Designs are provided to reduce the possibility of contaminant particles with a large range of sizes, materials, travel speeds and angles of incidence reaching a particle-sensitive environment. According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an object stage comprising first and second chambers, a first structure having a first surface, and a second structure. The second structure is configured to support an object in the second chamber, movable relative to the first structure. The second structure comprises a second surface opposing the first surface of the first structure thereby defining a gap between the first structure and the second structure that extends between the first chamber and the second chamber. The second structure further comprises a third surface within the first chamber. The object stage further comprises a trap disposed on at least a portion of the third surface, the trap comprising a plurality of baffles.

A filling nozzle of a fuel tank including a receiving pipe and a liquid-vapor separator, includes a hollow body communicating with an intake pipe for a stream of vapors from the fuel tank, an emptying pipe flowing into the receiving pipe, and a vapor outlet pipe. The hollow body includes a separation mechanism extracting droplets and including at least one wall movable between first and second configurations. In the first configuration the movable wall forms, together with walls of the hollow body, a maze in which stream of vapors passing from the intake pipe towards the outlet pipe is forced to circulate. In the second configuration the movable wall allows the stream of vapors to pass from the intake pipe to the outlet pipe following a path that avoids all or part of the path travelled by the vapors when the movable walls are in the first configuration.

A filling nozzle of a fuel tank including a receiving pipe and a liquid-vapor separator, includes a hollow body communicating with an intake pipe for a stream of vapors from the fuel tank, an emptying pipe flowing into the receiving pipe, and a vapor outlet pipe. The hollow body includes a separation mechanism extracting droplets and including at least one wall movable between first and second configurations. In the first configuration the movable wall forms, together with walls of the hollow body, a maze in which stream of vapors passing from the intake pipe towards the outlet pipe is forced to circulate. In the second configuration the movable wall allows the stream of vapors to pass from the intake pipe to the outlet pipe following a path that avoids all or part of the path travelled by the vapors when the movable walls are in the first configuration.

A filter assembly includes a first screen, defining a first flow passageway, a second screen, defining a second flow passageway, and a third screen defining a third flow passageway. The second screen is positioned between the first screen and the third screen. The first flow passageway is aligned with the third flow passageway and the second flow passageway is offset from the first flow passageway and the third flow passageway.

A filter assembly includes a first screen, defining a first flow passageway, a second screen, defining a second flow passageway, and a third screen defining a third flow passageway. The second screen is positioned between the first screen and the third screen. The first flow passageway is aligned with the third flow passageway and the second flow passageway is offset from the first flow passageway and the third flow passageway.

A holding device for filter elements of a filter module for separating overspray from booth air of a coating installation, in particular painting installations, which booth air is laden with overspray, the filter module having a filter housing, which bounds a filter chamber, through which booth air laden with overspray can be conducted in a main flow direction, a plurality of filter elements made of a filter material permeable to the booth air being arranged in the filter chamber in such a way that a flow labyrinth is formed between the filter elements, the holding device being designed to hold one or more filter elements and to position said one or more filter elements within the filter module, the holding device extending along a longitudinal axis, which is arranged transversely to the main flow direction, the holding device having a grate structure that forms the outer contour, and the one or more filter elements being holdable by means of the grate-type outer contour and thus being positionable relative to the outer contour in a stationary manner.

A particle separator is provided with a passage with a plurality of baffles arranged extending from a top plate through a bottom surface; the baffles spaced to define a sinuous flow path therebetween from an inlet side to an outlet side. Each of the baffles provided with a cavity area open to the inlet side, the cavity area extending longitudinally along the baffles and through the bottom surface; the baffles provided in rows, successive rows offset horizontally to align an interval between the baffles in each of the rows with the cavity of the baffles of the next row. The baffles retractable out of the passage, through the top plate.

Microfluidic devices to efficiently remove particulate matter (PM) in air are provided, as are methods of fabricating and using the same. A device can include a channel having a structure configured to generate chaotic advective flow in air within the channel. The channel structure can include a plurality of SHMs disposed within the channel, where each SHM comprises a plurality of grooves each having a width of 200 m or less and a spacing between each groove of 200 m or less. The plurality of SHMs can be configured to introduce microvortices in air flow within the channel.

A gas-liquid separator includes: a housing including a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a water storage section at a lower side of the gas inlet and the gas outlet; a collision wall provided inside the housing to collide with a gas that contains water introduced from the gas inlet to separate the water from the gas by adhering the water thereto while changing a flow direction of the gas; and a downflow wall provided inside the housing to introduce the water falling from the collision wall into the water storage section and change the flow direction of the gas.

A gas-liquid separator includes: a housing including a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a water storage section at a lower side of the gas inlet and the gas outlet; a collision wall provided inside the housing to collide with a gas that contains water introduced from the gas inlet to separate the water from the gas by adhering the water thereto while changing a flow direction of the gas; and a downflow wall provided inside the housing to introduce the water falling from the collision wall into the water storage section and change the flow direction of the gas.