Inventors:
Delbert I. Liller - Deer Park MD
International Classification:
B03B 700
Abstract:
An inlet line deflector and equalizer means for a cyclone for washing crushed and sized coal with water wherein low density (1. 6 or less) washed coal particles escape through the outlet pipe above the bottom collector through the box of the cyclone while higher density (1. 7 or higher) siliceous impurities drain out of the cyclone bottom. The higher density impure fractions may be recycled in another cyclone to further fractionate into purified coal and refuse. Pure coal particles flow out through the outlet pipe above the box and impure particles containing shale, rock, clay, etc. drain at the bottom. Laminar flow is uniquely created by (1) providing high solids of about 18% to 50%, (2) at high velocity of about 18 to 28 feet per second within the cyclone and (3) by placement of an inlet line deflector in a predetermined critical dimension in the intake pipe. Due to the deflector, substantially all of the incoming particles are directed away from the box to the outer wall which effectively reduces the cross sectional area of the intake pipe by about 19-32%, thereby assuring that all heavy particles of the inlet flow are at the outer wall, at the start of the cyclone, without ever starting any turbulence. The outlet at the bottom of the cyclone is restricted to slow the outflow of high density impurities which occurs downwardly at the very bottom at a slower rate than upwardly directed coal removal through the vertical pipe leaving the top of the box.