AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PURIFYING AIR AND GASES AND APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. Franz Windhausen, Engineer, resident at Berlin, Prussia,
for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PURIFYING AIR AND GASES
AND APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Franz Windhausen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July 1883.
FRANZ WINDHAUSEN, Engineer, resident at Berlin, Prussia, AN
"IMPROVED
METHOD OF PURIFYING AIR AND GASES AND APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR,
The object of my Invention is to purify air from dust, living organisms, germs
thereof, &c; or to free gases such as are produced in metallurgical and other
chemical processes from substances being in suspence therein, by causing the air
or gas to rotate within a flowing layer of water or other liquid, so that the said
substances will be projected outward by centrifugal force into the liquid, which
thereupon floats them away.
For this purpose the air or gas is driven by a fan or otherwise through the
annular space formed by two concentric drums of different diameters inserted
one into the other, and rotated with considerable speed, the drums being
provided with plates or projections serving to carry around the air or gas with
them.
The liquid which is to receive the substances to be separated from the air or
gas, is introduced either directly or through the inner drum into the outer one,
on the wall whereof it spreads out by the rotation of the drum and the action of
the centrifugal force, so as to form a layer round about the passing layer or current
of air or gas
The liquid is introduced by preference through the shaft on which the two
drums are fixed, the said shaft being made hollow and perforated for this purpose.
The liquid may, however, also be admitted by a special pipe projecting into the
end of the outer drum.-Moreover the hollow shaft when serving as inlet pipe
may have branch pipes which are so curved that they will by the rotation of the
shaft automatically draw in the liquid..
At the end from which the liquid is to flow off, the outer drum is provided with
a circular channel opening inward and into which projects with a small amount of
play the bottom plate of the drum. Through the slit thus formed the liquid-
containing the dust, &c., separated from the air or gas is ejected by the action of
the centrifugal force, while at the same, time it constitutes a hydraulic seal
preventing the escape of air or gas. A projecting annular ledge inside of the
drum serves to keep up the proper thickness of the layer of liquid..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Franz Windhausen in the Patent Office on the 23rd January 1884.
FRANZ WINDHAUSEN, Engineer resident' at Berlin, Prussia AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF PURIFYING AIR AND GASES, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR'
">
The object of iny invention is, to purify air from dust, living organisms, germs
thereof, &c., or to free gases, such as are produced in metallurgical and other
chemical processes, from substances being, in suspense therein, by causing the air
or gas to rotate within a layer of water or other liquid, so that the said substances
will be projected outward by centrifugal force into the liquid which thereupon
floats them away.
For this purpose the air (which in the following part of this specification is to
be understood as including other gases,) is driven by any suitable means, such as
a fan, through the annular space formed by two concentric drums of different
diameters inserted one into the other, and rotated with considerable speed, the
drums being provided with plates or projections serving to carry around the air
with them. The liquid which is to receive the substances to be separated from
the air, is introduced either directly or through the inner drum into the outer
one, on the wall whereof it spreads out by the rotation of the drum and the action
of the centrifugal force, so as to form a layer round about the passing layer or
current of air. The liquid is by preference caused to move in a direction opposite
to the air-current, and is drawn off at the end of the drum.
The apparatus which I employ for carrying out the invention is represented on
the annexed sheet of drawings in two different arrangements. Fig. 1 is a
longitudinal vertical section of the first arrangement, Fig. 2 a sectional view on
line 1, 1, and Fig. 3 a like view on line 2, 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows the second
arrangement in vertical section. Figs 5 and 6 are modifications of parts of the
apparatus.
The apparatus as represented by Figs 1, 2 and 3 consists of two concentric
drums a and c and a fan t all fixed on a shaft b and rotating within a casing r.
The outer drum has central openings at f and h through which the fan t, when
in operation, will draw the air. Instead of a suction fan, a fan adapted to drive
air through the apparatus from its other end, may however, also be used. Besides,
the fan may be placed on a separate shaft, if preferred. The air during its passage
along the space between the drums, is caused to partake of the rotation of the
latter by means of plates d arranged within this space. The said plates are placed
radially or nearly so, and they may be straight or curved like the blades of a fan.
Moreover they may extend through the whole space between the drums, leaving
however, by preference, an interval between them and the outer drum for the
free circulation of the liquid. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 1. Or they
are applied upon a part of the. two drums only, for instance at both ends, as.in
Fig. 4.
I
The water or other liquid to be used in the purifying process flows from a
supply-pipe k through the shaft b, which is made hollow for this purpose, and
through the holes b¹ into the inner drum c. From the said drum, which is perforated
upon a part or upon the whole extent of its length, the liquid passes, into the outer
drum a, where by virtue of the operating centrifugal force it spreads out in a
uniform layer. Instead of simply having holes for the passage of the liquid, the
shaft b may be provided with the pipes Fig. 5, which are so curved that they
will, by their rotation, automatically draw in the liquid through the hollow shaft
and deliver it at their outlet ends. When the liquid is to be admitted directly

page_text: into the space between the two drums, the shaft b is provided with holes outside
of the drum c; or a pipe w, Fig. 6, may be introduced between the fan and the
drum a into the aperture h, as represented in this figure with special reference to
the apparatus Fig. 4.
At n the drum a is provided with a flange bent over so as to form an annular
channel into which projects with a small amount of play, the bottom-plate 8.
Through the slit thus formed between the walls of channel n and plate s, the
liquid containing the dust, &c., separated from the air, is ejected by the action of
the centrifugal force into the channel p of the casing r, whence it flows off by the
siphon-pipe q. At the same time the liquid being in the channel n and surrounding
the edge of the plate s, constitutes a hydraulic seal preventing air to escape by
this passage. Instead, however, of forming the channel n on the flange of the
drum, it may be on the plate s, while the drum has a plain flange projecting into
the channel. In order to keep the layer of liquid in the drum of a certain thick-
ness, the latter is provided with a projecting ring or ledge m, which retains the
liquid until it flows over the same.
The shaft b having been put in rotation by a strap running on the pulley v, the
fan't will suck in air through the aperture and cause it to pass along the space
between the two drums and through the aperture h, and thereupon drive the same
out through the channel i to the place where it is required. During its passage
through the apparatus the air is forced to assume the same rotative speed as the
drums, by the plates d. All particles being in suspense in the air while it enters,
and heavier than the latter, will in consequence be acted upon by centrifugal force
and thrown against the wall of the drum a. When under these conditions, water,
brine, or any suitable disinfecting or other liquid is admitted into the apparatus, as
described, it will receive all such particles and float them away, while the air leaves
the apparatus in purified state.
According to the drawing the casing is provided with an entrance channel g
open at both ends and provided with two throttle valves u and u¹. This arrange-
ment has been adopted in order that an apparatus for heating or cooling atmo-
spheric air may be put in communication with one end of the said channel, while
the other one communicates with the open air.
In Fig.
an apparatus of the described kind is shown which is arranged verti-
cally. The drums a and c, casing r and plates d are here substantially the same as
in the first case. The fan t is supposed to be provided with screw-blades, but it
may be alike to the one shown in Figs. 1, and 2. The purifying liquid flows
through the tubular upper part of the shaft and the holes bi on a plate c¹ which
conducts it to the perforations in the drum c. The liquid on being thrown against
the wall of a, flows down along this wall to the channel n, there again forming a
bydraulic seal, and finally issues by the pipe q.
The air passing through the apparatus will become impregnated with a certain
degree of moisture in the form of vapour, which is ordinarily required when atmo-
spheric air is employed for ventilating inhabited rooms, and when it is previously
warmed in a heating apparatus connected with the purifyer. On the other hand
the air will not carry along particles of unevaporated water, as the same, even
when previously present, are separated out by the action of the centrifugal force.
In some cases it is of advantage to heat the purifying liquid before admitting it
into the apparatus.
Having thus described the nature and object of this invention and the manner in
which it is to be carried out in practice, I wish it to be understood that I am aware
that heretofore apparatuses have been constructed in which air is purified by means
of centrifugal force, and I therefore do not broadly claim the use of such force for
this purpose; but I claim as new and important features of my invention:
1., The method of purifying air or gas from dust, living organisms and other
substances suspended therein, by causing it to rotate and thereby submitting it to
the action of centrifugal force within a flowing layer of water or other liquid,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 2., An apparatus for purifying air or gas, consisting of the rotating drum a
having apertures f and h, the rotating drum c enclosed in a, the plates d, the fan t,
a pipe for admitting liquid into the apparatus and an opening for allowing the
same to run off, all combined substantially as and for the purpose.described.
3., The combination with the drums a and c, plates d,and fan t, of the hollow
shaft b provided with holes b¹ for the passage of liquid into the apparatus, sub-
stantially as set forth.
:
4. The combination with the drums a and c, plates d, fant and hollow shaft b
of the pipes l, as hereinbefore described.
5., The combination with the drums a and c, plates d, fant and pipe for
admitting liquid, of the hydraulic seal channel n, substantially as set forth.
6., The combination with the drums a and c, plates d, fan t, and pipe for
admitting liquid, of the projecting ring m in the drum a, as specified.
In Witness whereof I the said Franz Windhausen have hereunto set my hand
and seal this ninth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-four.
FRANZ WINDHAUSEN
(L.S.)