Patent ID: 9409189
Filing Date: 2016-08-09
CPC Classification: B01D,B04C

Claim Text:
1. A modular cyclonic separator comprising: a plurality of separating tubes, each of which includes an outer tube body having an inlet end and an outlet, said outer tube body defining a separating chamber therein that is in spatial communication with said inlet end and outlet end, and an air-guiding impeller coaxially fixed in said inlet end of said outer tube body, and formed with an axial hole and a plurality of spiral channels that are disposed around said axial hole for causing an airflow, which flows radially into said separating chamber through said spiral channels, to follow a cyclonic flow pattern through said separating chamber and around a central axis of said outer tube body, such that some of solid impurities are separated from the airflow within said separating chamber; and a plurality of three-port valves, each of which has a first port and a second port, said second port substantially of equal size to said first port and a third port, said plurality of three-port valves being configured with a first fluid passage in fluid communication with said first and third ports, and a second fluid passage in fluid communication with said second and third ports; wherein each of said separating tubes is capable of connecting selectively with one of said three-port valves to form a first filtration module, in which said inlet end is connected detachably to said third port of said one of said three-port valves, or with two of said three-port valves to form a second filtration module, in which said inlet and outlet ends are connected detachably and respectively to each third port of said two of said three-port valves; wherein said first filtration module, the airflow passes through said first fluid passage in said one of said three-port valves prior to entering said separating tube, the airflow in a separating tube of said plurality of separating tubes flowing out of said first filtration module through said second fluid passage in one of said three-port valves, the solid impurities separated from the airflow being able to be discharged out of said first filtration module through said outlet end of said outer tube body; wherein said second filtration module, the airflow passes through said first fluid passage in one of two of said three-port valves that connects said inlet end prior to entering said separating tube, the airflow in said separating chamber flowing out of said second filtration module through said second fluid passage in said two of said three-port valves, the solid impurities separated from the airflow being able to be discharged out of said second filtration module through said first fluid passage and said first port of the other one of said two of said three-port valves; and wherein each of said three-port valves includes a T-shaped valve body that has said first port, said second port and said third port, said T-shaped valve body being formed integrally with an internal partitioning tube body for partitioning an interior of said T-shaped valve body into said first fluid passage and said second fluid passage, said internal partitioning tube body of each of said three-port valves extending coaxially toward said third port in a manner that said third port is partitioned by said internal partitioning tube body into a central portion, which is in fluid communication with said second fluid passage, and a peripheral portion, which surrounds said central portion and is in fluid communication with said first fluid passage.