Patent ID: 11969671
Assignee: nan
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A method for separating first particles from second particles along a flow circuit, the method comprising:
introducing the first and second particles and a gas into the flow circuit at a velocity sufficient to form Dean vortices, the first particles having a different density from the second particles;
moving the first and second particles through a first channel portion of the flow circuit that is oriented so that flow through the first channel portion has a first vector component in the direction of gravity, the first channel portion having a first area; and
moving the first and second particles through a second channel portion of the flow circuit that is oriented so that a flow through the second channel portion has a second vector component opposite to the direction of gravity, the second channel portion having a second area that is larger than the first area,
wherein Dean vortices are simultaneously present in the first channel portion and the second channel portion.