Continuous on line tube house

Claim 2

A FILTERING APPARATUS COMPRISING A FRAME, A PLURALITY OF TUBULAR FABRIC-TYPE FILTER ELEMENTS OPEN AT BOTH EXTREMITIES AND POSITIONED WITHIN SAID FRAME, A FIRST DIVIDER PLATE POSITIONED IN THE FRAME AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THEREIN WITH SAID FIRST PLATE MOUNTING THE UPPER EXTREMITY OF EACH OF SAID FILTER ELEMENTS AT SAID PLURALITY OF OPENINGS, A SECOND DIVIDER PLATE POSITIONED IN THE FRAME HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THEREIN AND MOUNTING THE OPPOSITE EXTREMITY OF EACH OF SAID FILTER ELEMENTS TO POSITION THE FILTER ELEMENTS IN THE ELONGATED VERTICAL POSITION, MEANS INCLUDING THE FRAME CONNECTED TO THE SECOND DIVIDER PLATE AND DEFINING A DUST CHAMBER LOCATED BENEATH THE SECOND DIVIDER PLATE AND HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING THEREIN, MEANS INCLUDED IN SAID FRAME AND WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID DIVIDER PLATES DEFINING A SEALED PLENUM CHAMBER THROUGH WHICH AIR IS DIRECTED TO THE FILTERING OPERATION OF THE FILTERING APPARATUS, MEANS CONNECTED TO THE PLENUM CHAMBER FOR CAUSING CONTAMINATED AIR TO BE DIRECTED INTO THE FILTERING ELEMENTS OF THE FILTERING APPARATUS AT THE OPEN UPPER ENDS THEREOF AND THROUGH THE WALLS OF THE FILTERING ELEMENTS WITH THE PARTICULATES BEING COLLECTED ON THE INNER WALLS OF THE TUBULAR FILTERING ELEMENTS, AND MEANS INCLUDING A HIGH PRESSURE AIR SUPPLY AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPEN EXTREMITIES OF EACH OF TUBULAR FILTERING ELEMENTS FOR SELECTIVITY CREATING PULSED AIR CURTAINS AT THE ENDS OF THE CERTAIN OF SAID FILTERING ELEMENTS TO BLOCK AIR FLOW THERETHROUGH AND CREATE A DROP IN PRESSURE WITHIN SAID CERTAIN OF SAID FILTERING ELEMENTS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CREATING A JET AIR PULSE ON THE OUTSIDE OF CERTAIN FILTERING ELEMENTS CAUSING COLLAPSE OF SAD CERTAIN FILTERING ELEMENTS TO REMOVE PARTICULATES FROM THE INNER WALLS THEREOF AND CAUSING THE PARTICULATES TO BE DIRECTED INTO THE DUST CHAMBER THROUGH THE FORCE OF GRAVITY THEREON AND THE RESUMPTION OF AIR FLOW THROUGH THE FILTERING ELEMENTS.

Claim 3

The filtering apparatus of claim 1 in which the means included in the high pressure air supply and associated with the tubular filtering elements to create air curtains at the extremities of the tubular filtering elements include jet nozzles positioned at the extremities of the tubular filtering element and directing air therefrom to form air curtains at the extremities of the tubular filtering elements with additional nozzle means positioned on the outside of said filtering elements and creating a jet air pulse traveling the extent of the filtering elements from the upper extremities thereof to remove particulates from the inner walls of the filtering element.

Claim 4

The filtering apparatus of claim 2, in which the nozzles at the extremities of the filtering elements direct air out of the confines of the filtering element and create a pumping action therein and a drop in pressure within the filtering element simultaneously with the jet pulse on the outside of the filtering element to cause collapse of the filtering elements in the removal of the particulates therefrom.

Claim 5

The filtering apparatus in claim 3 in which the nozzle means at the extremities of the filtering element and the jet nozzle positioned outside of the filtering element are connected to a common manifold and to a high pressure air supply through a valve which controls simultaneous flow from the high pressure air supply to the nozzle means and the jet nozzle means of the filtering elements.

Claim 6

The filtering apparatus of claim 4 in which the frame with the first and second dividing plates therein have aligned apertures arranged in rows with the tubular filter elements connected between the dividing plates and common with the rows of apertures, and in which the common manifold is connected to nozzle means for two rows of the tubular filtering element in the frame with the nozzle means positioned in the opening extremities of the rows of tubular filtering elements and with the jet nozzle positioned equidistantly between the adjacent filter elements and between the rows of tubular filtering elements.

Claim 7

The filtering apparatus of claim 5 in which the nozzle means that are positioned into the open extremities of each of the filtering elements have a hemispherically shaped surface thereon with orifices directing air flow across the hemispherically shaped surfaces and out of the confines of the tubular filtering element in a Coanada type flow to provide the pumping action in evacuating air from within the tubular filtering element as it generates the air curtain at the extremities of the tubular filtering element.

Claim 10

The method of cleaning tubular fabric type filter elements of claim 7 in which the air curtains generated at the open ends of the filter element are created by directing pulse air flow under pressure higher than the pressure of the contaminated air flow and in a direction toward the open extremities of the tubular filter element to reduce pressure within the tubular filter element.

Claim 11

The method of cleaning tubular fabric type filter elements of claim 8 in which selected filter elements have air curtains generated at the extremities of the same simultaneously with a jet pulse being directed to the outside surface of the selected tubular filter elements while the remainder of the filter elements receive contaminated air flow to maintain the normal filtering operation therethrough and in which aiR flows through the filtering element in the normal filtering operation and the jet pulse on the outside of the same create an outside air pressure on the selected filtering elements to cause a reverse air flow therethrough as well as a collapse of the tubular filtering element to dislodge particulates from the same.

Claim 12

The method of cleaning tubular fabric type filter elements of claim 9 in which the steps of creating pulsed air curtains in the tubular filtering elements and generating a jet pulse on the outside of the same for those filtering elements being cleaned is repeated only once before selecting other filter elements for cleaning.

Claim 13

A filtering apparatus comprising, an enclosure having a pair of spaced dividing baffles positioned therein in a parallel relationship and dividing said enclosure into upper lower and intermediate sections with respect to said enclosure, each baffle having a plurality of openings therein with a transversely extending collar surrounding the apertures and projecting between the baffles of the enclosure, a plurality of tubular filament elements open at both extremities positioned in the intermediate section of the enclosure with the extremities of the same mounted over the transversely extending collars and secured thereto with the tubular elements extending between the baffles in spaced parallel relationship, an inlet air passage positioned through the enclosure in the upper section thereof communicating with the upper section, an air outlet passage positioned through the enclosure communicating with the intermediate section of the enclosure and connected to means for moving air through the enclosure from the upper section and the tubular elements to the intermediate section and the outlet therein, a contaminant withdrawal port positioned in the enclosure in the lower section thereof, and a plurality of cleaning manifolds positioned in said enclosure, each manifold being associated with a row of tubular filter elements in the enclosure and having interconnected upper and lower branch pipes with nozzles means positioned in the ends of the filter elements of said row and a jet nozzle positioned between adjacent filter elements in the row external of the filter elements, said manifolds being selectively connected to a high pressure air supply to create an air curtain in the ends of each of the filter elements in a row and an air jet burst along side of the exterior of the filter elements simultaneously to dislodge contaminants on the inner surface of the tubular filter elements permitting gravity discharge of the contaminants through the tubular filter elements and into the lower section of the enclosure.

Claim 14

A filtering apparatus comprising, an enclosure having a pair of spaced dividing baffles positioned therein in a parallel relationship and dividing said enclosure into upper lower and intermediate sections with respect to said enclosure, each baffle having a plurality of openings therein with a transversely extending collar surrounding the apertures and projecting between the baffles of the enclosure, a plurality of tubular filament elements open at both extremities positioned in the intermediate section of the enclosure with the extremities of the same mounted over the transversely extending collars and secured thereto with the tubular elements extending between the baffles in spaced parallel relationship, an inlet air passage positioned through the enclosure in the upper section thereof communicating with the upper section, an air outlet passage positioned through the enclosure communicating with the intermediate section of the enclosure and connected to means for moving air through the enclosure from the upper section and the tubular elements to the intermediate section and the outlet therein, a contaminant withdrawal port positioned in the enclosure in the lower section thereof, and a plurality of cleaning manifolds positioned in said enclosure, each manifold being associated with a row of tubular filter elements in the enclosure and having interconnected upper and lower branch pipes with nozzles means positioned in the ends of the filter elements of said row and a jet nozzle positioned between adjacent filter elements in the row external of the filter elements, said manifolds being selectively connected to a high pressure air supply to create an air curtain in the ends of each of the filter elements in a row and an air jet burst along side of the exterior of the filter elements simultaneously to dislodge contaminants on the inner surface of the tubular filter elements permitting gravity discharge of the contaminants through the tubular filter elements and into the lower section of the enclosure.

Claim 15

The filtering apparatus of claim 11 in which each cleaning manifold is positioned common to a pair of adjacent rows of tubular filter elements within the enclosure and in which the jet nozzle is positioned equidistantly between adjacent filter elements in the pair of rows and adjacent the baffle common to the upper section off the enclosure to direct an air jet burst along the extent of the tubular filter element within the intermediate section of the enclosure and toward the lower section of the enclosure.

Claim 16

The filtering apparatus of claim 12 in which an air supply is connected to each manifold for a period of time sufficient to provide an air curtain at the extremities of each of the tubular filter elements and a single jet burst of such duration to agitate each of the tubular filter elements along the extent of the same and provide for a reverse air flow through the filter element.

Claim 17

The filtering apparatus of claim 13 in which the jet nozzles of the manifold are positioned equidistantly from four adjacent tubular filter elements.

Claim 18

The filtering apparatus of claim 14 in which the nozzle means positioned in the ends of each of the filter elements has a hemispherically shaped surface with an orifice associated therewith to provide for turbulant air flow around the hemispherical surface and toward the open extremitiEs of the tubular element to create the air curtain at the ends of the same.

Claim 19

The filtering apparatus of claim 15 in which the nozzle means in the ends of the filter elements produce a Coanda effect and a pumping action to reduce internal pressure within the tubular filter element.

Claim 20

A filtering apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of tubular fabric type filter elements opened at both extremities and positioned within said frame, a first divider plate positioned in said frame and having means mounting the upper extremity of each of the filter elements, a second divider plate positioned in the frame and having a plurality of openings therein and mounting the opposite extremity of each of the filter elements to position the filter elements in an elongated vertical position, means including the frame connected to the second divider plate and defining a dust chamber beneath the second divider plate and having a discharge opening therein, means included in said frame and with at least one of said divider plates defining a sealeed plenum chamber through which air is directed in the filtering operation of the filtering apparatus, means connected to the plenum chamber for causing contaminated air to be directed into the filtering elements of the filtering apparatus of the opened ends thereof and through the walls of the filtering elements with the particulates being collected on the inner walls of the filtering elements, and means including a high pressure air supply and associated with the open extremity of the tubular filtering elements for selectively creating pulsed air curtains at the ends of certain of the filtering elements to block air flow therethrough and create a drop in pressure within certain of the filtering elements and simultaneously creating a jet pulse on the outside of certain of the said filtering elements causing collapse of said certain of said filtering elements to remove particulates from the inner walls thereof and causing the particulates to be directed into the dust chamber through the force of gravity thereon.

Claim 21

A filtering apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of tubular fabric type filter elements opened at both extremities and positioned within said frame, a first divider plate positioned in said frame and having means mounting the upper extremity of each of the filter elements, a second divider plate positioned in the frame and having a plurality of openings therein and mounting the opposite extremity of each of the filter elements to position the filter elements in an elongated vertical position, means including the frame connected to the second divider plate and defining a dust chamber beneath the second divider plate and having a discharge opening therein, means included in said frame and with at least one of said divider plates defining a sealeed plenum chamber through which air is directed in the filtering operation of the filtering apparatus, means connected to the plenum chamber for causing contaminated air to be directed into the filtering elements of the filtering apparatus of the opened ends thereof and through the walls of the filtering elements with the particulates being collected on the inner walls of the filtering elements, and means including a high pressure air supply and associated with the open extremity of the tubular filtering elements for selectively creating pulsed air curtains at the ends of certain of the filtering elements to block air flow therethrough and create a drop in pressure within certain of the filtering elements and simultaneously creating a jet pulse on the outside of certain of the said filtering elements causing collapse of said certain of said filtering elements to remove particulates from the inner walls thereof and causing the particulates to be directed into the dust chamber through the force of gravity thereon.

Claim 22

The filtering apparatus of claim 17 in which the inlet air is directed through the dust chamber and the opposite extremities of the filter elements at the second divider plate with the first divider plate being sealed at the means mounting the upper extremities of the filtering elements thereon.

Claim 23

The filtering apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means selectively creating the pulsed air curtains at the ends of certain of the filter elements and the jet air pulse on the outside of certain of said filter elements is located only at said opposite extremities of said filter elements adjacent to said second divider plate.

Claim 24

The filtering apparatus of claim 17 in which the means mounting the upper extremities of each of the filter elements in the first divider plate are indentations created in a solid plate to divide mounting collars closing said upper extremities of the tubular elements which are secured thereto.

Claim 25

A filtering apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of tubular fabric-type filter elements opened in at least one extremity and positioned within said frame means mounting the upper extremities of each of the filter elements, a divider plate positioned in the frame and having a plurality of openings therein and mounting the opposite extremity of each of the filter elements to position the filter elements in an elongated vertical position, means including the frame connected to the divider plate and defining a dust chamber beneath the divider plate and having a discharge opening therein, second means included in said frame and cooperating with said divider plate defining a sealed plenum chamber through which air is directed in the filtering operation of the filtering apparatus, means connected to the plenum chamber for causing contaminated air to be directed into the filtering elements of the filtering apparatus of the opened ends thereof and through the walls of the filtering elements with the particuLates being collected on the inner walls of the filtering elements, and means including a high pressure air supply and associated with the open extremity of the tubular filtering elements for selectively creating pulsed air curtains at the ends of the certain of the filtering elements to block air flow therethrough and create a drop in pressure within certain of the filtering elements and simultaneously creating a jet pulse on the outside of certain of the said filtering elements causing collapse of said certain of said filtering elements to remove particulates from the inner walls thereof and causing the particulates to be directed into the dust chamber through the force of gravity thereon.

Claim 26

A filtering apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of tubular fabric-type filter elements opened in at least one extremity and positioned within said frame means mounting the upper extremities of each of the filter elements, a divider plate positioned in the frame and having a plurality of openings therein and mounting the opposite extremity of each of the filter elements to position the filter elements in an elongated vertical position, means including the frame connected to the divider plate and defining a dust chamber beneath the divider plate and having a discharge opening therein, second means included in said frame and cooperating with said divider plate defining a sealed plenum chamber through which air is directed in the filtering operation of the filtering apparatus, means connected to the plenum chamber for causing contaminated air to be directed into the filtering elements of the filtering apparatus of the opened ends thereof and through the walls of the filtering elements with the particuLates being collected on the inner walls of the filtering elements, and means including a high pressure air supply and associated with the open extremity of the tubular filtering elements for selectively creating pulsed air curtains at the ends of the certain of the filtering elements to block air flow therethrough and create a drop in pressure within certain of the filtering elements and simultaneously creating a jet pulse on the outside of certain of the said filtering elements causing collapse of said certain of said filtering elements to remove particulates from the inner walls thereof and causing the particulates to be directed into the dust chamber through the force of gravity thereon.

Claim 27

The filtering apparatus of claim 1 in which the means included in the high pressure air supply and associated with the tubular filtering elements to create air curtains at the open extremities of the tubular filtering elements are nozzle means directing air to form air curtains at the extremities of the tubular filtering elements, and with additional nozzle means positioned on the outside of the filtering elements and creating a jet air pulse traveling the extent of the filtering elements from the lower open extremity thereof to remove particulates from the inner walls of the filtering element.

Claim 28

The filtering apparatus of claim 22, in which the nozzles at the open and lower extremities of the filtering elements direct air out of the confines of the filtering element and create a pumping action thereon and a drop in pressure within the filtering element simultaneously with the jet pulse on the outside of the filtering element to cause collapse of the filtering elements in the removal of the particulates therefrom.

Claim 29

The filtering apparatus of claim 23 in which the nozzle means positioned in the open extremity of each of the filtering elements have a hemispherically shaped surface thereon with orifices directing air flow across the hemispherically shaped surfaces and out of the confines of the tubular filtering element in a Coanda type flow to provide the pumping action in evacuating air from within the tubular filtering element as it generates the air curtain at the extremities of the tubular filtering element.

Claim 32

The method of cleaning tubular fabric-type filter elements of claim 25 in which the air curtains are generated at the lower ends of the tubular filtering elements by creating pulsed air flow under pressure higher than the pressure of the contaminated air flow and in a direction toward the open extremity of the tubular filtering elements to reduce pressure within the tubular filtering elements.

Claim 33

The method of cleaning tubular fabric-type filter elements of claim 26 in which selected filter Elements have air curtains generated at the extremities of the same simultaneously with the jet pulse being directed on the outside of the selected tubular filtering elements while the remainder of the filter elements receive contaminated air flow to maintain a normal filtering operation therethrough and in which air flow through the filtering element in a normal filtering operation with the jet pulse on the outside of the same creating an outside air pressure on the selected tubular filtering elements to create a reverse airflow therethrough as well as a collapse of tubular filtering elements to dislodge particulates from the same.