulation devices that would reduce flow speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If the entire material stream is crushed into uniform particles before cyclone separation, then separation into heavy, medium and light fractions is possible, but the device is not suitable for large-area material flows

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseparation functionVSAvoidsuitability for large-area material flows
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a gas stream that penetrates the material stream at specific locations within the housing and directs it into a circular path. This localized gas injection creates regions of different flow characteristics that enable separation of large-area materials without requiring the entire stream to be crushed into uniform particles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a circular flow dimension to the separation process by directing the gas stream into a circular path within the housing. This creates a cyclonic motion that enhances separation capability for diverse material types including large-area materials, expanding the device's versatility beyond traditional particle separation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If an air blower penetrates the falling material stream to carry along lighter fractions, then light and medium-weight materials are separated, but the device must be relatively long and the degree of separation between light and medium-weight fractions is not guaranteed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedegree of separationVSAvoidlength of device
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses curved housing walls to guide the gas-particle flow in a compact circular path, creating a cyclonic flow pattern. This curved flow path achieves effective separation of light and medium-weight fractions within a shorter device length compared to linear flow designs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a gas stream injection system that penetrates the material stream and utilizes pneumatic forces to carry along lighter fractions. The cyclonic flow pattern created by the curved housing enhances this pneumatic separation effect, achieving reliable separation between light and medium-weight fractions in a more compact configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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

The solution enables a high degree of separation between light and medium-heavy material fractions, achieving a separation efficiency of 90-100% by utilizing a cyclone-like effect and strategic gas flow deflection, optimizing the kinetic energy of particles for effective sorting.

Implementation Method 1

a cyclone-like classifier with a cylindrical housing part that directs the gas flow into a circular path, utilizing adjustable baffle plates and curved deflection elements to optimize the separation process

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCyclone separation: Cyclone Separation

Implementation Method 2

the gas flow exiting a gas outlet nozzle penetrates at least two fractions of the material stream within a housing in the direction of a cylindrical housing part, which has at least one curvature that directs the gas flow in a predetermined circular-like direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP2800619B1Cyclone-like separator, in particular for waste management
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 BARNSTEDT DIRK
  • EP2800619B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2800619B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2800619B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a device (1) and to a method for separating a primarily heterogeneous material flow (2), as are typically found in waste management. The device (1) substantially consists of a housing (3) comprising a cylindrical component (4) to which a gas flow (8) is fed by means of a gas exit nozzle (6). The gas flow passes at least once through the material flow (2), which contains individual fractions (2', 2"). The specific curvatures of the cylindrical housing part (4) and the flow guidance associated therewith inside the housing (3) enable both a compact construction of the entire installation and a high-purity separation degree to be achieved.