APPARATUS USING AN AIR FAN TO SEPARATE SOLIDS SUSPENDED IN A FLUID MEDIUM

Abstract

An apparatus adapted to separate solids suspended in a fluid medium, includes a cylindrical container adapted to contain the fluid medium, an air movement fan operatively connected to the container, the fan being positioned to direct a flow or flows of air onto the surface of the fluid medium at a tangent to the axis of the container, thereby to generate a swirling movement of the fluid around the axis, whereby the solids congregate around the axis from the fluid medium.

Claims

1. An apparatus to separate solids suspended in a fluid medium, comprising a cylindrical container to contain the fluid medium, air movement fan operatively connected and positioned to the container to generate a flow or flows of air across the surface of the fluid medium at a tangent to an axis of the container, wherein a swirling movement of the fluid around the axis is generated and the suspended solids are congregated around the axis from the fluid medium.

2. The apparatus according to claim h wherein the air movement fan is an axial fan having an axis of rotation co-axial with the axis of the container.

3. The apparatus according to claim wherein the air movement fan creates the air flow or flows impinging on the surface of the liquid from in a tangential direction.

4. The apparatus according to claim wherein the air movement fan further comprising a cover for the container.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprising an air guide arrangement to direct the air flow or flows onto the fluid medium in a predetermined direction.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the air guide arrangement is a plurality of air inlet openings disposed to the cover at or adjacent to the periphery thereof to enable air to be drawn into the container.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container comprising has a fluid medium outlet for maintaining the level of the fluid medium surface at a predetermined level.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprising a well or recess to aid the conglomeration and removal of the solids suspended in a fluid medium.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a container for a liquid medium with a cover incorporating a fan,

[0013] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the underside of the cover,

[0014] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the underside of the cover, and

[0015] FIG. 4 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 1 illustrating the airflow through the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a generally cylindrical container (1) having an open top (3) which is adapted to receive a fluid or liquid medium such as water in which solids are suspended. The container (1) has an outlet (2) which serves to maintain the liquid in the container (1) at a predetermined level. The fluid medium may be poured into the open top (3) of the container (1), but preferably has an inlet pipe (8) entering the side of the container. The inlet pipe (8) may incorporate a shut off valve, which may be responsive to the height of the fluid medium in the container (1), to control the ingress of fluid medium

[0017] The open top (3) of the container (1) is closed by a cover (4) which is secured to the container (1) by means of a twist lock mechanism (5) to close the container (1). The cover (4) incorporates an axial fan (6) which is rotatably mounted so as to be rotatable about the axis (7) of the container (1) to draw an air flow through the container (1). The cover (4) has a plurality of air inlet openings (9) disposed equidistantly about the cover (4) at or adjacent to the periphery thereof.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4, the fan (6) creates an air flow or flows by drawing air into the container (1) through the openings (9) extracting air from the container (1) to create a spiral flow of air passing across the surface of the liquid in the container (1) on a generally tangential path. The air flow or flows impinge on the surface of the liquid from in a generally tangential direction. The air flow thus causes the liquid to swirl about the axis (7) of the container (1). By and generating the air flow in this manner, the maximum effect of the air flow on the liquid is achieved.

[0019] As the liquid swirls around the container (1) in a circular direction the suspended solids gradually are moved towards the axial centre of the container (1) to congregate about the axis (7) where they sink slowly down to the bottom of the container (1). As shown, the bottom of the container (1) has a well or recess (10) to aid the conglomeration of the solids.

[0020] Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown a plan view of the underside of the cover (4) showing the twist lock fasteners (5) and the centrally located fan (6). There are a plurality of air openings disposed equidistantly about the container (1) at or towards the periphery of the cover (4) which serve to enable air to be drawn into the container (1) by the fan (6). The plurality of the openings provided serve to allow the air to be drawn uniformly from around the lid to try to minimise any localised pressure differences in the container (1).

[0021] In the particular embodiment described, the fans' (6) revolutionary speed is 1800 rpm and the diameter of the fan (6) blades is 80 mm. In another embodiment the fan (6) diameter is 120 mm and is designed to rotate at 800 rpm The diameter of the container (1) is typically 20 cm and its height is 5 cm. The water level within the container (1) is maintained at approximately 9-10 mm and the fan (6) blades are located 1.5 cm above the water surface. Many different sizes of container (1) may be provided with appropriate size fans (6) depending upon the nature of the fluid medium and the solid matter is to be separated out. Although the embodiments described are not large, it is possible for the apparatus to be scaled up to many times the size disclosed.

[0022] Although not shown, it is possible for the apparatus to have means to automatically withdraw the agglomerated solids from the central well (10) in the container (1) and also to provide means to ensure a continual supply of fluid medium to the container (1) to provide a continuous removal of solids from the liquid medium.