Abstract: A continuously operating centrifuge drum for concentrating suspended solids. The solids that precipitate in a stack of disks accumulate in a solids space and are diverted into a receiving chamber through mouthpieces. The mouthpieces contain throttle bores and communicate with the periphery of the solids space. To improve the known centrifuge drum to the extent that an optimal solids concentration can be obtained at low expense with no detriment to the clarified phase, there are secondary mouthpieces that also contain throttle bores, that communicate with a radially inner zone of the solids space, and that another receiving chamber is associated with. Since the volume of solids that can be diverted through the primary mouthpieces is less than the volume of solids separated in the drum, the solids flow out of the primary mouthpieces at the maximum attainable concentration, whereas the excess solids flow out through the secondary mouthpieces.

Abstract: The intake space of a centrifuge drum is divided into a vestibule with ribs and an intake chamber without ribs. The vestibule communicates with the intake chamber through an annular gap between the outside diameter of a disk secured to an intake pipe and the inside diameter of the intake space. The intake chamber communicates with a set of disks through channels. The diameter D.sub.K of the intake chamber at the level of the channels is longer than the diameter D.sub.F that must be maintained at the upper surface of the centrifugate in a skimming chamber during operation. Since the incoming centrifugate does not rotate in the intake chamber and since no rotational pressure is accordingly generated, the intake pressure in the intake pipe is transmitted when the intake chamber is full to the centrifugate in the intake chamber, until the requisite level of centrifugate in the skimming chamber is attained.

Abstract: In the continuous-operation centrifuge drum for concentrating suspended solids the solids are conveyed to a central chamber from a solids space through channels. Before the solids arrive in the central chamber, they must travel through an unribbed annular space. Since the solids concentrate tends to increase its existing kinetic energy, a higher flow resistance is generated. As viscosity increases, the solids, however, are more powerfully affected by friction in the unribbed annular space, their kinetic energy decreases, and the flow resistance decreases. The resulting increase in the volume of solids extracted also decreases its concentration and hence its viscosity. This behavior of the solids in the unribbed annular space of a rotating drum results in automatic regulation of the solids concentration.

Abstract: A continuous-operation centrifuge bowl for concentrating suspended solids. The separated solids are conveyed through channels provided with nozzle-like orifices from the periphery of the bowl to a skimming chamber located in the diameter of an incomplete circle that is shorter than the outside diameter of the bowl. The concentrate is diverted out under pressure by means of a skimmer. Each channel communicates through a communicating channel with a distribution chamber, into which some of the diverted-out solids are returned. To create a centrifuge bowl in which the concentrate that is to be recirculated never leaves the vicinity of the bowl, there is another skimmer in the skimming chamber that returns some of the concentrate conveyed into the skimming chamber directly back into the distribution chamber.