Micromachined virtual impactor

US6062392A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• MesoSystems Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Joseph G. Birmingham · Arlington, US
• Patrick Call · West Richland, US
• Vanessa M. Kenning · Kennewick, US
• Alireza Shekarriz · Lake Oswego, US
• Charles J. Call · Albuquerque, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 13, 1998
• Grant date: May 16, 2000
• Expiry date: Nov 13, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2015/0288
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A separation plate (10) includes a first surface and an opposing second surface. Plural pairs of a nozzle (14) and a virtual impactor (16) are provided on the first surface. Each nozzle tapers from an inlet end (14a) to an outlet end (14b). Each virtual impactor comprises a pair of generally fin-shaped projections (24). Each fin-shaped projection includes an inner wall (26) and a convex outer wall (28). The inner walls of the fin-shaped projections of a virtual impactor face each other to define a minor flow passage (30) therebetween. The convex outer walls of the fin-shaped projections of a virtual impactor cooperatively present a convex surface including a virtual impact void therethrough. The virtual impact void defines an inlet end of the minor flow passage. A virtual impactor body (33) is provided between adjacent virtual impactors (16). When a particle-laden fluid stream (23) is caused to flow through the nozzles and advance to the virtual impactors, a major portion of the fluid containing a minor portion of particles flows around the virtual impactors, is blocked by the virtual impactor bodies, and redirected from the first surface through a suitable major flow outlet. A min…