Fluid handling – Flow affected by fluid contact – energy field or coanda effect – Means to cause rotational flow of fluid
Patent
1998-05-20
2000-04-25
Chambers, A. Michael
Fluid handling
Flow affected by fluid contact, energy field or coanda effect
Means to cause rotational flow of fluid
137813, F15C 116
Patent
active
060532068
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a device for controlling a liquid flow in a conduit system like for instance a sewage system, which device comprises a housing with a curved side wall, said housing forming a vortex chamber and having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means being provided at the inlet opening for fastening a flow controlling element, and which device comprises a discharge pipe connected with the outlet opening of the vortex chamber.
A device of this type is known from among others GB-A-2 141 561 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,442, in which, with a view to precision adjustment and change of capacity, an orifice is used for stepless variation of the inlet cross-section and thus the capacity.
Devices of this type are used in conduit systems which transport fluids containing more or less solid bodies and particles. The conduit system may comprise closed pipes or open gullies or combinations thereof like it is known from sewage systems, and tanks or other containers may be interposed in the conduit system.
There is on one hand a need for control of the amounts of flowing liquids, and on the other hand no clogging of devices or conduits must occur. To prevent depositing of solids and particles, no constrictions should be present in the through flow area, and if a constriction cannot be avoided, the flow rate must always be high around the place in question.
When a device with a vortex chamber is used for controlling the flow, the well-known effect is obtained that small liquid flows run unimpededly through the vortex chamber, whereas bigger liquid flows are braked due to the fact that the flow in the vortex chamber forms a spiral around an air column which partially bars the outlet opening, and at the same time the flow exerts a considerable centrifugal force against the inlet, such that a big hydraulic resistance against through flow is created without any physical change of the inlet or outlet openings of the vortex chamber.
In other words, when it is a question of controlling moderate and smaller amounts, control may take place with little risk of clogging. There is, however, still a risk of clogging, and the wish to be able to control even smaller amounts, increases this risk. If the device is mounted under water, it is difficult to remove a blockage. There is therefore an increasing wish for a possibility of emptying a certain room, in which the device is mounted, without overloading the downstream parts of the system, such as conduit systems, pump stations, sewage disposal plants and/or oil separators.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,166 it is known to provide a device of the type in question with a closure which gives access to the interior of the device and a possibility of removing a blockage in the inlet or the outlet from the device. As this device is mounted under water, it is still difficult to find a blockage with cleaning equipment, and to remove a blockage against the liquid pressure, if the outlet is blocked. Thus the closure in question does not constitute an actual by-pass which by opening ensures emptying of the system, if the outlet is blocked. It rather constitutes a cleaning access to the interior of the device.
It is known in practice to provide an overflow connector on top of the outlet pipe of a device of the type in question, and in this connector to place an upright pipe which partly may serve as an emergency overflow and partly when removed opens for emptying down to the upper edge of the connector. This combined emergency overflow/by-pass is placed after the outlet opening from the device and therefore ensures a possibility of emptying irrespective of whether inlet or outlet is clogged. These overflow connectors and pipes have up till now been manufactured in standard dimensions 75, 110 and 160 mm without consideration to capacity and in the known cases always with considerably bigger capacity than the vortex chamber. This entails a big risk of overloading the downstream parts of the system, such as conduit systems, pump stations, cleaning plants and/or oil separators when t
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