Abstract: A combination centrifugal separator for air and solids has a cylindrical vessel with cylindrical side wall and closing end walls, a vortex finder internally and coaxially disposed within the vessel, an inlet mounted on the vessel in a direction tangential to the periphery of the cylindrical side wall, primary and secondary spin plates coaxially disposed within the vessel, a plurality of vane-shaped ribs connecting the primary and secondary spin plates to the vessel, and a plurality of chambers, i.e., an air collection chamber, a spin chamber and a solids accumulation chamber internally disposed within the vessel. The secondary spin plate preferably is perforated. In operation, contaminated and aerated water enters the vessel and due to the cylindrical wall and gravity, spirals downwardly, until reaching the primary spin plate, whereupon clean water and lighter constituents reverse direction and exit the vessel through the vortex finder.

Abstract: A fluid separation device (20) is provided for separating a raw fluid (51) into a plurality of components (36, 37 and 38). A body (21) has a cylindrical bore (39) defined by an inner wall (41) of the body (21). A generally solid cylindrical core (22) has a helical channel (46) formed in a periphery of the cylindrical core (22). The helical channel (46) has a generally rectangular cross-section. The cylindrical core (22) is disposed in the cylindrical bore (39) such that the inner wall (41) of the body (21) and the helical channel (46) form a helical coil (24). A feeder assembly (23) is in fluid communication with the helical coil (24), such that the feeder assembly (23) is operable to transport a raw fluid (51) to the helical coil (24). A splitter assembly (25) is also in fluid communication with the helical coil (24 ). The splitter assembly (25) comprises at least one separator vane (31) defining a plurality of conduits.

Abstract: A centrifugal liquid/solids separator includes a cylindrical separation chamber into which a liquid/solid mixture is tangentially introduced. At least some of the solids separate and migrate to a lower collection chamber. A drain port from the collection chamber passes a thikened liquid/solid mixture. A drain conduit from the drain port has parameters such that the mixture fills the conduit and continuously passes through it at a velocity sufficient to prevent settling of solids in it and free-flowing of liquid through it.

Abstract: A cleaner receives input pulp stock in an inverted conical chamber, which acts as a hydrocyclone to direct heavyweight reject flows outwardly, lightweight reject flows into a discharging vortex chamber and accept flows in between to a vortex finder for removal. The cleaner body has an inverted hydrocyclone chamber formed beneath the inverted cone and a ceramic splitter below which skims off the heavyweight reject flow from the accept flow, and diverts it into the inverted hydrocyclone chamber. A portion of the diverted heavyweight reject flow is removed through a toroidal heavyweight rejects relief outlet, but the larger fraction of the heavyweight reject flow is recirculated within the inverted hydrocyclone chamber. Because the chamber narrows as it extends upwardly, the flow increases in speed and angular velocity to such an extent that the flow within the inverted hydrocyclone chamber matches the flow passing by the chamber, thereby preventing turbulent mixing.

Abstract: Coal spiral having a relatively short first stage helix for separating a slurry into clean coal, refuse and middlings splits, and a relatively short second stage helix for recleaning middlings split from the first stage. The first stage has only 3.25 turns, the second stage has only two turns, and a combination separator box and feed box delivers the middlings directly from the first stage to the second. The two helices are aligned coaxially, and are of opposite rotational sense to provide counter-rotation of the middlings in the two stages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating from a base liquid, particles contained therein by introducing the base liquid between facing rotating surfaces which are imparted mutually different speeds of rotation relatively to the environment. The method is carried out in a container holding the liquid, wherein the two facing surfaces are rotationally symmetrical about an axis and preferably are in contact with the liquid in their entirety, and wherein the surfaces are used for radial boundary-layer transportation of the particles to be separated.

Abstract: A cyclone-turbine of the stator-rotor type comprising a rotor with mobile blades inside the cage of a stator with fingers of rectangular section, characterized in that a throttling disk is positioned between the cage of the stator and the stack above the cyclone-turbine.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for extracting impurities from a pulpous slurry. The apparatus has an upper housing (11), a conical, lower housing (12) and an auxiliary chamber (13). The upper housing has a separation chamber (27) having an upper shell entry portion (31) for causing a first stream of slurry to rotate within the separation chamber and a lower shell entry portion (35) for causing a second stream of slurry to rotate within the separation chamber in a direction opposite to the first stream. The rotation of the streams causes heavy impurities to collect along the outermost portion of the separation chamber. The opposite directions of rotation causes a generally stagnant zone between the rotating streams.

Abstract: A device for separating a mixture comprised of at least a continuous phase I and at least a disperse phase II, one of the phases being a light phase and the other being a heavy phase, comprising canalization means for canalizing a current of the mixture and suited for communicating thereto a helical motion along a central shaft (A) and filtration means, the motion leading to a differentiated radial displacement of the light phase and of the heavy phase under the action of the centrifugal force, during which the continuous phase I flows at least partly through said filtration means. The canalization means and filtration means are arranged to define a helical passage which decreases according to a direction of flow of the mixture through the device.

Abstract: Liquid process streams--such as white water, pressate, or washer filtrate from a pulp and paper mill--are clarified in an efficient manner using a gas sparged hydrocyclone, which takes up a minimum of floor space. A liquid stream having a consistency of less than about 0.5% solids is introduced into a first end of a vortex. Gas is sparged into the liquid in the vortex to cause particles to attach to gas bubbles and move through a rejects outlet at the first end of the vortex, while clarified liquid is removed from a second end of the vortex. A pedestal is typically provided at the accepts outlet, having a radial clearance with the inside of a porous tube through which the gas is sparged that is about 8-12% the radius of the porous tube.

Abstract: A scroll-conveyor centrifuge for separating a suspension into at least a liquid phase and solid material which is deposited through centrifugal force on the interior surface of the centrifuge bowl and which is conveyed along that surface to the solid material discharge opening located at an axial end portion of the bowl through rotation of the centrifuge helix at a differential rate with respect to the bowl. Abrasion of the interior bowl surface and operating power requirements due to movement of the solid material in the direction of the bowl circumference are both reduced by the simple expedient of applying to the interior bowl surface a texturing through the spray application of a thin adhering layer having a rough surface facing the helix.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved method and apparatus to separate solids particles from a liquid medium and/or classify suspensions of particles according to particle characteristics by centrifugal force, wherein the feed stream is introduced to the cyclone apparatus at a location along the central internal axis of the cyclone.