Apparatus for separating a granular material from a conveying air stream

Abstract

An apparatus for separating a granular material from a conveying air stream (5) comprising a deflecting surface (2) for the laden conveying air stream (5) against which flow may take place substantially tangentially is described. In order to allow advantageous separation conditions, it is proposed that the deflecting surface (2) adjoins a guiding surface (3) curved in the opposite direction in the flow direction for a largely laminar flow separation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for separation of grain from a conveying air stream, the apparatus being for a plot combine harvester and comprising: a separator housing having an inlet, the inlet being configured to receive the conveying air stream laden with grain, a deflecting surface for the conveying air stream laden with the grain, the deflecting surface being disposed in and connected to the separator housing, the deflecting surface facing the inlet such that flow of the conveying air stream takes place substantially tangentially against the deflecting surface and such that the deflecting surface provides an initial deflection of the conveying air stream inside the separator housing; a guiding surface disposed in the separator housing and adjoining and directly connected to the deflecting surface, the guiding surface being curved in an opposite direction in a flow direction from the deflecting surface for a largely laminar flow separation, the guiding surface following the deflecting surface in the flow direction of the conveying air stream; and a discharge opening connected to the separator housing and arranged below the deflecting surface; wherein the deflecting surface is curved downwards in the flow direction; wherein the separation of the grain takes place when the conveying air stream is deflected laminarly in the opposite direction from the downwardly curved deflecting surface and the grain falls downward to the discharge opening; wherein the deflecting surface and the guiding surface form a cover of the separator housing; and wherein the separator housing has an air outlet opening following the guiding surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The drawing shows the subject matter of the invention as an example and specifically an apparatus according to the invention for separating a granular material from a conveying air stream is shown in a schematic longitudinal section.

(2) The apparatus according to the depicted exemplary embodiment has a separator housing I which forms a cover comprising a downwardly curved deflecting surface 2 and an adjoining oppositely curved guiding surface 3. The deflecting surface 2 is acted upon tangentially via a nozzle-like inlet 4 by a conveying air stream 5 laden with a granular material, which after separation of the granular material, flows out from the separator housing 1 via an air outlet opening 6 on the side opposite the inlet 4.

(3) The seed grains are accelerated along the deflecting surface 2 by the conveying air stream 5 in the direction of deflection and receive a momentum which is sufficient to be separated from the conveying air stream 5 when this conveying air stream 5 is deflected laminarly in the opposite direction to the deflecting surface 2. The unladen conveying air stream deflected along the oppositely curved guiding surface 3 is designated by 7. The separated granular material drops according to the dash-dot arrow 6 into the separator housing 1 and is removed from the separator housing 1 via a bottom opening 9.

(4) Since the grain guidance directly following the oppositely directed deflection of the unladen conveying air stream 7 along the guiding surface 3 cannot have any influence on the separation effect, the shape of the separator housing I plays no part in this region and can be adapted to the respective requirements where comparatively small installation heights can be implemented for the separator housing I. The definitive installation height is essentially determined by the deflecting surface 2 and the adjoining guiding surface 3.