METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATION OF PARTICLES FROM A GAS FLOW

Abstract

A method of centrifugal separation of particles, comprising providing a gas flow containing the particles, charging the particles in the gas flow, generating an aerosol of polar liquid droplets introducing the aerosol into the gas flow for attracting the charged particles by the polar liquid droplets, and separating the liquid droplets comprising the attracted particles from the gas flow by the centrifugal separation.

Description

Claims

1. A method of centrifugal separation of particles, comprising: providing a gas flow containing the particles;charging the particles in the gas flow;generating an aerosol of polar liquid droplets;introducing the aerosol into the gas flow for attracting the charged particles by the polar liquid droplets; andseparating the liquid droplets comprising the attracted particles from the gas flow by the centrifugal separation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the aerosol by vibration of a polar liquid in contact with the gas flow.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the aerosol by pressurized atomization of a polar liquid.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying a cross section of the gas flow comprising the introduced aerosol.

5. An apparatus for performing centrifugal separation of particles, wherein a gas flow is provided containing the particles, comprising in serial fluid interconnection: an electrostatic charging device for charging the particles in the gas flow;an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol of polar liquid droplets in a mixing vessel, wherein the aerosol is introduced into the gas flow to attract the charged particles by the polar liquid droplets; anda centrifugal separator for separating the liquid droplets comprising the attracted particles from the gas flow by centrifugal separation.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said aerosol generator comprises a vibration generator to generate the aerosol of droplets from a liquid volume occupied in the mixing vessel.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said aerosol generator comprises an aerosol-forming spray nozzle.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising a constricted opening in a partition of the mixing vessel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, comprising a plurality of constricted openings in partitions of the mixing vessel.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising a plurality of spaced-apart surfaces in the centrifugal separator to trap and agglomerate liquid droplets and particles separated from the gas flow.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the mixing vessel comprises a premix chamber housing the aerosol generator.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the mixing vessel includes a premix chamber housing the aerosol generator, wherein the aerosol generator includes a vibration generator to generate the aerosol of droplets from a liquid volume occupied in the mixing vessel, wherein the centrifugal separator includes a plurality of spaced-apart surfaces to trap and agglomerate liquid droplets and particles separated from a gas flow, and wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more constricted openings in one or more partitions, respectively, of the mixing vessel.

13. A method of centrifugal separation of particles, comprising providing a gas flow containing the particles;charging the particles in the gas flow;generating an aerosol by vibration of a polar liquid in contact with the gas flow;introducing the aerosol into the gas flow for attracting the charged particles by the polar liquid droplets of the aerosol;varying a cross section of the gas flow comprising the introduced aerosol; andseparating the liquid droplets comprising the attracted particles from the gas flow by centrifugal separation.