A uniflow cyclone for a hand vacuum cleaner has a dirt chamber that is external to the cyclone chamber and vortex finder, which has a solid portion that is spaced from and faces a dirt outlet of the cyclone chamber and a porous section that is angularly spaced around the cyclone axis of rotation of the cyclone from the solid portion.

A uniflow cyclone for a hand vacuum cleaner has a dirt chamber that is external to the cyclone chamber and vortex finder, which has a solid portion that is spaced from and faces a dirt outlet of the cyclone chamber and a porous section that is angularly spaced around the cyclone axis of rotation of the cyclone from the solid portion.

A cyclone for a hand vacuum cleaner has an outlet port that is sized to produce an annular flow band in the cyclone which extends radially inwardly to overlap the solid sidewall of the vortex finder.

A cyclone for a hand vacuum cleaner has an outlet port that is sized to produce an annular flow band in the cyclone which extends radially inwardly to overlap the solid sidewall of the vortex finder.

Apparatus features a signal processor or signal processing module configured to: receive signaling containing information about a central air-core of an overflow pipe of a hydrocyclone where fluid flow is concentrated in an outer annular region of the overflow pipe that is against an inner wall of the overflow pipe during a normal operation of the hydrocyclone; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a collapse of the central air-core of the overflow pipe of the hydrocyclone during an abnormal operation of the hydrocyclone, based upon the signaling received. The signaling contains information about a fluid flow rate of the fluid flow by detecting a change in the magnitude of a force and/or a moment on the probe.

Disclosed is a hydrocyclone monitoring system. The hydrocyclone monitoring system comprises a hydrocyclone comprising a separation chamber having an inlet for feeding an input mixture into the separation chamber and first and second outlets for ejecting flows of 5 respective first and second components of the mixture from the separation chamber. The hydrocyclone monitoring system further comprises a conduit and a sensor assembly. The conduit is connected to the first outlet and defines a channel for conducting the flow of the first component ejected from the separation chamber. The sensor assembly is configured to detect characteristics of the flow of the first component in the channel. The hydrocyclone 10 monitoring system further comprises a processing system configured to receive from the sensor assembly measurement data indicative of the characteristics of the flow of the first component, and to determine a mode of operation of the hydrocyclone based on the measurement data. Also disclosed is a method of monitoring a hydrocyclone.

Disclosed is a hydrocyclone monitoring system. The hydrocyclone monitoring system comprises a hydrocyclone comprising a separation chamber having an inlet for feeding an input mixture into the separation chamber and first and second outlets for ejecting flows of 5 respective first and second components of the mixture from the separation chamber. The hydrocyclone monitoring system further comprises a conduit and a sensor assembly. The conduit is connected to the first outlet and defines a channel for conducting the flow of the first component ejected from the separation chamber. The sensor assembly is configured to detect characteristics of the flow of the first component in the channel. The hydrocyclone 10 monitoring system further comprises a processing system configured to receive from the sensor assembly measurement data indicative of the characteristics of the flow of the first component, and to determine a mode of operation of the hydrocyclone based on the measurement data. Also disclosed is a method of monitoring a hydrocyclone.

A gas-liquid separator and method and air compressor system. The gas-liquid separator includes a separator tank having wet side and dry side chambers. The wet side chamber separates and collects liquids from pressurized air that enters through a tank inlet. A separation valve inlet port connects the wet side chamber with the dry side chamber and allows moist air to pass from the wet side chamber to the dry side chamber and prevents collected liquids from passing from the wet side chamber to the dry side chamber. A separation valve assembly opens the separation valve inlet port when pressurized air is forced into the wet side chamber and a pressure is met and/or exceeded and to close the separation valve inlet port when pressurized air is not being forced into the wet side chamber and pressure falls below the pressure.

A method for handling material and conveying air in a pneumatic conveying system for material, which conveying system comprises at least one input point (1) for material, a material conveying pipe (100), which is connectable to an input point (1), and at least two separating devices (10A, 10B), in which the material being conveyed is separated from the conveying air, and also means for bringing about a pressure difference and/or a transporting air flow in the conveying pipe (100) at least during the conveyance of material, which means comprise at least one partial-vacuum source (21). In the method, material is conveyed in a transporting air flow in a material conveying pipe from an input point in a selected manner into one of at least two separating devices (10A, 10B), and that at least one of the aforementioned separating devices (10A, 10B) is configured to function as the standby separating device of a second separating device. The object of the invention is also a separating device arrangement and a waste conveying system.

The present disclosure provides a method of operating a separator (1,1a, 1b) for separating particles from a particle-laden airflow. The method comprises receiving, in the controller (18), a separation unit status signal from the separation unit status sensor (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d), deriving, in the controller (18), separator status data based on the separation unit status signal, communicating, via the communication device (19), the separator status data to the external unit (1a, 1b, 26), receiving, via the communication device (19), incoming control data from the external unit (1a, 1b, 26), determining, in the controller (18), based on the separator status data and based on the incoming control data, whether to initiate separating unit maintenance, and selectively initiating separating unit maintenance based on said determination. The disclosure also provides a separator for implementing the method and a system comprising two or more such separators.