Vortex pneumatic conveyance system and apparatus

Abstract

A vortex pneumatic conveyance apparatus and system creates a vortex from blown and/or pressurized gas or air rotating along the inner wall of an outlet tube to convey particles through a vacuum created within the center of the outlet tube at a relatively high flow rate and pressure. Without the blown and/or pressurized air molecules taking up space and colliding with the particles in the center of the outlet tube and because of the strong suction created by the vortex of air rotating along the inner wall of the outlet tube, the efficiency of the vortex pneumatic conveyance apparatus of this application is improved relative to well-known pneumatic conveyors in which air merely pushes the particles within an outlet tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vortex pneumatic apparatus comprising:
 an inlet tube having an inlet at a proximal end thereof;   at least one outside inlet connected to said inlet tube, said at least one outside inlet configured to receive gases from an outside source;   a vortex member, said vortex member disposed at the distal end of said inlet tube, said vortex member comprising at least two spiral members thereon along the outside wall thereof, said vortex member configured to direct gases to and through said spiral members; and   an outlet tube, a proximal end of said outlet tube connected to said inlet tube at the distal end thereof, and covering said vortex member, whereby in operation said vortex member causes said gases passing through said spiral members to rotate along the inner wall of said outlet tube,   wherein the distal end of said outlet tube extends past said vortex member in a consistent direction without obstruction at least 40% of the pitch length of the gases rotating along the inner wall of said outlet tube, and   wherein, in operation, particles enter said inlet tube at said proximal end thereof and exit said distal end of said outlet tube.   
     
     
         2 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said gases are air. 
     
     
         3 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said air is pressurized and coming from an air compressor or blower. 
     
     
         4 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gases received at said outside inlet are pressurized gases from a pressurized source. 
     
     
         5 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of said outlet tube is equal to the outer diameter of said vortex member and the height of said at least two spiral members. 
     
     
         6 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the height of said at least two spiral members of said vortex member is at most 50% of the inner diameter of said inlet tube. 
     
     
         7 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the height of said at least two spiral members of said vortex member is at most 30% of the inner diameter of said inlet tube. 
     
     
         8 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet tube further comprises:
 a cover tube, said cover tube having a diameter larger than said inlet tube and configured around said inlet tube, said at least one outside inlet being connected to said cover tube;   a flange, said flange closing a proximal end of said cover tube; and   a tapered cap affixed to the distal end of and closing said cover tube, said tapered cap configured to direct the gases from said at least one outside inlet to said at least two spiral members located along the outside wall of said vortex member.   
     
     
         9 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said inlet tube, outlet tube, cover tube, flange and tapered cap are connected to each other by an affixation selected from the group consisting of adhesive, welding, screws, nuts, clamps and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of said outlet tube is consistent along the entire length of said outlet tube without a bend, curve or obstruction therealong. 
     
     
         11 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said vortex member comprises at least four spiral members located along the outside wall thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two spiral members located on the outside wall of said vortex member extend along the entire length of said vortex member. 
     
     
         13 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said vortex member is integral to said inlet tube. 
     
     
         14 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said vortex member is separate from and connected to said inlet tube. 
     
     
         15 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the velocity of the gas received at said outside inlet and delivered to said inlet tube is at least two meters per second. 
     
     
         16 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of materials received at said inlet tube is greater than the temperature of the materials exiting said outlet tube. 
     
     
         17 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein particles to be conveyed through said apparatus comprise gas particles, liquid particles, solid particles, dense particles, sand, gravel, pebbles, pellets, grains, sludge, and/or slurry. 
     
     
         18 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said vortex pneumatic apparatus is configured to be used in dust collectors, sand blasters, water pumps, sludge pumps, vortex tubes, industrial vacuum cleaners, domestic vacuum cleaners, vacuum trucks, paint sprayers, or spraying devices. 
     
     
         19 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said vortex member rotates. 
     
     
         20 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said vortex pneumatic apparatus is made of a resilient material, said resilient material selected from the group consisting of iron, aluminum, metal alloys, steel, plastic, fiberglass, wood and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said gases are selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, helium, argon, water, steam and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The vortex pneumatic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two spiral members are grooves within said vortex member, the outer diameter of said vortex member being substantially equal to the inner diameter of said outlet tube. 
     
     
         23 . A particle conveyance system, comprising:
 a particle source;   at least one vortex pneumatic apparatus configured to receive particles from said particle source, each said vortex pneumatic conveyance apparatus comprising:
 an inlet tube having an inlet at a proximal end thereof to receive said particles; 
 at least one outside inlet connected to said inlet tube, said at least one outside inlet configured to receive gases from an outside source; 
 a vortex member, said vortex member disposed at the distal end of said inlet tube, said vortex member comprising at least two spiral members thereon along the outside wall thereof, said vortex member configured to direct gases to and through said spiral members; and 
 an outlet tube, a proximal end of said outlet tube connected to said inlet tube at the distal end thereof, and covering said vortex member, whereby in operation said vortex member causes said gases passing through said spiral members to rotate along the inner wall of said outlet tube, a distal end of said outlet tube ejecting said particles, 
 wherein the distal end of said outlet tube extends past said vortex member in a consistent direction without obstruction at least 40% of the pitch length of the gases rotating along the inner wall of said outlet tube; and 
   a particle collection area configured to receive said particles conveyed from said particle source by said at least one vortex pneumatic apparatus.   
     
     
         24 . The particle conveyance system of  claim 23 , wherein a plurality of said vortex pneumatic apparatus are configured to receive said particles from said particle source, at least two of said vortex pneumatic conveyance apparatuses being connected in series. 
     
     
         25 . The particle conveyance system of  claim 23 , wherein a plurality of said vortex pneumatic apparatus are configured to receive said particles from said particle source, at least two of said vortex pneumatic conveyance apparatuses being connected in parallel. 
     
     
         26 . The particle conveyance system of  claim 23 , wherein the particle collection area further comprises at least one water spray nozzle configured to settle the particles from the particle source at the bottom of said particle collection area.