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Publication Number
US-9791353-B2
Publication Date
2017-10-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
A concentrator that is operable to concentrate particles of target material from a high flow rate sampled airflow into a low flow rate secondary airflow. The concentrator may have an array of radially arranged blades. Each blade may have a sampled airflow inlet that uses centrifugal force to concentrate the particles into a central portion of the sampled airflow passing through it. Downstream, the blade may also have primary airflow outlets and knife-edged secondary airflow inlets that divide the sampled airflow into a pair of lateral, high flow rate primary airflows from which the particles have been depleted, and a central, low flow rate secondary airflow which carries the concentrated particles.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a portable negative-pressure air concentrator that concentrates particles containing target material from a sampled airflow into a low-flow central secondary airflow. An air processor includes a sampled airflow inlet slot that receives a sampled airflow and concentrates at least some of the particles containing target material into a central portion using centrifugal force, and the sampled airflow inlet slot operates to produce a non-collimated sampled airflow.
A downstream secondary airflow inlet slot is positioned downstream from the sampled airflow inlet slot and is configured to divide the flow from the central portion of the sampled airflow into a secondary airflow and parts of the sampled airflow into left primary airflow and right primary airflow. The sampled airflow inlet slot and the secondary airflow inlet slot share a common plane of symmetry.
In blade-based configurations, an air processor further comprises a central longitudinal axis and at least two blades radially arranged about the axis, where each blade comprises a sampled airflow inlet slot and a secondary airflow inlet slot, and the respective secondary airflows flow radially inwardly toward each other and toward the axis. The inlet-slot side geometry is configured so that a pressure drop is produced when the sampled airflow flows through the sampled airflow inlet slot and is divided by the secondary airflow inlet slot, and the pressure drop is minimized by smoothly varying convex profiles of the sides.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover an air-processor concentrator that uses centrifugal force to concentrate target-containing particles into a central portion of a non-collimated sampled airflow, while a downstream secondary airflow inlet slot divides the flow into left primary, right primary, and a secondary airflow. The independent claim set additionally includes convex inlet-slot side profiles to minimize pressure drop and radially arranged blades with secondary airflow routing toward a central axis. The claims also include hollow hub, primary airflow outlet, and hollow shroud refinements.
Centrifugal concentration into a central portion with a sampled inlet slot
An air processor with a sampled airflow inlet slot operable to receive a sampled airflow containing particles containing target material, and to use centrifugal force to concentrate at least some of the particles containing target material into a central portion as the sampled airflow flows through the sampled airflow inlet slot.
Non-collimated sampled airflow output
The sampled airflow inlet slot is operable to produce a non-collimated sampled airflow as the sampled airflow flows through the sampled airflow inlet slot.
Downstream symmetry-plane secondary inlet division into left primary, right primary, and secondary
The sampled airflow inlet slot and the secondary airflow inlet slot share a common plane of symmetry, and the secondary airflow inlet slot divides a secondary airflow from at least part of the central portion, a left primary airflow from at least part of a left portion, and a right primary airflow from at least part of a right portion of the sampled airflow.
Smoothly varying convex inlet-slot side profiles minimizing pressure drop
The sampled airflow inlet slot has a pair of sides with smoothly varying convex profiles extending at least most of the distance between the respective upstream and downstream surfaces, and the pressure drop produced during flow and division is minimized by the smoothly varying convex profiles.
Radially arranged blades with secondary airflows flowing radially inwardly toward the axis
The air processor further comprises a central longitudinal axis and at least two blades, each blade comprising a sampled airflow inlet slot, a secondary airflow inlet slot, and a blade secondary airflow outlet port, with secondary airflows exiting the ports and flowing radially inwardly toward each other and toward the axis.
Hollow outer hub central cavity with primary airflow outlet
At least one blade is located in a hollow outer hub having an outer hub central cavity, left and right primary airflows flow into the outer hub central cavity, and a primary airflow outlet on an end plate communicates with the cavity so that at least part of the left and right primary airflows flow out through the primary airflow outlet.
Hollow shroud providing an air chamber in fluid communication with blade sampled inlet slots
A hollow shroud provides an air chamber around at least a portion of an outer hub outer surface, the air chamber is in fluid communication with the sampled airflow inlet slot of each blade, and the shroud has a shroud inlet operable to receive the sampled airflow.
Across the claims, the core coverage centers on an air-processor concentrator that concentrates particles containing target material into a central portion using centrifugal force, while producing a non-collimated sampled airflow and dividing that flow through a downstream secondary airflow inlet slot into left primary, right primary, and secondary airflows. Additional claim features address minimized pressure drop, blade-based radial flow toward a central axis, and hub and shroud structures.
Stated Advantages
Pressure drop is minimized by smoothly varying convex profiles of the sides compared to sides without the smoothly varying convex profiles.
Documented Applications
Interrogating shipping containers by concentrating particles from container airspace.
Optionally using the concentrator as a standalone filter-based sampler/analyzer.
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