Key information

Title
Hydrocyclone
Application number
20211384
Case type
National
Status
28.07.2025 Patent meddelt (B1)
Filed
18.11.2021
Effective date
18.11.2021
Publicly available
19.05.2023
Next annual fee due
30.11.2026
Applicant
Sandcatch Solutions AS (NO)
Owner
Sandcatch Solutions AS (NO)
Inventor
Trygve Husveg (NO)
Agent
BRYN AARFLOT AS (NO)
Granted
28.07.2025
Patent number
348948
Expiry date
18.11.2041

Abstract and drawing

Disclaimer: This text has been machine-scanned and may contain errors – please refer to "Publications" for legally binding content.
Hydrocyclone for removal of sand or other heavier particulate material from sludge, wherein the hydrocyclone comprises an inlet, a hydrocyclone body with a cylindrical part and a conical part or a transitional cylinder-cone body, a reject outlet in the narrow end of the conical body and an accept outlet at the end of the cylindrical part of the hydrocyclone body. The hydrocyclone is distinguished in that: the diameter of the inlet, one or several in sum, is 2/5 of the diameter of the hydrocyclone, within ±20%, or if the inlet is volute, rectangular or has other cross section shape than circular, a cross-section area of the inlet or inlets in sum corresponding to a circular inlet with diameter 2/5 of the diameter of the hydrocyclone, within ±20%; the diameter of the accept outlet/vortex finder (liquid and sludge) is 3/5 of the hydrocyclone diameter, within ±20%; the diameter of the reject outlet (sand or sandy sludge) is 1/5 of the hydrocyclone diameter, within ±20%; the length of the cylindrical part of the hydrocyclone body is between 1 and 2 times the hydrocyclone diameter; the length of the conical part of the hydrocyclone is between 1 and 3 times the hydrocyclone diameter; the hydrocyclone, when in operation, is oriented with the reject outlet directed at an angle in the range 0-90° upward from horizontal.

Publications

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Documents

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Date
 Date Doc. No. Process Case number In/Out Journal description To/from
 30.07.2025 10-01 Saksbehandling 20211384(348948) UT PT Registreringsbrev nasjonal patent (15) (PT20211384)
03.05.2025 09-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 UT PT Meddelelse om patent BRYN AARFLOT AS
 29.04.2024 08-05 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN P6528NO00-KravNO BRYN AARFLOT AS
 29.04.2024 08-04 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN P6528NO00-BrevtilPatentstyret BRYN AARFLOT AS
 29.04.2024 08-03 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN P6528NO00-Beskrivelse og krav - ren versjon BRYN AARFLOT AS
 29.04.2024 08-02 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN P6528NO00-Beskrivelse og krav - med markerte endringer BRYN AARFLOT AS
 29.04.2024 08-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Korrespondanse (Hovedbrev inn) BRYN AARFLOT AS
 26.03.2024 07-02 Saksbehandling 20211384 UT PT report 02:19:17
26.03.2024 07-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 UT Realitet patent BRYN AARFLOT AS
 04.10.2023 06-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 UT PT Varsel om betaling av første årsavgift (3317) (PT20211384) BRYN AARFLOT AS
 02.11.2022 05-04 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Brev_til_Patentstyret PROTECTOR IP AS
 02.11.2022 05-03 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN AmendedClaimsEN - uten markerte endringer PROTECTOR IP AS
 02.11.2022 05-02 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN AmendedClaimsEN - med markerte endringer PROTECTOR IP AS
 02.11.2022 05-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Korrespondanse (Hovedbrev inn) PROTECTOR IP AS
 17.06.2022 04-02 Saksbehandling 20211384 UT PT report 09:15:47
17.06.2022 04-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 UT 20211384_1586731_PT 08 PROTECTOR IP AS
 22.12.2021 03-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 UT Søknadskvittering PROTECTOR IP AS
 19.11.2021 02-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 UT Infobrev til oppfinner PROTECTOR IP AS
 18.11.2021 01-07 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Sammendrag PROTECTOR IP AS
 18.11.2021 01-06 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Krav PROTECTOR IP AS
 18.11.2021 01-05 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Generalfullmakt NO PROTECTOR IP AS
 18.11.2021 01-04 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Figurer 1-5 PROTECTOR IP AS
 18.11.2021 01-03 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Erklæring_om_søkers_rett_til_oppfinnelsen PROTECTOR IP AS
 18.11.2021 01-02 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Beskrivelse PROTECTOR IP AS
 18.11.2021 01-01 Saksbehandling 20211384 INN Søknadsskjema Patent PROTECTOR IP AS

Description, claims and drawings

Disclaimer: This text has been machine-scanned and may contain errors – please refer to "Publications" for legally binding content. Description
3489481HYDROCYCLONETechnical FieldThe present invention relates to hydrocyclones. More specifically, the invention 5 relates to a hydrocyclone for removal of sand or other relative heavier particles from a continuous medium of liquid and sludge.Background ArtHydrocyclones for removal of sand or other relative heavier particles from a 10 continuous medium of liquid and sludge operates according to one of two principles:With the first principle, a continuous reject flow, wherein the separated particles typically constitute a percentage of the reject flow, wherein the flow 15 distribution between the outlets of accept and reject is governed by the geometry of the hydrocyclone or by having installed valves in one or both outlets, wherein said valves are automatic or manual valves.With the second principle, a batch-based reject system, wherein the reject volumes are accumulated in a particle/sand chamber, as part of the 20 cyclone body or a separate chamber below, for periodic discharge thereof by one or more automatic or manual valves and typically a flushing system, for discharging the sand out from the chamber.The term sludge means a thick, soft, wet mixture with solids and/or organic 25 materials, typically used for biogas production or fertilizers, but includes any vicious mud.In the context of the present invention, the term sand can mean not only sand but any process inactive material reducing the active volume in biogas reactor or treatment plant equipment, including materials such as sand, stones, 30 pebbles, egg scales, shells, hard scales, concrete, ceramics, polymers, glass 3489482and metal.The nearest relevant art has been identified as the publications: Ghodrat M. et al. “Numerical analysis of hydrocyclones with different vortex finder5 configurations” Minerals Engineering 63 (2014), pages 125-138; and patent publications EP 3417945 A1 and WO 2011130783 A. None of said publications include description or illustrations of a hydrocyclone with merely static control parts or a hydrocyclone with the reject outlet directed upward when in operation.10 It would be beneficial with a hydrocyclone without a continuous reject flow or a batch-based reject system, for several reasons. Less requirement for control devices, simpler and less expensive installations, less maintenance and service, would be beneficial. In addition, less dependence on feed sand concentration, flow rate and less dependence on variations in viscosity of the 15 continuous liquid-sludge/mud would be beneficial, if possible. The objective of the present invention is to provide such hydrocyclone.Summary of inventionThe objective is met with a hydrocyclone of the present invention. The20 hydrocyclone of the invention, for removal of sand or other heavier particulate material from a continuous medium of liquid and sludge, comprises an inlet, a hydrocyclone body with a cylindrical part and a conical part or a transitional cylinder-cone body, a reject outlet in the narrow end of the conical body and an accept outlet at the end of the cylindrical part of the hydrocyclone body,25 wherein:the diameter of the inlet, one or several in sum, is 2/5 of the diameter of the hydrocyclone, within ±20%, or if the inlet is volute, rectangular or has other cross section shape than circular, a cross-section area of the inlet or inlets in sum corresponding to a circular inlet with diameter 2/5 of the diameter of the 30 hydrocyclone, within ±20%; wherein the diameter of the hydrocyclone is the diameter of the cylindrical part or the diameter of the widest end of the conical part of the hydrocyclone body, 3489483the diameter of the accept outlet/vortex finder (liquid and sludge) is 3/5 of the hydrocyclone diameter, within ±20%;the length of the cylindrical part of the hydrocyclone body is between 1 and 2 times the hydrocyclone diameter;5 the length of the conical part of the hydrocyclone is between 1 and 3 times the hydrocyclone diameter; andthe diameter of the reject outlet (sand or sandy sludge) is 1/5 of the hydrocyclone diameter, within ±20%.The hydrocyclone is distinguished in that:10 the hydrocyclone, when in operation, is oriented with the reject outlet directed upward from horizontal, andthe control devices consist of static parts only, functioning autonomously and continuously.15 In some embodiments, a static restriction is preferably arranged in the reject outlet, creating a small back pressure. The static restriction can be an additional pipe section that may or may not vary in cross-sectional flow area and/or a flange covering a small part of the reject outlet diameter, the flange extending inwards from the periphery of the outlet, for example covering 5%, 10%, 20% 20 or 40% of the diameter.Preferably, each of the ratios specified above for the hydrocyclone of the invention, is within ±15%, ±10%, ±7%, ±5%, ±3%, ±2% or ±1%. More specifically, the diameter of the inlet (one or several as combined) is 2/5 of the 25 diameter of the hydrocyclone, within ±20%, ±15%, ±10%, ±7%, ±5%, ±3%, ±2% or ±1%; or if the inlet is volute, rectangular or has other cross section shape than circular, a cross-section area of the inlet corresponding to a circular inlet with diameter 2/5 of the diameter of the hydrocyclone, within ±20%, ±15%, ±10%, ±7%, ±5%, ±3%, ±2% or ±1% and/or;30 the diameter of the accept outlet, also termed vortex finder (liquid and 3489484sludge) is 3/5 of the hydrocyclone diameter, within ±20%, ±15%, ±10%, ±7%, ±5%, ±3%, ±2% or ±1% and/or;the diameter of the reject outlet (sand or sandy sludge) is 1/5 of the hydrocyclone diameter, within ±20%, ±15%, ±10%, ±7%, ±5%, ±3%, ±2% or 5 ±1%.The diameter of the hydrocyclone is the diameter of the cylindrical part or the diameter of the widest end of the conical part of the hydrocyclone body.Unless otherwise specified, diameters refer to diameter for flow, that is internal 10 diameter for flow.The axial length of the accept outlet (also termed accept or sludge/water outlet or vortex finder) at the wide end of the hydrocyclone, is equal to or longer than the dimension of the inlet or inlets along the hydrocyclone axis. Thereby, the 15 accept outlet flow will not be disturbed by the inlet flow.Typical operation parameters of the hydrocyclone of the invention are as follows:20 Inlet pressure of 1 to 5 bar.Back pressure on sludge/water outlet (accept), about atmospheric.Back pressure on sand/sandy sludge (reject), about atmospheric.The sand separation is autonomously controlled as a function of sand concentration of the inlet flow.25 Sand is not flowing out from the reject outlet until a threshold quantity of sand in the hydrocyclone has been reached.When the threshold quantity of sand in the hydrocyclone has been reached, excess sand flows out the reject outlet, with or without some sludge.The reject flow typically is wet sand, comprising about 50% sand and 50% 3489485sludge/water.Sand is retained in the hydrocyclone for unusual long period of time, resulting in abrading pollution and organic lighter materials from the sand.The hydrocyclone has a washing function in addition to a separation function. 5 The hydrocyclone can be optimized for minimum quantity of water/sludge in the sand (reject) flow.The hydrocyclone of the invention provides significant advantages in biogas plants and treatment plants, such as sewage treatment plants, where10 hydrocyclones can be used for sand removal. Some of the advantages are:No valve for reject control: lower Capex (capital expense, investment cost) and lower Opex (operations expense).No water injection during operation: lower Capex and Opex.No reject chamber: lower Capex and Opex.15 No flushing system for reject chamber: lower Capex and Opex.The hydrocyclone removes sand continuously and autonomously, without disturbing the operation. Sand catchers often removes sand discontinuously, opening and closing for emptying, disturbing the operation.The hydrocyclone handles varying concentration of sand. The hydrocyclone 20 sand separation/outtake is autonomously controlled by the vortex flow, which in turn is affected by the sand concentration of the inlet flow.The hydrocyclone of the invention is in principle independent of variations in flow rate within a large operational range / within a maximum flow rate to minimum flow rate ratio of at least 3, and largely independent of changes in total 25 solids content of the sludge, mud, or liquid in the feed to the inlet, until a total solids content of at least 20%, with reference to a procedure where a well-mixed sample is evaporated in a weighted dish and dried to constant weight in an oven at 103 to 105 degrees Celcius, and where the increase in weight over that of the empty dish represents the total solids. 3489486The control devices of the hydrocyclone of the invention consist of static parts, that is no valves with positions or openings that must be adjusted, or no other flexible parts that must be adjusted.5 Preferably, the length of the conical part of the hydrocyclone is between 1,5 and 2,5 times, or between 1,75 and 2,25 times the hydrocyclone diameter.Preferably, the length of the cylindrical part of the hydrocyclone body is between 1,25 and 1,75, or 1,3 and 1,7 times the hydrocyclone diameter.10The hydrocyclone of the invention has an unusually wide diameter accept outlet/vortex finder, liquid-sludge outlet/vortex finder, unusually short length hydrocyclone body cylindrical part and unusually short length hydrocyclone 15 body conical part.The invention also provides use of a hydrocyclone of the invention for removal of sand or other heavier particulate material from sludge.In addition, the invention also provides a method of removing sand20 autonomously from sludge, using a hydrocyclone as herein described and illustrated.Brief description of drawingsFigure 1 illustrates a hydrocyclone according to the invention.25 Figure 2 illustrates the flow pattern in the hydrocyclone.Figure 3 illustrates a longitudinal section of the hydrocyclone in operation, with only liquid in the inlet flow.Figure 4 illustrates a longitudinal section of the hydrocyclone in operation, with liquid and some sand in the inlet flow. 3489487Figure 5 illustrates a longitudinal section of the hydrocyclone in operation, with liquid and more sand in the inlet flow.Detailed description of the invention5 Reference is made to Figure 1, illustrating a hydrocyclone 1 of the invention, comprising an inlet 2, an accept outlet (liquid/sludge outlet or vortex finder) 3 and a reject outlet (sand outlet) 4. The hydrocyclone body has a cylindrical part 5 and a conical part 6. The cyclone axis 7 is indicated on the figure. Item 8 is a static outlet restriction in the reject outlet, in the illustrated embodiment a short 10 additional pipe section.Figure 2 illustrates the flow pattern in the hydrocyclone of Figure 1. The inlet flow 9 is tangential, as normal for hydrocyclones. The cyclonic flow 10, a vortex flow, is illustrated inside the hydrocyclone body. The accept outlet, the liquid-15 sludge outlet flow 11, is illustrated as arrows in the wide end of the hydrocyclone and the reject outlet 12, the sand outlet flow, is illustrated as an arrow in the narrow end of the hydrocyclone.Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate operation of the hydrocyclone of the invention with 20 increasing sand contents in the inlet flow. For clarity, the inlet is not illustrated.In Figure 3, with only water in the inlet flow, the liquid forms a vortex 13 inside the hydrocyclone. The liquid can flow from the accept outlet at 14 but the liquid cannot flow out of the reject outlet due to air core 15. At least one of the reject 25 outlet and the accept outlet is open for air ingress, alternatively the inlet flow includes air.In Figure 4, some sand is included in the inlet flow. The sand is illustrated as the outermost part 16 of the vortex flow, the darker component thereof. Liquid can 30 still flow out from the accept outlet, at 17, whilst an air core 18 still closes the 3489488reject outlet for flow.In Figure 5, more sand is included in the inlet flow. The liquid and sand still form a vortex 19, but the sand constitutes a larger part of the vortex. Liquid can still 5 flow out from the accept outlet, at 20. However, the air core 21 no longer close the reject outlet from sand flowing out, and sand can flow out from the reject outlet, illustrated as 22. Accordingly, the sand vortex has “grown” to reach the reject outlet, as illustrated by the darker, outer vortex component reaching the reject outlet.
Claims
3489489Claims1.Hydrocyclone (1) for removal of sand or other heavier particulate material from 5 a continuous medium of liquid and sludge, wherein the hydrocyclone comprises an inlet (2), a hydrocyclone body with a cylindrical part (5) and a conical part (6) or a transitional cylinder-cone body, a reject outlet (4) in the narrow end of the conical body and an accept outlet (3) at the end of the cylindrical part of the hydrocyclone body, wherein:10 the diameter of the inlet (2), one or several in sum, is 2/5 of the diameter of the hydrocyclone, within ±20%, or if the inlet is volute, rectangular or has other cross section shape than circular, a cross-section area of the inlet or inlets in sum corresponding to a circular inlet with diameter 2/5 of the diameter of the hydrocyclone, within ±20%; wherein the diameter of the hydrocyclone is the 15 diameter of the cylindrical part or the diameter of the widest end of the conical part of the hydrocyclone body,the diameter of the accept outlet/vortex finder (liquid and sludge) is 3/5 of the hydrocyclone diameter, within ±20%;the length of the cylindrical part of the hydrocyclone body is between 1 20 and 2 times the hydrocyclone diameter;the length of the conical part of the hydrocyclone is between 1 and 3 times the hydrocyclone diameter;the diameter of the reject outlet (sand or sandy sludge) is 1/5 of the hydrocyclone diameter, within ±20%;25 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that:the hydrocyclone, when in operation, is oriented with the reject outlet directed upward from horizontal, andthe control devices consist of static parts only, functioning autonomously and continuously.30348948102.Hydrocyclone according to claim 1, further comprising a static restriction (8) in the reject outlet, creating a small back pressure.5 3.Hydrocyclone according to claim 2, wherein the static restriction (8) comprises an additional pipe section that may vary in cross-sectional flow area4.10 Hydrocyclone according to claim 2, wherein the static restriction (8) comprises a flange covering a small part of the diameter, the flange extending inwards from the periphery of the outlet, covering 5%, 10%, 20% or 40% of the diameter.5.15 Hydrocyclone according to claim 1, wherein each of the ratios specified above for the hydrocyclone of the invention, is within ±15%, ±10%. ±7%, ±5%, ±3%, ±2% or ±1%.6.20 Hydrocyclone according to claim 1, wherein the length of the conical part of the hydrocyclone is between 1,5 and 2,5 times the hydrocyclone diameter.7.Hydrocyclone according to claim 1, wherein the length of the cylindrical part of 25 the hydrocyclone body is between 1,25 and 1,75 times the hydrocyclonediameter.34894811Patentkrav1.Hydrosyklon (1) for fjerning av sand og annet tyngre partikulært materiale fra et kontinuerlig medium av væske og slam, idet hydrosyklonen omfatter et innløp (2), en hydrosyklonkropp med en sylindrisk del (5) og en konisk del (6) eller en sylindriskkonisk overgangskropp, et rejectutløp (4) i den smale ende av den koniske del og et akseptutløp (3) i den sylindriske del av hydrosyklonkroppen, idet:diameteren av innløpet (2), et eller flere i sum, er 2/5 av diameteren av hydrosyklonen, innenfor ±20 %, eller hvis innløpet er kurvet, rektangulært eller har annen tversnittform enn sirkulær, et tverrsnittareal av innløpet eller innløpene i sum tilsvarende et sirkulært innløp med diameter 2/5 av hydrosyklonens diameter, innenfor ±20 %; idet diameteren av hydrosyklonen er diameteren av den sylindriske del eller diameteren av den bredeste ende av den koniske del av hydrosyklonkroppen;diameteren av akseptutløpet/virvelfinneren (væske og slam) er 3/5 av hydrosyklonens diameter, innenfor ±20 %;lengden av den sylindriske del av hydrosyklonkroppen er mellom 1 og 2 ganger hydrosyklonens diameter;lengden av den koniske del av hydrosyklonen er mellom 1 og 3 ganger hydrosyklonens diameter;diameteren av rejectutløpet (sand eller sandig slam) er 1/5 av hydrosyklonens diameter, innenfor ±20 %;karakterisert ved at:hydrosyklonen, under drift, er orientert med rejectutløpet rettet oppover fra horisontalt; ogstyringsinnretningene består av kun statiske deler, autonomt og kontinuerlig fungerende.2.Hydrosyklon ifølge krav 1, videre omfattende en statisk restriksjon (8) i rejectutløpet, medførende et lite tilbaketrykk.348948123.Hydrosyklon ifølge krav 2, idet den statiske restriksjon (8) omfatter en ytterligere rørseksjon som kan avvike i tversnittareal for strømning.4.Hydrosyklon ifølge krav 2, idet den statiske restriksjon (8) omfatter en flens som dekker en liten del av diameteren, idet flensen strekker seg innover fra periferien av utløpet og dekker 5%, 10%, 20% eller 40% av diameteren.5.Hydrosyklon ifølge krav 1, idet hvert av forholdstallene spesifisert ovenfor for hydrosyklonen ifølge oppfinnelsen, er innenfor ±15%, ±10%. ±7%, ±5%, ±3%, ±2% eller ±1%.6.Hydrosyklon ifølge krav 1, idet lengden av den koniske del av hydrosyklonen er mellom 1,5 og 2,5 ganger hydrosyklonens diameter.7.Hydrosyklon ifølge krav 1, idet lengden av den sylindriske del av hydrosyklonkroppen er mellom 1,25 og 1,75 ganger hydrosyklonens diameter.
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Patent classes

IPC classesB04C 3/06B01D 17/02B04C 5/08B04C 5/16B04C 5/18B01D 21/26B04C 5/14CPC classesB04C 3/06B01D 17/0217B04C 5/08B04C 5/16B04C 5/18B01D 21/267B04C 5/14

Citations

Muhammad I. Taiwo et al., «Design and analysis of cyclone dust separator», American Journal of Engineering Research, Volume-5, Issue-4, pages 130-134 ()EP 3417945 A1 (A1)RU 2185245 C1 (C1)WO 8500990 A1 (A1)Ghodrat M. et al. “Numerical analysis of hydrocyclones with different vortex finder configurations” Minerals Engineering 63 (2014), pages 125-138 ()WO 2011130783 A (A )

Applicants, owners and inventors

Owners
Sandcatch Solutions AS
Postboks 6 4349 BRYNE NO (TIME Municipality, Rogaland county)Org. number: 924923628Inventors
Trygve Husveg
Odlandsveien 10 4360 VARHAUG NO (HÅ Municipality, Rogaland county)

Agent

BRYN AARFLOT AS
BRYN AARFLOT AS

Org. number: 979993269

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Open in The Brønnøysund Register Centre
Stortingsgata 8 0161 OSLO NO (OSLO Municipality, Oslo county)
Org. number: 979993269
Reference: P6528NO00/EH

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