US2805888A - Liquid atomizer - Google Patents

Description

Sept 10, 1957 3 E 2,805,888

LIQUID ATOMIZER Filed March 15, 1956 Hat 2 United States Patent 9 LIQUID ATOMIZER Gerhard Beil, Esslingen (N eckar), Germany Application March 15, 1956, Serial No. 571,687

Claims priority, application Germany November 25, 1955 9 Claims. (Cl. 299-63) This invention relates to a liquid atomizer and more particularly to an apparatus for atomizing liquids including a centrifugal disk rapidly revolving above a bowl such that when liquid is conducted to the upper face of the centrifugal disk it is thrown against 'baifles and thus atomized.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a liquid atomizer which is capable to atomize all liquids, preferably water, if necessary, mixed, for example, with insecticides, bactericides or aromatic substances, into a vapor (aerosol) for humidifying the air in rooms. The process may be automatically controlled by an electric hygrometer so that the degree of humidity can be varied at any time. For this purpose the apparatus is connected to the electric power supply as well as to the water main and to an air supply.

Known are apparatus in which the liquid is atomized by revolving nozzle vanes such that the fine liquid particles are for the purpose of atomizing the liquid thrown against baflies in the form of vanes.

Apparatus are also known in which the fluid is conducted upon a centrifugal disk which is slightly dished at the top, so that the liquid conducted to the center of this centrifugal disk is thrown in the form of a thin annular liquid film against baflles. A ring of curved blades tbeing used for atomizing the liquid by richocheting acion.

Aim and purpose of these known apparatus is to assist atomization of the liquid by means of a powerful air stream produced within the apparatus itself, as well as to control the amount of atomized liquid by varying the air stream.

Known apparatus are usually converter-shaped and the gas (air) is sucked from the bottom and the vapor stream is discharged through a duct at the top.

In contradistinction thereto the present invention is characterized in that the gap between the centrifugal disk and the bowl is, for example, screened by a casing extending from the perimeter of the centrifugal disk. Atomizing takes place in a circular plane, and the vapor produced is also thrown circularly outwards andthereby evenly distributed throughout the room. Thus is attained an excellent distribution of the vapor. The atomizing takes place under exclusion of detrimental air currents which counteract the distribution, for extensive tests have shown that even the air current, which is produced by the rotation of the centrifugal disk, causes currents which misroute the vapor.

According to the present invention it is precluded that air swirls are produced by the lower portion of the centrifugal disk, as such air swirls carry the vapor produced with them before the vapor passes the battles and is thus uselessly returned to the suction of the centrifugal disk. In the construction according to the present invention measures have therefore been taken to restrain all air currents which are detrimental to the vapor discharge from the outer surface of the centrifugal disk; The vapor is upwardly deflected and thus loses its larger liquid particle's which drop down into the bowl. A powerful air stream is conducive to a most thorough distribution of the vapor throughout the entire room.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the liquid atomizer constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged part sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the baflles, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic section illustrating a slightly different embodiment.

The mushroom-shaped liquid atomizer illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a dome 1 provided with flanges 1a and 1b, a plurality of annularly arranged bolts 2, an annular sheet-metal guide vane 3, a cover 4 and secured thereto an electric motor 5 comprising a shaft 6, a suction vane 7, a centrifugal disk 8 with a rotor 9 of a liquid booster pump, furthermore a base plate 10, a bowl 11 with a guide ring 12 secured thereto, a carrier 13 for the baffles 13a, bottom 13b and barrel 130. A casing 8a serves for screening the air gap between centrifugal disk 8 and bowl 11.

When the rotor 9 revolves Within the housing 14, liquid is drawn through the suction head 15 and line 16 and is forced into the suction space 17 of this booster pump, from there the liquid is conducted through the control valve 18 and line 19 to the nozzle 19a. The liquid drops upon the centrifugal disk 8 and is then centrifugated, the droplets leaving the centrifugal disk being thrown against the bafiles where they are once more dispersed, when the drops are so large that they can not be kept suspended by the air.

The liquid is conducted to the bowl 11 by the line 20, the supply being controlled by the float 21. The vapor stream which leaves the carrier at a high velocity is thrown against the guide ring 12. and when it has been upwardly deflected thereby it loses its inherent kinetic energy. The guide ring serves for the purpose of insulating the rim of the bowl, so that the vapor will not be backed up on this rim and so that no liquid droplets will be precipitated on this rim. This arrangements prevents efiectively that drops are formed beyond the rim of the bowl which would perhaps drop down on machines located underneath.

The air stream controlled by the guide vane 3, which may have a slope of 5 to 60, serves for the purpose of giving again a radial component to the vapor stream which has been upwardly deflected by the guide ring 12, which radial component will become effective when the droplets which are not capable of entrainment in the air have been precipitated and dropped back into the bowl. By means of the suction vane 7, this air is drawn through the opening 22 from the collecting chamber 23 which, by means of a pipe 24, is connected with a source of air.

This source of air may be a corner of the same room to that has been produced; if possible the vapor should re-.

main quietly suspendedin the air and not be subjected to turbulent motion. In the alternative, pipe 24 may lead to the outside atmosphere (during the summer months) or connect with any other source of air, such as an air-conditioning unit.

Thus it will be clear that the apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention includes all means necessary for preventing that the vapor as a product of the apparatus is routed into paths which return the vapor again into the liquid stream. .For a further improvement of this effect, it may even be useful to the end in View to put the space 25 underneath the centrifugal disk'under' high pressure which, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, can very Patented Sept. 10, 1957.

at 31 an especially simple construction of the dome and at 38a a simplified casing underneath the centrif ge disk 8. It illustrates that it is of great consequence to keep the air within the space underneath the centrifugal disk absolutely calm and undisturbed.

Centrifugal disks in known apparatus operate'at 2850 R. P. M. with diameters from 220 to 240 mm., whilst the centrifugal disk in the =liquid atomizer constructed in accordance with the present invention may be dimensioned from 300 to 500 mm. in diameter and yet be operated at arranged upon the bottom of said tubular carrier, said' centrifugal disk being a portion of a pot having an annular casing extending angularly from the rim of said centrifugal disk in axial direction thereby forming an an.- nular gap and ending in a radially extending annular member surrounding said barrel, such that when said centrifugal disk is rotated at high speed by said electric motor any liquid conducted upon its upper face is thrown against said baffies and thus atomized.

2. A liquid atomizer as defined in claim 1, wherein said centrifugal disk and said casing are made as an integral part. 7

3. In a liquid atomizer of the character described, the combination of a centrifugal disk, an electric motor for rotating said centrifugal disk, bafilesarranged above said centrifugal disk, a tubular carrier for said bafiles, a barrel arranged upon the bottom of said tubular carrier, a bowl for the liquid to be atomized, a booster pump for feeding the liquid tothe top face of said centrifugal disk, said booster pump having a tubular housing vertically arranged upon the bottom of said bowl and extending through said barrel, saidcentrifugal disk being a portion of a pot having an annular casing extending angularly from the'rirn of said centrifugal disk in axial direction thereby forming an annular gap and ending in a radially extending annular member surrounding said barrel, and said centrifugal disk and said casing being made as an integral part, such that when said centrifugal disk is rotated at high speed by said electric motor any liquid,

conducted upon its upper face is thrown against said bafiles and thus atomized.

4. In a liquid atomizerof the character described,the

combination of a centrifugal disk, an electricmotor for rotating said centrifugal disk, bafilcs arranged above said centrifugal disk, a tubular carrier for'said bafiles, a barrel arranged upon the bottom of said tubular carrier, a bowl for the liquid to be atomized, a booster pump for feeding the liquid to the top face of said centrifugal disk, said booster pump having a tubular housing vertically ar ranged upon the bottom of said bowl and extending through said barrel, a cover. for said carrier arranged above said centrifugal disk, a dome-shaped member ar-' ranged upon said cover, a suction vane driven by aid electric motor arranged in the interior of said domeshaped member and adapted fordraWingthe vapor produced into the interior of saidfdomeshape'dmember and discharging it through a radially arranged outlet at the bottomthereof, said'centrifugal disk being a portion of afp'ot' having an annular casing extending. angularly-from th'efrim-of, said centrifugaldisk in axial direction thereby fo'rrningan annular gapiand ending in a radially. extend.

ing annularmember surrounding said barrel, and-said centrifugal'disk and said casingbeingmade asan integral part, such that when said centrifugal disk is rotated at high speed by said electric motor any liquidconducted upon its upper face is thrown against said baflles and thus atomized. V

5. A liquid atomizer as defined in claim 4, wherein the vapor produced is drawn by said suction vane through an opening in said dome-shaped member arranged concentrically to a shaft for carrying said suction vane, whereas said outlet for discharging the vapor is an annular gap formed between said dome-shaped member and said cover.

6. A liquid atomizer as defined in claim 4, wherein said electric motor for driving both said suction Kane and said centrifugal disk is arranged upon said cover so that the vapor drawn by said suction vane flows to said outlet through an annular gap formed by both said domeshaped member and said electric motor.

7. In a liquid atomizer of the character describ d, the combination of a centrifugal disk, an electric motor for rotating said centrifugal disk, baffies arranged above said centrifugal disk, a tubular carrier for said baflies, a barrel arranged upon the bottom of said tubular carrier, a bowl for the liquid to be atomized, a booster pump for feeding theliquid to the top face of said centrifugal disk, said booster pump having a tubular housing verticallyanranged upon the bottom of said bowl and extending through said barrel, a cover for said carrier arranged above said centrifugal disk, a dome-shaped member ar ranged'upon said cover, a suction vane driven by .said electric motor arranged-in the interior of said domeshaped member and adapted for drawing the vapor pro-- duced into the interior of said dome-shaped member and.

ing in a radially extending-annular member surrounding said barrel, and said centrifugal diskand said casing being made as an integral part, such that when said centrifugal disk is rotated at high speed :by said electric motor'any liquid conducted upon its upper face is thrown against said baflies and thus atomized.

8. A .liquid atomizer ,as defined .in :claim 7 including, the angle between said guide vane and the horizontal line being in the magnitude between 5 and 60 degrees.

9. In a liquid atomizer of ;the .character'described, the. combination of a centrifugal disk, anelectric motor for rotating said centrifugal disk, baflles arranged above said centrifugaldisk, a tubular carrier for said'baifiega -barre'l arranged upon ,the bottom of. said *tubular'carrier, a bow l for'the liquid ,to'he atomized, .atbooster-pump for feedingthe liquid to the top face of said centrifugal disk,-=said' boosterpump having a tubular-housingrvertically arranged upon the bottom ofsaidrbowl and'extendingthroughsaid barrel, a cover for said carrier arranged above said centrifugal disk, :a dome-shaped member arranged :upon said cover, a suction vane driven .by :said electric 'motor arranged in the interior of .said dome-shaped member and adapted ,:for drawing the vapor produced into-the interior of said dome-shaped member and discharging.

it through :a radially arrangedoutlet in the form of an annulargap formed between said dome-shaped member and said cover, a :guide 'vane for deflecting the Azapor upwardly at an oblique angle arranged upon the top of saidcoverso-gthat said radial outlet'in the form .of'an annulargap flares 'thcreinto, said :centrifugal :disk being a portion of 'a-pot having. an; annular 'casingrextending angularly from the rim ,of;said centrifugal-disk in radial direction thereby forming an, annular gap and :ending in.-a .radially extending annular-member surrounding saidtbarrel,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Prott Apr. 28, 1914 Dickerson July 11, 1916 Pearce Aug. 2, 1938 Joos Jan. 9, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 11, 1941 France Mar. 24, 1954

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