Abstract:
An apparatus for effecting separation of particles from a mixture of particles and gas, the apparatus comprises: a housing that defines therethrough a channel; an inlet in said housing to admit the mixture of particles and gas into the channel; a deflector in the channel; and a gas outlet port substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the channel and downstream of the deflector; wherein the deflector is shaped to direct the particles past the gas outlet port. A method of separation is also disclosed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application relates to particle handling and, in particular, to an apparatus for separating particles, such as cereal grains, oil seeds and pulse crops, from a mixture of particles and gas. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    When commodities such as cereal grains, oil seeds and pulse crops are harvested, they are often stored in large storage bins, such as silos, to await transportation to market. Typically, the transportation is by truck. In order to transfer the particles or grains of the commodity from a silo, in which it is stored, into a truck, which will transport the grain to market, a grain vacuum may be used. 
         [0003]    An inlet end of the grain vacuum has a hose that is inserted into the silo. An outlet end of the grain vacuum is connected to a grain transport system, such as an auger. The vacuum is turned on to generate a vacuum to pull the grain from the silo into the hose. The operation of the vacuum causes both grain and air to be pulled into the hose and into the grain vacuum. It is desirable to send only the grain and not the air to the grain transport means. To do this, a separation of the air from the grain within the grain vacuum is required. 
         [0004]    One means of effecting the separation of the grain and air is to use a separator assembly with an inner surface shape that draws the air off in a direction perpendicular to the direction of flow of the mixture of grain and air. Such a separator, however, has significant manufacturing cost. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus for effecting separation of particles from a mixture of particles and gas, the apparatus comprising: a housing that defines therethrough a channel; an inlet in said housing to admit the mixture of particles and gas into the channel; a deflector in the channel; and a gas outlet port in the channel and downstream of the deflector; wherein the gas outlet port is open in an upstream direction and the deflector is shaped to direct the particles downstream in the channel past the gas outlet port. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments the apparatus further comprises a guide in the channel downstream of the deflector and the guide is shaped to direct the gas to the gas outlet port. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments the deflector is shaped to deflect the particles outwardly. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments the deflector gradually increases in diameter in the downstream direction. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments a longitudinal axis of the deflector extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the channel. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments the guide gradually decreases in diameter in the downstream direction. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments the deflector is suspended in the channel. 
         [0012]    In some embodiments the sides of the deflector are conical and define an angle of approximately 12° to 30° from the longitudinal axis of the channel. 
         [0013]    In some embodiments a longitudinal axis of the deflector and the gas outlet port are substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the channel. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments the gas outlet port comprises a tube projecting into the chamber. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments the gas outlet port is spaced about 5 to 7 inches from a downstream end of the deflector. 
         [0016]    In some embodiments the particles are cereal grain, oil seed or pulse crop particles. 
         [0017]    In some embodiments the apparatus further comprising a vacuum generator for drawing the combination of particles and gas into the channel and for drawing the gas out through the gas outlet port. 
         [0018]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for separating particles from a mixture of particles and gas comprising: drawing the mixture into a channel in a downstream direction; directing the flow of the particles downstream past a gas outlet in the channel, the gas outlet being open in an upstream direction; drawing the gas out through the gas outlet. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments the gas outlet is centrally located in the channel and directing the flow of particles comprises directing the flow of particles radially outwards. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments drawing the gas through the gas outlet comprises guiding the gas radially inwardly towards the gas outlet. 
         [0021]    A further aspect of the invention relates to a separator for use in the separation of particles from a mixture of particles and gas, the separator comprising: a deflector at a first end shaped to deflect the particles radially outwardly; and a guide at a second end shaped to guide the gas inwardly. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments the deflector increases in diameter in a direction from the first end to the second end. 
         [0023]    In some embodiments the guide decreases in diameter in a direction from the first end to the second end. 
         [0024]    In some embodiments the deflector and guide comprise a single component. 
         [0025]    A further aspect of the invention relates to a grain vacuum comprising a vacuum generator and the separator assembly described above. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a grain vacuum according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the grain vacuum of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the grain vacuum of  FIG. 2  taken along line AA; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of detail B from  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a structure for use with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of detail C from  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    This invention relates to an assembly for separating particles, such as particles of grain, from a combination of particles and gas. The gas may be air. The assembly can form part of a grain vacuum for transporting grain from a storage bin, such as a silo, to a transportation container, such as the back of a truck. 
         [0034]    The apparatus includes a channel into which the combination of particles and gas will be drawn from an inlet. A deflector is located in the channel. The apparatus includes a gas outlet port in the channel downstream from the deflector. The gas outlet port is open in an upstream direction. The deflector is shaped to direct the particles downstream past the gas outlet port. There may also be a guide located in the channel downstream of the deflector and upstream of the gas outlet port. If present, the guide is shaped to help to direct the gas to the gas outlet port. 
         [0035]    Turning to the figures in detail,  FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of an exemplary grain vacuum  10 . The grain vacuum  10 , of this example, has a body  12 , an inlet  14  at one end of the body and an outlet  16  at an opposite end. The grain vacuum  10  also includes a fan assembly  18  for generating a vacuum. 
         [0036]    The grain vacuum  10  of this embodiment includes a separator assembly  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 . The separator assembly  20  is positioned in this embodiment adjacent the inlet end  14  of the grain vacuum  10 . In other embodiments, the separator assembly may be further downstream. The body  12  of the grain vacuum  10  is a housing which defines a channel  22 . In other embodiments, the channel  22  may be formed by a separate element inside the body  12 . 
         [0037]    In this embodiment, a separator  24  consists of a deflector portion  26  and a guide portion  28 . The diameter of the deflector portion  26  in this example gradually increases from the inlet end direction towards the outlet end direction along its longitudinal axis. The diameter of the guide portion  28  gradually decreases from the inlet end direction towards the outlet end or downstream direction along its longitudinal axis. In this embodiment the separator is symmetrical about its longitudinal axis. The deflector portion  26  is conical and the guide portion  28  has a truncated conical shape. The conical shapes that define the deflector portion  26  and the guide portion  28  are oriented in opposite directions and smoothly flow from one to the other. 
         [0038]    In this embodiment the angle α of the deflector  26  to its longitudinal axis may be about 12° to 30° and may be 18° and the angle β of the guide portion  28  to its longitudinal axis may be about 34°. The relative angles and the shapes of the deflector portion  26  and the guide portion  28  may be varied as long as they function as a separator. For example, the sides of the deflector portion  26  may have a concave or a convex rather than a straight shape and the guide portion  28  may be semi-spherical. 
         [0039]    Additionally, the separator  24  need not be completely symmetrical around its longitudinal axis. For example, the angle from the longitudinal axis on the top portion may be different from the angle of the bottom portion to compensate for the effects of gravity. Also, the deflector portion  26  and the guide portion  28  may be separate components, rather than forming a single component may be spaced apart. The guide portion may also be eliminated such that the separator  24  comprises only the deflector portion  26 . 
         [0040]    The separator  24  is located in the channel  22 . In this embodiment, the inlet end  30  of the separator  24  is aligned with the inlet to the channel  22 . Again, this positioning may be varied. The inlet end  30  of the separator  24  may extend out of the channel  22  or may be set back further into the channel  22 . Although the figures depict the tip of the cone of the deflector portion  26  separately, this in merely a manufacturing option and not essential to the invention. The leading or inlet end  30  of the separator may also be other shapes including rounded or flattened. 
         [0041]    As can be seen from  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the sides of the channel  22  need not track the shape of the separator  24 . The shape of the channel need only allow the particles and gas to flow as directed by the deflector  26  and the guide  28 . 
         [0042]    The fan assembly  18  is provided to generate the vacuum to pull grain and air into the grain vacuum. As best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , a conduit  32  which may, for example, be a pipe, connects from the fan assembly  18  which is external to the body  12  to the interior of body  12  and into the channel  22 . In this embodiment, the conduit  32  has a rounded elbow section so that the orientation of the portion of the conduit  32  which is external to the body  12  is at right angles to the portion of the conduit  32  which is internal to the body  12 . 
         [0043]    An inlet end  34  of the conduit  32  of this example is located adjacent to the end of the guide portion  28  of the separator  24 . In this embodiment, the inlet end  34  is straight and the diameter of the inlet end is smaller than the maximum diameter of the separator  24 . In this embodiment, the separator  24  has a length of 20 inches and a maximum diameter of 10.5 inches and the inlet end  34  of the conduit has a diameter of 8 to 10 inches. However, the size of the conduit may be larger or smaller than the maximum diameter of the separator  24  and configuration of the conduit  32  between the inlet end  34  and the vacuum generator may vary. The inlet end  34  of the conduit  32  may, for example, be flared rather than straight. 
         [0044]    In this embodiment, the separator  24  is suspended by a shaft  25  which extents out from the conduit  32 . The shaft  25  may be bolted to the separator  24 . The separator  24  and the opening of the conduit  32  in this example are centred in the channel  22  along a longitudinal axis of the channel. However, the separator  24  may be otherwise positioned in the channel, for example, it may be slightly offset from centre as long as the position of the separator  24  effects the separation as described further below. 
         [0045]    The shaft  25 , by which the separator  24  is suspended, is connected to the conduit  32 . In this embodiment, three spokes  35  are equally distributed around the conduit and the shaft  25  is suspended from the point of intersection of the spokes along the central axis of the conduit  32  as best seen in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0046]    The opening of inlet end  34  of the conduit  32  is substantially co-axial with longitudinal axis of the channel  22  and the longitudinal axis of the separator  24  in this embodiment. These various components need not be co-axial. However, the efficiency of the separator may be higher if the inlet end  34  of the conduit  32  is substantially parallel to and co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the channel and the separator  24  and the conduit  32  are no more than ¼ to ½ inch off axis from each other. 
         [0047]    In this embodiment, the inlet end  34  is spaced from the downstream end of the deflector  26  by a dimension X which is approximately 5 to 7 inches. 
         [0048]    The fan assembly  18  also includes an air outlet  36  through which air that travels through the conduit  32  may exit the grain vacuum  10 . A conventional fan  37  may be utilized for this purpose. 
         [0049]    An auger  38  or other grain transport means may be provided in the channel downstream of the inlet end  34  of the conduit  32 . As best seen in  FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the auger  38  is positioned at an upward angle along an upwardly angled outlet end  39  of the body  12  then through an auger housing  41  to the outlet end  16  of the grain vacuum  10 . In this embodiment, the auger  38  is positioned entirely downstream of the separator assembly  20 . The auger may include an air lock or other means at the outlet end  16  to prevent air from coming in from the outlet end  16 . 
         [0050]    A bottom side  42  of the body  12  of the grain vacuum  10  in this example is downwardly angled such that any grain that falls against the bottom side  42  will be directed to the auger  38  as explained in further detail below. In other embodiments, the bottom may, for example, be flat and the auger positioned horizontally. 
         [0051]    In this embodiment, the body portion of the separator assembly  20  is provided with a hinge  43  to allow the separator assembly  20  to be opened by rotating the upstream end of the separator assembly  20  about the hinge  43 . This allows easy access to the interior of the body  12  to, for example, replace the separator  24  with a differently sized or shaped separator  24  for use in different operating conditions or grain types. 
         [0052]    The flow of the gas and particles through the separator assembly  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The separator assembly  20  is divided here into an inlet section  20   a , a deflector section  20   b , and a guide section  20   c . In the inlet section  20   a , a combination of air  46  and grain  44  are drawn into the inlet  14  of the grain vacuum  10  by operation of the fan assembly  18 . This mixture is drawn axially in a downstream direction along the channel  22  until this mixture contacts the separator  24 . In section  20   b , the vacuum continues to pull the air and grain in a downstream direction of the channel  22  but because the separator  24  is in the way, the air and grain will accelerate up the sides of the separator  24  along the deflector  26 . 
         [0053]    When the air and grain reaches the end of the deflector  26  and moves into section  20   c , the momentum of the heavier grain particles will cause them to continue along outwardly in the direction defined by the deflector  26  past the inlet end  34 . The air being lighter will be pulled by the fan suction on a path defined by the shape of the separator  24 . The air will therefore follow the inwardly shaped guide portion  28 , if present, and proceed out through the conduit  32  and out through the air outlet  36 . Even if the guide portion  28  is not present, the fan suction will draw the air out through the conduit  32 . The inlet end  34  is therefore the outlet port of the air from the channel  22 . The grain, once it passes the inlet end  34  of the conduit  32  will lose its momentum and fall to the bottom of the body  12  where it will land either on the bottom side  42  and slide into the auger  38  or land directly on the auger  38 . The auger  38  once powered will rotate to move the grain outwardly through the outlet  16 . 
         [0054]    In some embodiments, internal to the conduit  32 , there may be spiralling channels defined to minimize dead air spots. This may be achieved, for example, by including a structure  70 , such as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , internal to the conduit  32 . The structure  70  has a number of webs  72 , eight are shown in this embodiment, which are connected along the axis  74  of the conduit  32  and extend to the wall of the conduit  32 . These webs spiral such that eight spiralling channels are defined within the conduit  32 . 
         [0055]    It will be appreciated other means of handling the grain once separated from the air may be used. 
         [0056]    Similarly, other means of generating a vacuum may be used and the separator may be used with the other machinery. 
         [0057]    The separator assembly may be used to separate other granular particles and gases of differing mass. 
         [0058]    Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.