SPARK ARRESTOR

Abstract

The present invention is a spark arrestor and method of using. The spark arrestor has a first chamber defined by an outer housing. The outer housing has an intake and an exhaust. The first chamber has an internal second chamber. An internal housing defines the second chamber. The internal housing has an inlet and an outlet. The internal housing inlet has a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the first airflow path and the outlet is in operative communication with the exhaust. The outer housing and the internal housing are spaced apart to create a first airflow path. The internal housing creates a second airflow path in said second chamber. The intake pulls air with entrained particulates into the first airflow path and then it enters the inlets and flows about the second airflow path with any entrained particulates engaging the outer and internal housing.

Claims

1. A spark arrestor comprising: a first chamber defined by an outer housing; said outer housing having an intake and an exhaust; a second chamber positioned internally of said first chamber, said second chamber defined by an internal housing; said internal housing having an inlet and an outlet; said internal housing inlet is defined by at least one opening, said outlet is in operative communication with said exhaust; said outer housing and said internal housing are spaced apart to create a first airflow path; said internal housing creating a second airflow path in said second chamber; said inlet in said internal housing is in fluid communication with said first airflow path; whereby air with entrained particulates is pulled into said intake and flows about said first airflow path with particulate engaging said outer housing, said air then enters said inlet and flows about said second airflow path with any entrained particulates engaging said second housing and being pulled out of said exhaust.

2. The spark arrestor of claim 1, wherein said outer housing is generally cylindrical.

3. The spark arrestor of claim 1, wherein said intake is an elongated opening.

4. The spark arrestor of claim 1, wherein said internal housing is generally cylindrical.

5. The spark arrestor of claim 1, wherein said inlet is defined by a plurality of spaced openings.

6. The spark arrestor of claim 5, wherein said spaced openings are spaced slots.

7. The spark arrestor of claim 6, wherein said internal housing is generally cylindrical and said spaced slots extend longitudinally along said housing.

8. The spark arrestor of claim 7, wherein said slots have a center portion extending to opposed ends, said center portion being wider than said opposed ends, said center portion narrowing to said opposed ends.

9. The spark arrestor of claim 1, wherein said intake is partially closed by a plate to partially restrict said opening; said plate being spaced from the opening of said intake; whereby air entering said intake is accelerated at said plate.

10. The spark arrestor of claim 1, wherein said inlet is spaced from said intake by about 270.

11. An air filter system comprising: a filter unit with filter media; a spark arrestor, said spark arrestor having a first chamber defined by an outer housing; said outer housing having an intake and an exhaust; a second chamber positioned internally of said first chamber, said second chamber defined by an internal housing; said internal housing having an inlet and an outlet; said internal housing inlet is defined by a plurality of openings, said outlet is in operative communication with said exhaust; said outer housing and said internal housing are spaced apart to create a first airflow path; said internal housing creating a second airflow path in said second chamber; said inlet in said internal housing is in fluid communication with said first airflow path; said exhaust being in fluid communication with said filter unit; whereby air with entrained particulates is pulled into said intake and flows about said first airflow path with particulate engaging said outer housing, said air then enters said inlet and flows about said second airflow path with any entrained particulates engaging said second housing and being pulled out of said exhaust and into said filter unit.

12. The air filter system of claim 11, wherein said outer housing is generally cylindrical.

13. The air filter system of claim 11, wherein said intake is an elongated opening.

14. The air filter system of claim 11, wherein said internal housing is generally cylindrical.

15. The air filter system of claim 11, wherein said inlet is defined by a plurality of spaced slots.

16. The air filter system of claim 15, wherein said internal housing is generally cylindrical and said spaced slots extend longitudinally along said housing.

17. The air filter system of claim 16, wherein said slots have a center portion extending to opposed ends, said center portion being wider than said opposed ends, said center portion narrowing to said opposed ends.

18. The air filter system of claim 10, wherein said intake is partially closed by a plate to partially restrict said opening; said plate being spaced from the opening of said intake; whereby air entering said intake is accelerated at said plate.

19. The air filter system of claim 10, wherein said inlet is spaced from said intake by about 270.

20. A method for filtering air with entrained particulates, said method comprising: providing a filter unit with filter media; said filter unit having a blower and fan; providing a spark arrestor, said spark arrestor having a first chamber defined by an outer housing, said outer housing having an intake and an exhaust; a second chamber positioned internally of said first chamber, said second chamber defined by an internal housing, said internal housing having an inlet and an outlet, said internal housing inlet is defined by a at least one opening, said outlet is in operative communication with said exhaust, said outer housing and said internal housing are spaced apart to create a first airflow path; said internal housing creating a second airflow path in said second chamber; said inlet in said internal housing is in fluid communication with said first airflow path; said exhaust being in fluid communication with said filter unit; said blower and fan pulling air with entrained particulates into said intake, forcing said air with entrained particulates into said first airflow path, said particulates colliding with said outer housing, said air with entrained particulates then being pulled into said inlet and forced about said second airflow path with entrained particulates being forced into said internal housing; pulling said air through said exhaust into said filter unit.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said air with entrained particulates is pulled into said outer housing and forced in a generally cylindrical airflow path in said first airflow path.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said air with entrained particulates is pulled into said internal housing and forced in a generally cylindrical airflow path in said second airflow path.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the air is pulled at about 270 from said intake before encountering said inlet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an air filter system with the spark arrestor of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the spark arrestor if the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the spark arrestor of the present invention with the internal chamber shown in phantom.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the spark arrestor if the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] The spark arrester of the present invention is generally shown at 12. In FIG. 1, the spark arrester 12 is illustrated on a typical welding station 10. In the disclosed embodiment, the spark arrester 12 is mounted on top of the welding station 10 and connected to ducting 14 which is in turn connected to an air filter system 15, shown as a block diagram. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that any typical air filter will function with the disclosed system. As illustrated, a robotic welding unit 16 is located in welding station 10; however, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that other types of equipment could be mounted within the enclosure as well as other operations performed either by robots or humans.

[0020] In FIGS. 2 and 3, the spark arrester 12 is illustrated. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the spark arrester 12 is versatile and can be used in many operations that require drawing air with potential sparks, particularly in air filtration systems, such as weld stations, backdrafts, grinding centers, etc.

[0021] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the spark arrester 12 includes an outer housing 22 and internal chamber 26. A first path is defined between the housing 24 and the internal chamber 26. An inlet 24 is in operative communication with the first path. The internal chamber 26 defines a second path. The internal chamber 26 has at least one opening 28 disclosed as plurality of longitudinal extending slots 28 in fluid communication between the first and second paths. In the disclosed embodiment, there are three slots 28. The slots 28 are spaced from the opening 24 starting at about 270 (270 degrees) from the opening 24. A plate 30 closes one side of the internal chamber 26. The other side of the internal chamber 26 is operatively connected to the ducting 14, through an outlet 31.

[0022] In use, the ducting 14 is connected directly to an air filter system 15. Such systems are sold by the assignee of the present application, Robovent. The air filter system has a blower that creates a vacuum in the ducting 14 to draw air from the workstation or backdraft. Depending on the operation, this air can have sparks that can create a potential fire hazard if they reach the air filtering system. In order to extinguish the sparks, the air and entrained sparks are drawn into the spark arrestor through the inlet 24. The negative pressure or vacuum created by the air filtering system is connected directly to the internal chamber 26 which is in communication with the first path and outer housing 22 through the slots 28.

[0023] This vacuum pulls the air with the entrained sparks and other particulate into the inlet 24 along the first path resulting in the sparks and other entrained material colliding with the inside surface 32 of the outer housing 22. The collision of the sparks with the inside surface 32 of the outer housing 22 lowers the energy of the sparks and results in their cooling as they are pulled through the first path. A plate 25 extends across and partially closes opening 24. The air entering the narrowed opening at plate 25 accelerates to force the air in the counterclockwise direction. This results in the air and the entrained particulate traversing at least three quarters of the housing 22 before encountering the slots 28. The heavier particulate entrained in the air engages the inner wall of the housing 22 and falls to the opening 24 and exits the spark arrestor 12.

[0024] As air is pulled through the slots 28 into the second path back to the air filter 15. Some of the cooled sparks and other entrained particulate are too large and are restricted from entering the slots 28 towards the center of the chamber due to their higher mass and centrifugal force keeping them closer to the walls of the outer housing 22. These particulates drop downwardly through the inlet 24 and exit the spark arrester 12 through the inlet. The only particulate that can enter the slots 28 are very small and are captured by the air filter 15. The air that is in the internal chamber 26 has a higher velocity and pulls any small particulate to the filter 15 to keep the internal chamber free of particulate. The small particulate engages the walls of the internal chamber 26 as they are pulled to the filter.

[0025] The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of legal protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.