Provided is a chiller and system that may be utilized in a supercritical fluid chromatography method, wherein a non-polar solvent may replace a portion or all of a polar solvent for the purpose of separating or extracting desired sample molecules from a combined sample/solvent stream. The system may reduce the amount of polar solvent necessary for chromatographic separation and/or extraction of desired samples. The system may incorporate a supercritical fluid chiller, a supercritical fluid pressure-equalizing vessel and a supercritical fluid cyclonic separator. The supercritical fluid chiller allows for efficient and consistent pumping of liquid-phase gases employing off-the-shelf HPLC pumps. The pressure equalizing vessel allows the use of off-the-shelf HPLC column cartridges. The system may further incorporate the use of one or more disposable cartridges containing silica gel or other suitable medium. The system may also utilize an open loop cooling circuit using fluids with a positive Joule-Thomson coefficient.

The invention relates to a cyclone (10) for mechanical separation of particles in suspension in a gas, in particular intended for a fluid catalytic cracking unit, said cyclone comprising the following elements:

a separation chamber (101),

an inlet duct (102) that opens into the chamber (101),

a gas outlet duct (103) located in the upper portion of the chamber (101) and

a particle outlet duct (104) located in the lower portion of the chamber (101), characterized in that each element of the cyclone is made of a ceramic material.

The invention also relates to a fluid catalytic cracking unit equipped with at least one cyclone made of ceramic material.

The invention relates to a cyclone (10) for mechanical separation of particles in suspension in a gas, in particular intended for a fluid catalytic cracking unit, said cyclone comprising the following elements:

a separation chamber (101),

an inlet duct (102) that opens into the chamber (101),

a gas outlet duct (103) located in the upper portion of the chamber (101) and

a particle outlet duct (104) located in the lower portion of the chamber (101), characterized in that each element of the cyclone is made of a ceramic material.

The invention also relates to a fluid catalytic cracking unit equipped with at least one cyclone made of ceramic material.

A wear-levelling apparatus (124) for a cyclone (100) includes: an upper section (128) defining an upper portion of a frusto-conical channel configured to receive material for delivery to a lower portion of the channel; a bearing assembly connected to the upper section; and a lower section (132) coupled to the upper section by the bearing assembly to permit rotation of the lower section about an axis of the channel; the lower section defining a lower portion of the channel configured to receive the material from the upper portion for discharge toward an outlet (120) of the cyclone.

A wear-levelling apparatus (124) for a cyclone (100) includes: an upper section (128) defining an upper portion of a frusto-conical channel configured to receive material for delivery to a lower portion of the channel; a bearing assembly connected to the upper section; and a lower section (132) coupled to the upper section by the bearing assembly to permit rotation of the lower section about an axis of the channel; the lower section defining a lower portion of the channel configured to receive the material from the upper portion for discharge toward an outlet (120) of the cyclone.

An improved modular hydrocyclone and method of operating for centrifugal cleaning fluid wherein the hydrocyclone has a plurality of inserts each of different sizes and configurations for selectively and interchangeably inserting into the modular body thereby adjusting capacity and cleaning efficiency of the hydrocyclone without changing out the body. One or more embodiments relate to systems and methods for utilizing a hydrocyclone system with interchangeble components.

An improved modular hydrocyclone and method of operating for centrifugal cleaning fluid wherein the hydrocyclone has a plurality of inserts each of different sizes and configurations for selectively and interchangeably inserting into the modular body thereby adjusting capacity and cleaning efficiency of the hydrocyclone without changing out the body. One or more embodiments relate to systems and methods for utilizing a hydrocyclone system with interchangeble components.

Provided is a chiller and system that may be utilized in a supercritical fluid chromatography method, wherein a non-polar solvent may replace a portion or all of a polar solvent for the purpose of separating or extracting desired sample molecules from a combined sample/solvent stream. The system may reduce the amount of polar solvent necessary for chromatographic separation and/or extraction of desired samples. The system may incorporate a supercritical fluid chiller, a supercritical fluid pressure-equalizing vessel and a supercritical fluid cyclonic separator. The supercritical fluid chiller allows for efficient and consistent pumping of liquid-phase gases employing off-the-shelf HPLC pumps. The pressure equalizing vessel allows the use of off-the-shelf HPLC column cartridges. The system may further incorporate the use of one or more disposable cartridges containing silica gel or other suitable medium. The system may also utilize an open loop cooling circuit using fluids with a positive Joule-Thompson coefficient.

Provided is a chiller and system that may be utilized in a supercritical fluid chromatography method, wherein a non-polar solvent may replace a portion or all of a polar solvent for the purpose of separating or extracting desired sample molecules from a combined sample/solvent stream. The system may reduce the amount of polar solvent necessary for chromatographic separation and/or extraction of desired samples. The system may incorporate a supercritical fluid chiller, a supercritical fluid pressure-equalizing vessel and a supercritical fluid cyclonic separator. The supercritical fluid chiller allows for efficient and consistent pumping of liquid-phase gases employing off-the-shelf HPLC pumps. The pressure equalizing vessel allows the use of off-the-shelf HPLC column cartridges. The system may further incorporate the use of one or more disposable cartridges containing silica gel or other suitable medium. The system may also utilize an open loop cooling circuit using fluids with a positive Joule-Thompson coefficient.

An improved modular hydrocyclone and method of operating for centrifugal cleaning fluid wherein the hydrocyclone has a plurality of inserts each of different sizes and configurations for selectively and interchangeably inserting into the modular body thereby adjusting capacity and cleaning efficiency of the hydrocyclone without changing out the body. One or more embodiments relate to systems and methods for utilizing a hydrocyclone system with interchangeable components.