Material flow modifier and apparatus comprising same

US11976678B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Vortex Pipe Systems LLC · US

Inventors

• Paul Wayne Schmidt · Lennestadt, DE
• Avijit Ghosh · Austin, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 24, 2023
• Grant date: May 7, 2024
• Expiry date: Feb 24, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F15D1/0015
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Material flow modifiers as disclosed herein overcome drawbacks associated with known adverse flow conditions (e.g., surface erosion, head losses, particulate drop-out, and the like) that arise from flow of certain types of materials (e.g., fluids, slurries, particulates, flowable aggregate, and the like) through a material flow conduit. Such material flow modifiers provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a rotational flow profile. Advantageously, the rotational flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing magnitude of laminar flow to overcome the aforementioned adverse flow conditions.