Flow and pressure control in cyclonic filter arrays

Abstract

An air filtration system comprising a plurality of sections configured to receive an incoming airstream is disclosed. In some embodiments, each section of the plurality of sections includes a first airstream receiving side (ASRS) and a second air stream exhaust side (ASES), and a plurality of cells each comprising a cyclonic cavity having a tangential inlet arranged to receive a portion of the airstream via the ASRS, and an axial outlet arranged to exhaust the portion of the airstream to the ASES. Each section is further configured with a cover that can be opened and closed, such that the closing of one or more respective covers of respective sections forces the airstream to flow through remaining sections having open covers as well as their respective cells, at a velocity greater than when such one or more respective covers are open.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An air filtration system comprising a plurality of sections configured to receive an incoming airstream, wherein:
 each section comprises a first airstream receiving side (ASRS) and a second air stream exhaust side (ASES), and a plurality of cells each comprising a cyclonic cavity having a tangential inlet arranged to receive a portion of the airstream via the ASRS, and an axial outlet arranged to exhaust the portion of the airstream to the ASES,   each section is configured such that air can only cross from the ASRS to the ASES via the plurality of cells via the respective tangential inlets and axial outlets;   each section is further configured with a cover that can be opened and closed, such that the closing of one or more respective covers of respective sections forces the airstream to flow through remaining sections having open covers as well as their respective cells, at a velocity greater than when such one or more respective covers are open.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a single common air stream through the system is induced by a plurality fans or blowers that provide a single air stream to the sections of the system. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each cover is configured to open or close in response to surpassing at least one of a predetermined threshold of a volume, velocity, and pressure of the incoming airstream. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each cover is configured to open or close in response to falling below at least one of a predetermined threshold of a volume, velocity, and pressure of the incoming airstream. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  or  4 , wherein the threshold for the opening or closing of at least one first cover for a first section is different than the threshold for the opening or closing for a second section. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises at least one of a sealing sheet or membrane, a lid, and a flap. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each cover is configured to cover one or more axial outlets of the plurality of cells. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more sections comprise a single cell. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the cover is selected from the group consisting of plastic, polymer, rubber, metal, paper, glass, or a combination of any two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the covers for one or more of the respective sections close in the absence of at least one of a sufficient volume, velocity, and pressure of the incoming airstream. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein one or more of the covers are configured to close due to weight and/or elastic force. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more motors and/or actuators configured to open and/or close the one or more covers. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the motors and/or actuators are configured for activation by an electrical signal from a control system that directly or indirectly controls, detects, measures or received information about, airflow incident on the one or more covers configured to open and/or close via the one or motors and/or actuators. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one section does not include a cover. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more fans configured to generate the airstream. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the volume, velocity, and pressure of the airstream determines the opened or closed state of at least one cover of a respective section. 
     
     
         17 . An air filtration system, comprising:
 a plurality of sections configured to receive an incoming airstream, one or more sections of the plurality of sections configured with one or more respective covers,
 the one or more respective covers including at least one of a sealing sheet or membrane, a lid, and a flap and are selected from the group consisting of plastic, polymer, rubber, metal, paper, glass, or a combination of any two or more of the foregoing; 
   a plurality fans or blowers providing a single air stream to the plurality of sections of the system;   one or more motors and/or actuators configured to open and/or close the one or more respective covers, the one or more motors and/or actuators configured for activation by an electrical signal from a control system that directly or indirectly controls, detects, measures or received information about, airflow incident on the one or more respective covers;   wherein:
 each section comprises a first airstream receiving side (ASRS) and a second air stream exhaust side (ASES), and a plurality of cells each comprising a cyclonic cavity having a tangential inlet arranged to receive a portion of the airstream via the ASRS, and an axial outlet arranged to exhaust the portion of the airstream to the ASES; 
 each section is configured such that air can only cross from the ASRS to the ASES via the plurality of cells via the respective tangential inlets and axial outlets; 
 the closing of the one or more respective covers of respective sections forces the airstream to flow through remaining sections having open covers and through their respective cells, at a velocity greater than when such one or more respective covers are open; and 
 the one or more respective covers configured to open or close in response to surpassing or falling below at least one of a predetermined threshold of a volume, velocity, and pressure of the incoming airstream, the threshold for the opening or closing of at least one first cover for a first section is different than the threshold for the opening or closing for a second section. 
   
     
     
         18 . An air filtration system comprising a plurality of sections configured to receive an incoming airstream, wherein:
 each section of the plurality of sections comprises a first airstream receiving side (ASRS) and a second air stream exhaust side (ASES);   a first section of the plurality of sections includes a first single cell;   a second section of the plurality of sections includes a plurality of cells,
 the first single cell and the plurality of cells each comprising a cyclonic cavity having a tangential inlet arranged to receive a portion of the airstream via the ASRS, and an axial outlet arranged to exhaust the portion of the airstream to the ASES, 
   the first section is configured such that air can only cross from the ASRS to the ASES via the first single cell via the respective tangential inlets and axial outlets;   the second section is configured such that air can only cross from the ASRS to the ASES via the plurality of cells via the respective tangential inlets and axial outlets;   one or more sections of the plurality of sections is configured with a cover that can be opened and closed, such that the closing of one or more respective covers of respective one or more sections forces the airstream to flow through remaining sections having open covers, at a velocity greater than when such one or more respective covers are open; and   at least one section of the plurality of sections does not include a cover.   
     
     
         19 . A airborne particle removal method for removing airborne particles from an airstream, comprising:
 providing the system according to any of  claims 1 - 18 ;   directing an airstream into the system;   opening and/or closing one or more of the covers for one or more respective sections so as to allow a subset of the plurality of sections to carry the airflow of the airstream while one or more sections are covered,   wherein:
 the closing of one or more respective covers of respective sections forces the airstream to flow through remaining sections having open covers as well as their respective cells, at a velocity greater than when such one or more respective covers are open. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each cover is configured to open or close in response to surpassing at least one of a predetermined threshold of a volume, velocity, and pressure of the incoming airstream. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each cover is configured to open or close in response to falling below at least one of a predetermined threshold of a volume, velocity, and pressure of the incoming airstream. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  or  21 , wherein the threshold for the opening or closing of at least one first cover for a first section is different than the threshold for the opening or closing for a second section. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the cover comprises at least one of a sealing sheet or membrane, a lid, and a flap. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each cover is configured to cover one or more axial outlets of the plurality of cells. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein one or more sections comprise a single cell. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the cover comprises is selected from the group consisting of plastic, polymer, rubber, metal, paper, glass, or a combination of any two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein one or more of the covers for one or more of the respective sections close in the absence of at least one of a sufficient volume, velocity, and pressure of the incoming airstream. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , where one or more of the covers are configured to close due to weight and/or elastic force. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising one or more motors and/or actuators configured to open and/or close the one more covers. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the motors and/or actuators are configured for activation by an electrical signal from a control system that directly or indirectly controls, detects, measures or received information about, airflow incident on the one or more covers configured to open and/or close via the one or motors and/or actuators. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least one section does not include a cover. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the volume, velocity, and pressure of the airstream determines the opened or closed state of at least one cover of a respective section.