Detonation flame arrestor including a transition point/attenuation matrix and torturous path media

Abstract

A detonation flame arrestor including an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder, transition point/attenuation matrix and tortuous path media. The inner cylinder is secured to a canister flange and positioned inside the outer cylinder secured to the canister flange, altogether forming a canister. The torturous path media is positioned in the canister between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder to to provide turbulence and a large surface area which acts as a heat sink to extinguish a flame. Both the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder include a transition point/attenuation matrix which forms their respective cylindrical circumferences. Helical or parallel wire or rings create the transition point/attenuation matrix which attenuates and creates turbulence as the first stage of quenching a flame front.

1 . A detonation flame arrestor canister supported within an external housing, comprising:
 an inner cylinder including a first end, a second end, an outer circumference, and an outer diameter;   said first end of said inner cylinder is supported from said external housing;   an outer cylinder including a first end, a second end, an outer circumference, and an inner diameter;   said inner diameter of said outer cylinder being larger than said outer diameter of said inner cylinder such that a space is formed between said inner cylinder and said outer cylinder when said outer cylinder is placed over said inner cylinder;   said first end of said outer cylinder is supported from the external housing;   at least a portion of said outer circumference of said outer cylinder being defined by a transition point/attenuation matrix;   at least a portion of said outer circumference of said inner cylinder being perforated to allow a gas to pass through said perforated portion;   a torturous path media disposed in said space between said inner cylinder and said outer cylinder.   
     
     
         2 . The canister of  claim 1  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said outer cylinder is wedge shaped wire. 
     
     
         3 . The canister of  claim 2  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said outer cylinder is helical wedge shaped wire. 
     
     
         4 . The canister of  claim 2  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said outer cylinder is parallel wedge shaped wire. 
     
     
         5 . The canister of  claim 1  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said outer cylinder is ring wire. 
     
     
         6 . The canister of  claim 5  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said outer cylinder is helical ring wire. 
     
     
         7 . The canister of  claim 5  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said outer cylinder is parallel ring wire. 
     
     
         8 . The canister of  claim 1  wherein said perforated portion of said inner cylinder is defined by a transition point/attenuation matrix. 
     
     
         9 . The canister of  claim 8  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said inner cylinder is wedge shaped wire. 
     
     
         10 . The canister of  claim 9  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said inner cylinder is helical wedge shaped wire. 
     
     
         11 . The canister of  claim 9  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said inner cylinder is parallel wedge shaped wire. 
     
     
         12 . The canister of  claim 8  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said inner cylinder is ring wire. 
     
     
         13 . The canister of  claim 12  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said inner cylinder is helical ring wire. 
     
     
         14 . The canister of  claim 12  wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said inner cylinder is parallel ring wire. 
     
     
         15 . The canister of  claim 1  used in association with a gas having a known MESG wherein said transition point/attenuation matrix of said outer cylinder is comprised of coiled adjacent windings of wedge or ring wire such that the gap between said coiled adjacent windings of wedge wire is sized so as to increase velocity and decrease pressure of the shock wave in association with the known MESG of said gas. 
     
     
         16 . The canister of  claim 1  wherein said torturous path media is rolled expanded metal. 
     
     
         17 . The canister of  claim 1  wherein said torturous path media is a plurality of stacked cones. 
     
     
         18 . The canister of  claim 1  wherein said torturous path media is tightly and fully filling said space between said inner cylinder and said outer cylinder. 
     
     
         19 . A detonation flame arrestor canister supported within an external housing, comprising:
 a canister flange supported within the external housing;   an inner cylinder including a first end, a second end, an outer circumference, and an outer diameter;   said first end of said inner cylinder is supported from said canister flange;   said second end of said canister flange is sealed;   an outer cylinder including a first end, a second end, an outer circumference, and an inner diameter;   said inner diameter of said outer cylinder being larger than said outer diameter of said inner cylinder such that a space is formed between said inner cylinder and said outer cylinder when said outer cylinder is placed over said inner cylinder;   said first end of said outer cylinder is supported from said canister flange;   at least a portion of said outer circumference of said outer cylinder being defined by a helical wedge shaped wire screen;   at least a portion of said outer circumference of said inner cylinder being defined by a helical wedge shaped wire screen;   a rolled expanded metal or stacked cone media contained in said space formed between said inner cylinder and said outer cylinder.   
     
     
         20 . The canister of  claim 19  used in association with gas having a known MESG wherein said helical wedge shaped wire screen of at least said outer cylinder is comprised of coiled adjacent windings of wedge shaped wire such that the gap between said coiled adjacent windings of wedge shaped wire is sized so as to coincide with said known MESG. 
     
     
         21 . A detonation flame arrestor, comprising:
 an external housing;   said external housing including an inlet and an outlet each having concentric longitudinal axes;   a canister supported in said external housing, said canister comprising:   a) an inner cylinder including an outer circumference and an outer diameter;   b) said inner cylinder supported from said external housing;   c) an outer cylinder including an outer circumference and an inner diameter;   d) said inner diameter of said outer cylinder being larger than said outer diameter of said inner cylinder such that a space is formed between said inner cylinder and said outer cylinder when said outer cylinder is placed over said inner cylinder;   e) said outer cylinder supported from the external housing;   f) at least a portion of said outer circumference of said outer cylinder being defined by a transition point/attenuation matrix;   g) at least a portion of said outer circumference of said inner cylinder being defined by a transition point/attenuation matrix;   h) a torturous path media disposed in said space between said inner cylinder and said outer cylinder,   wherein said canister includes a longitudinal axis which is offset from said longitudinal axes of said inlet and said outlet of said external housing.   
     
     
         22 . The detonation flame arrestor of  claim 21  wherein said longitudinal axis of said canister is transverse to said longitudinal axes of said inlet and said outlet of said external housing. 
     
     
         23 . The detonation flame arrestor of  claim 22  wherein said external housing includes at least one removable port to access said canister. 
     
     
         24 . The detonation flame arrestor of  claim 23  wherein said canister includes a top end and a bottom end and said external housing includes an access port adjacent said top end and said bottom end of said canister.