초록 ▼

The present invention relates to optimizing the configuration of rotary impact collectors and devices in which such rotary impact collectors are employed. Rotary impact collectors are formed out of base plate upon which a plurality of vanes are mounted. One aspect of the present invention is a combi

The present invention relates to optimizing the configuration of rotary impact collectors and devices in which such rotary impact collectors are employed. Rotary impact collectors are formed out of base plate upon which a plurality of vanes are mounted. One aspect of the present invention is a combined impact collector and fan in which the ratio of vane height to impeller diameter is in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.2. Preferably, the vanes are evenly spaced around the impeller so as to present a balanced load to the motor. Other performance enhancing elements include the use of truncated vanes, configurations optimized for injection molding fabrication, controlling the orientation of the vanes to reduce the formation of vortex forces, and enhancements configured to increase the ability to collected particles rinsed off such impellers.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An impact particle collector for separating particulates from a gaseous fluid in which the particulates are entrained, comprising:(a) a prime mover having a drive shaft that is drivingly rotated; (b) an impeller that is mechanically coupled to the drive shaft and rotated thereby, the impeller com

1. An impact particle collector for separating particulates from a gaseous fluid in which the particulates are entrained, comprising:(a) a prime mover having a drive shaft that is drivingly rotated; (b) an impeller that is mechanically coupled to the drive shaft and rotated thereby, the impeller comprising a base plate and a plurality of vanes disposed on an upper surface of the base plate, such that a ratio of vane height to base plate diameter is in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.2; and (c) a housing for the impeller, said housing defining a fluid passage for conveying the gaseous fluid in which the particulates are entrained to the impeller, such that when the impeller is rotated by the prime mover, the gaseous fluid is drawn into the housing so that the particulates entrained in the gaseous fluid impact upon the impeller, being thereby separated from the gaseous fluid when impacted by the vanes of the impeller. 2. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein a base of each of the plurality of vanes extends laterally to a greater extent than does an upper surface of each vane.3. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vanes are configured such that a height of each vane adjacent a center of the base plate is larger than a height of each vane adjacent to an outer edge of the base plate.4. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vanes are configured such that each vane does not extend within about one millimeter of an outer edge of the base plate.5. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vanes are substantially evenly spaced upon the upper surface of the base plate, such that when the impeller is drivingly rotated by the prime mover, the impeller presents a balanced load.6. The impact particle collector of claim 5, wherein at least some of the plurality of vanes are truncated vanes.7. The impact particle collector of claim 5, wherein the housing includes an opening disposed proximate a center of the base plate, and none of the vanes are disposed on a portion of the base plate directly beneath the opening.8. The impact particle collector of claim 1, further comprising a nozzle in fluid communication with a rinse fluid reservoir, the nozzle being disposed to introduce a rinse fluid at the inward edges of the plurality of vanes, when the impeller is being rotated by the prime mover.9. The impact particle collector of claim 1, further comprising:(a) a rinse fluid reservoir including a sensor configured to detect a level of rinse fluid contained within the reservoir; (b) a nozzle in fluid communication with the rinse fluid reservoir, the nozzle being disposed to introduce a rinse fluid into the housing to rinse particulates off of the impeller; and (c) a pump configured to deliver a rinse fluid from the rinse fluid reservoir to the nozzle. 10. The impact particle collector of claim 9, further comprising a microcontroller electrically coupled with the sensor, and controllably coupled to the prime mover and the pump, the microcontroller being configured to implement a plurality of functions, including at least one of:(a) reducing a rotational velocity of the impeller whenever a level of rinse fluid in the rinse fluid reservoir falls below a predetermined level; (b) reducing a volume of fluid delivered from the rinse fluid reservoir to the nozzle per unit time, whenever a level of rinse fluid in the rinse fluid reservoir falls below a predetermined level; and (c) de-energizing the prime mover whenever a level of rinse fluid in the rinse fluid reservoir falls below a predetermined level. 11. The impact particle collector of claim 10, further comprising a makeup reservoir in fluid communication with the rinse fluid reservoir, the makeup reservoir providing additional rinse fluid to the rinse fluid reservoir should level of rinse fluid in the rinse fluid reservoir falls below a predetermined level.12. The impact particle collector of claim 10, wherein the rinse fluid reservoir is coupled in fluid communication with a lower portion of the housing, and said lower portion of the housing includes sloping surfaces configured to direct rinse fluid contacting the lower portion of the housing into the rinse fluid reservoir.13. The impact particle collector of claim 1, further comprising a filter configured to filter the gaseous fluid before the gaseous fluid contacts the impeller.14. The impact particle collector of claim 13, wherein the filter comprises a size-exclusion membrane including pores of a predetermined certain size, such that particles larger than the pores cannot pass through the membrane.15. The impact particle collector of claim 13, wherein the filter comprises a magnetic membrane including pores of a predetermined certain size, such that nonmagnetic particles larger than the pores cannot pass through the membrane, and magnetic particles smaller than the pores cannot pass through the membrane.16. The impact particle collector of claim 13, wherein the filter comprises an affinity-based membrane including pores of a predetermined certain size, such that particles larger than the pores cannot pass through the membrane, and particles smaller than the pores and having a corresponding affinity cannot pass through the membrane.17. The impact particle collector of claim 16, wherein the affinity-based membrane comprises an antibody coating, such that particles having a corresponding antigen cannot pass through the membrane.18. The impact particle collector of claim 13, wherein the filter comprises a membrane including pores of a predetermined certain size, and a incorporating a chemical adsorbent, such that particles larger than the pores cannot pass through the membrane, and chemicals absorbed by the chemical adsorbent cannot pass through the membrane.19. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein the impeller has a mean surface roughness selected to increase the likelihood that a particle entrained in the gaseous fluid will adhere to the impeller.20. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein the internal surfaces of the housing each have a mean surface roughness selected to decrease the likelihood that a particle entrained in the gaseous fluid will adhere to the internal surfaces of the housing.21. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises curved internal surfaces wherever a side of the housing joins an upper portion of the housing, and wherever a side of the housing joins a lower portion of the housing, such curved internal surfaces reducing the likelihood that a rinse fluid will be undesirably retained within the housing.22. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the housing comprises an opening for directing a gaseous fluid toward the impeller, and an external surface of the upper portion of the housing is shaped as an inverted cone, with a base of the cone corresponding to an outer edge of the upper portion, and an apex of the cone corresponding to the opening, such that the apex of the cone is disposed lower than the base of the cone.23. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the housing comprises an opening for directing a gaseous fluid toward the impeller, and an internal surface of the upper portion of the housing is shaped as an inverted cone, with a base of the cone corresponding to an inner edge of the upper portion, and an apex of the cone corresponding to the opening, such that the apex of the cone is disposed higher than the base of the cone.24. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the housing comprises an opening for directing a gaseous fluid toward the impeller, and an external surface of the upper portion of the housing slopes away from the opening, such that a highest portion of the external surface of the upper portion of the housing corresponds to an outer edge of the upper portion, and a lowest portion of the external surface of the upper portion of the housing corresponds to a periphery of the opening.25. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the housing comprises an opening for directing a gaseous fluid toward the impeller, and an internal surface of the upper portion of the housing slopes away from the opening, such that a lowest portion of the internal surface of the upper portion of the housing corresponds to an inner edge of the upper portion, and a highest portion of the internal surface of the upper portion of the housing corresponds to a periphery of the opening.26. The impact particle collector of claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of vanes includes a sloping upper surface substantially corresponding to the slope of the internal surface of the upper portion of the housing, such that a height of each vane is greater proximate a center of the base plate that a height of each vane proximate an outer edge of the base plate.27. The impact particle collector of claim 25, wherein the impeller further comprises a top plate having an opening in a center of the top plate, the top plate having sloping upper surfaces and lower surfaces that substantially correspond to the slope of the internal surface of the upper portion of the housing, such that a lowest portion of the top plate corresponds to an outer edge of the top plate, and a highest portion of the top plate corresponds to an inner edge of the top plate proximate the opening in the top plate.28. The impact particle collector of claim 1, wherein a gap exists between an inner surface of an upper portion of the housing and the impeller, such that the gap is designed to exceed an expected dimensional variation related to a manufacturing process used to produce the impeller.29. The impact particle collector of claim 28, wherein the gap is about 2 millimeters.30. The impact particle collector of claim 28, wherein the gap is about 2.2 millimeters.