Centrifugal Separator Air Lock Elimination via Tilted Conduit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal separators used in single-use applications face challenges in eliminating air locks due to low pressures, which prevents the use of conventional methods for removing trapped air, necessitating an improved venting mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A centrifugal separator bowl design featuring a rotor casing with a stack of frustoconical separation discs, a distributor guiding fluid upwards, and an outlet conduit tilted upwards to facilitate automatic de-aeration, ensuring air is forced out through the heavy phase outlet, minimizing the risk of air pockets and locks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional methods are used to remove trapped air in the centrifuge, then air can be removed by compression or intermittent discharge, but these methods are not applicable when low pressures are used in single-use separators
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet conduit is pre-configured with an upward tilt angle relative to the radial plane before operation begins. This preliminary geometric arrangement ensures that when the separator operates at low pressures, air pockets are automatically directed toward the outlet conduit inlet and forced out through the tilted conduit, eliminating the need for post-filling air removal operations that would require high pressure or intermittent discharge.
2Reliability
If the rotor casing is made solid without peripheral ports for discharge, then hygiene is improved for single-use applications, but air locks cannot be removed through peripheral discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet conduit acts as an intermediary structure that bridges the contradiction between maintaining a solid rotor casing for hygiene and enabling air removal. The tilted conduit inlet positioned in the separation space captures air pockets and transports them to the outlet, providing a dedicated air removal pathway without requiring peripheral discharge ports in the rotor casing itself.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attempting to remove air through radial discharge at the periphery (horizontal dimension), the invention uses the axial dimension by tilting the outlet conduit upward relative to the radial plane. This dimensional change allows air to be removed through the heavy phase outlet at the top, maintaining the solid rotor casing structure while providing effective air venting.
3Device complexity
If the outlet conduit is arranged horizontally or downward, then structural simplicity is maintained, but air pockets accumulate and form air locks that reduce separation capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet conduit is designed with a curved, tilted arrangement rather than a straight horizontal or downward configuration. The upward tilt angle relative to the radial plane creates a smooth curved path that leverages centrifugal forces and gravity to naturally direct air pockets toward the outlet, maintaining fluid dynamics efficiency while preventing air lock formation that would reduce separation capacity.
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 design effectively eliminates air pockets and locks, enhancing the separator's functionality and separation capacity by ensuring air is vented automatically, even when the bowl is filled, and allowing for gentle handling of shear-sensitive materials like cell cultures.
Implementation Method 1
Due to the centrifugal forces, heavy particles or denser liquid, such as water, accumulates at the periphery of the rotating bowl whereas less dense liquid accumulates closer to the central axis of rotation
Implementation Method 2
All air is forced to travel upwards and out via the heavy phase outlet
Implementation Method 3
The at least one outlet conduit is arranged with an upward tilt from the conduit inlet to the conduit outlet... all air is forced to travel upwards and out via the heavy phase outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A centrifugal separator bowl includes a rotor casing enclosing a separation space in which a stack of frustoconical separation discs is arranged to rotate around a vertical axis of rotation, wherein the separation discs are arranged with the imaginary apex pointing to the axially lower end of the rotor casing; a feed inlet at the axially lower end for receiving the fluid mixture to be separated; a distributor for distributing the fluid mixture from the inlet to the separation space, the distributor being arranged for guiding the fluid mixture to be separated continuously from an axially lower position at the inlet to an axially upper position in the separation space. The separator bowl further includes a light phase outlet for discharge of a separated phase of a first density and a heavy phase outlet for discharge of a separated phase of a second density higher than the first density, the heavy phase outlet being arranged at the axially upper end of the rotor casing; at least one outlet conduit for transporting separated phase of the second density from the separation space, the conduit extending from a radially outer position of the separation space to the heavy phase outlet; the conduit having a conduit inlet arranged at the radially outer position and a conduit outlet at a radially inner position.