Abstract: A process for the separation of solids from liquids in a closed pressure system, wherein liquid is passed through a treatment column containing purifying material. A portion of the purifying material is removed in a timed intermittent quasi-continuous manner and cleaned in a rinsing column. The cleaned purifying material is then fed back to the treatment column by backflushing and the use of a liquid transport medium.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to an apparatus within a container wherein solid particles of the type that form a sediment in a liquid, are withdrawn from a liquid-filled processing chamber at the upper side of a funnel-shaped plate into a liquid-filled collecting chamber below the plate. In one embodiment, the funnel-shaped plate includes a central discharge nozzle that forms an annular discharge gap by extending downwardly within the side walls of a bell-shaped chamber that is inverted and contains a mushroom-shaped distributor supported above its bottom wall by a liquid supply pipe. The top surface of the mushroom-shaped distributor has a conical shape with the apex extending upwardly to the terminal end of the discharge nozzle.