Diaphragm circulator

Abstract

A diaphragm circulator for liquid material having an internal circuit provided with at least one material intake orifice for discharging the material. The circulator body defines a propulsion chamber with rigid walls between which a deformable diaphragm is placed in such a way that the edge thereof is adjacent to the intake oriface and the edge is adjacent to the discharge orifice for forming a ripple carrier. A diaphragm-exciting member is arranged on the side of the intake orifice for producing a reciprocating motion on the corresponding diaphragm edge in such a way that the ripple is generated and is provided with the circulator rigid walls which are arranged inside free ripple amplitude envelope surfaces extending along the diaphragm. The diaphragm is associated by at least one edge thereof with means for generating a tension therein at least while the ripple is generated in such a way that during the operation, the diaphragm tension on the side of the discharge orifice is greater than on the side of the intake orifice.

1 . A diaphragm circulator for a flowable, comprising:
 a circulator body wherein an internal circuit is arranged which has at least one inlet port for a material, one propulsion chamber and at least one discharge port for the material;   the propulsion chamber having rigid walls between which a deformable diaphragm is placed having one edge adjacent to the inlet port and one edge adjacent to the discharge port;   the diaphragm forming the support for a ripple while a reciprocating mechanical excitation device for the diaphragm is connected to the diaphragm on the inlet port side in order to transmit mechanical energy by generating said ripple to the corresponding edge of the diaphragm;   the rigid walls of the circulator are arranged inside of envelope surfaces of the free amplitude of the ripple propagating along the diaphragm, and   the diaphragm is associated, via at least one of the edges thereof, with means having the effect of creating tension in the diaphragm, at least during generation of the ripple, whereby, during operation, this prevailing tension in the diaphragm is variable between an upper value on the discharge port side and a lower value on the inlet port side.   
   
   
       2 . The circulator according to  claim 1  wherein a first portion of the propulsion chamber, defined by the circulator body and one of the faces of the diaphragm, is connected to an inlet port for an external supply of a material being treated, and to a discharge port which is itself connected to the inlet port of a second portion of the propulsion chamber, defined by the circulator body and the other face of the diaphragm, this other portion terminating at the circulator discharge port, the two chamber portions being otherwise separated from one another. 
   
   
       3 . The circulator according to  claim 2  wherein the connection between the discharge port of the first portion and the inlet port of the second portion is ensured by conduits inside of the circulator body. 
   
   
       4 . The circulator according to  claim 2 , wherein the connection between the discharge port of the first portion and the inlet port of the second portion is ensured by conduits inside of the diaphragm of the circulator. 
   
   
       5 . The circulator of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a disk-shaped diaphragm the outer periphery of which is attached to a moving linear reciprocating mechanical excitation assembly, which is guided along an axis perpendicular to the plane of the diaphragm by a center guide column integral with the circulator body.   
   
   
       6 . The circulator according to  claim 5  wherein the moving assembly comprises an annular permanent magnet surrounding the guide column which forms the plunger core for a magnet coil inside a stationary armature arranged around the permanent magnet. 
   
   
       7 . The circulator according to  claim 2  wherein the circulator body having several superimposed propulsion spaces connected in series between an inlet port and a discharge port, the diaphragms of each space being attached via the outer edge thereof to a single moving assembly. 
   
   
       8 . The circulator of  claim 2  further comprising: the moving assembly includes a sleeve around the diaphragm having relief surfaces for grinding the product being treated, which is situated in the circulation space in the vicinity of the inlet port. 
   
   
       9 . The circulator of  claim 2  further comprising: a vibration generator for generating in the circulator body a vibration which is opposite in phase to the reciprocating movement of the moving assembly. 
   
   
       10 . The circulator according to  claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is a blade having a quadrilateral shape with two opposing parallel sides while the deformation generator is a reciprocating force couple generator. 
   
   
       11 . The circulator according to  claim 10  wherein the edge of the diaphragm adjacent to the deformation generator is the one opposite thereto is attached to a frame-like housing which cooperates with the diaphragm to provide the required tension for ripple propagation. 
   
   
       12 . The circulator according to  claims 10  wherein the diaphragm is of a trapezoidal contour. 
   
   
       13 . The circulator according to  claim 2  wherein at least one of the walls of the body defining the propulsion chamber forms a heat transfer wall having a transfer surface swept by the circulating material. 
   
   
       14 . The circulator according to  claim 2  wherein the body is integral with a means of transport to be propelled in medium a portion of which comprises the aforesaid flowable material passing through the propulsion chamber of the circulator.