US 12,006,957 B2
Material flow amplifier
Paul Wayne Schmidt, Carlton, OR (US); and Avijit Ghosh, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to Vortex Pipe Systems LLC, Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Vortex Pipe Systems LLC, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/832,611.
Application 17/832,611 is a continuation of application No. 16/991,270, filed on Aug. 12, 2020, granted, now 11,391,309.
Application 16/991,270 is a continuation of application No. 16/846,474, filed on Apr. 13, 2020, granted, now 10,895,274, issued on Jan. 19, 2021.
Application 16/846,474 is a continuation of application No. 16/567,379, filed on Sep. 11, 2019, granted, now 10,683,881, issued on Jun. 16, 2020.
Application 16/567,379 is a continuation of application No. 16/445,127, filed on Jun. 18, 2019, granted, now 10,458,446, issued on Oct. 29, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/917,233, filed on Nov. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0299049 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F15C 1/18 (2006.01); B01F 25/4314 (2022.01); B01F 25/432 (2022.01); B01F 25/433 (2022.01); B01F 25/435 (2022.01)
CPC F15C 1/18 (2013.01) [B01F 25/4314 (2022.01); B01F 25/432 (2022.01); B01F 25/4334 (2022.01); B01F 25/435 (2022.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
5. A material flow amplifier, comprising:
a vortex chamber exterior body having a central passage with a generally round cross-sectional shape, wherein the central passage tapers from a first cross-sectional area at an upstream end portion of the vortex chamber exterior body to a second cross-sectional area at a downstream end portion thereof and wherein the first cross-sectional area is greater than the second cross-sectional area;
an interior body located entirely within the vortex chamber exterior body, wherein the interior body extends along at least a portion of a length of the vortex chamber exterior body, wherein a central passage of the interior body has a cross-sectional shape along an entire length thereof that is generally round, and wherein a centerline longitudinal axis of the vortex chamber exterior body extends colinearly with a centerline longitudinal axis of the central passage of the interior body; and
a plurality of vanes extending in a helical manner at least partially around the interior body, wherein each of the vanes is engaged with the vortex chamber exterior body and the interior body such that the vortex chamber exterior body, adjacent ones of the vanes and the interior body jointly define a respective flow passage extending therebetween; wherein:
the vanes extend along an entire length of the vortex chamber exterior body; and
a length of the interior body is less than a length of the vortex chamber exterior body.