Abstract: Rotary vacuum filter for filtering a suspension of, for example, yeast or some other plant cell material, comprising a drum (1), a trough (3) for the suspension positioned under the drum and a doctor knife (5) for removing the filter cake which is produced. The doctor knife is attached to or adjacent to one of the upper edges (6) of the trough (3).According to the invention the trough (3) can be revolved around the geometric axis (10) of the drum (1), whereby the immersion angle (.alpha.) is infinitely adjustable, and the doctor knife (5) can be moved towards and away from the center of the drum (1).

Abstract: Separation of solid matter in a clarifying filtering centrifuge is performed by axially supplying a suspension, accelerating the axially supplied suspension by deflecting the latter via a distributing cone, radially deflecting the accelerated suspension over a rear wall of a separating chamber to a closed peripheral wall of the same, and thereafter axially deflecting the suspension in direction toward filter elements arranged normal to an axis of rotation of the centrifuge.

Abstract: A filter cartridge is structured of a filtration mat assembly wrapped or rolled about a central distribution tube. The filtration mat includes a plurality of hollow porous fiber strands carried by a fluid permeable sheet. Once the mat has been wrapped about the porous central distribution tube, both ends of the mat and distribution tube are firmly embedded in end caps. The central distribution tube is comprised of two tube segments which are telescopingly connected. Shrinkage and contraction or swelling and elongation of the mat's fibers cause the end caps to move toward or away from each other. This movement of the end caps is able to occur due to the ability of the telescoping central distribution tube to decrease or increase in length.

Abstract: In a water treatment apparatus, the jets in the distributor arms of a percolating filter are kept clear from jamming by automatic actuation of plungers which enter the jets to dislodge any obstructions therein, each plunger being individually mounted on the arm adjacent its respective jet.

Abstract: A belt press for use in removing water from sewage sludge, and including a frame, a pair of belts for compressing sludge material therebetween, the said belts being water-permeable whereby water in said sludge may drain through said belts, and a gravity belt thickener adjacent the belt press. The gravity belt thickener includes a belt having a belt flight adapted to support sewage sludge thereon, the belt of the gravity belt thickener having a width greater than the width of the belt of the belt press.

Abstract: The quantity of water on the surface of sand particles is reduced by applying an impact force, e.g. centrifugal force created by a rotating disc. The sand particles thus treated are especially suitable for preparing a green concrete compound or a cement mortar by mixing them with water, gravel and cement.

Abstract: A foreign matter removing apparatus for removing foreign matters from cooling water such as sea water taken as the cooling water for the condenser of, for example, a power generating plant. The apparatus has an inversed frusto-conical barrel, a filter of a substantially same form as the barrel and disposed in the latter, a cooling water inlet pipe connected to a side portion of the barrel, a cooling water outlet pipe connected to an upper portion of the barrel, a foreign matter discharge pipe connected to a lower side portion of the barrel, and a butterfly valve disposed in the cooling water inlet at which the cooling water inlet pipe is connected to the barrel. The foreign matter discharge pipe is periodically opened while varying the opening degree or angular position of the butterfly valve thereby to remove and discharge foreign matters from the filter surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for extracting finished juice from an initial juice including substantial solids or for extracting fluid, preferably finished to a high degree, from any slurry including substantial solids, wherein the slurry is introduced into one end of a cylindrical screen, the cylindrical screen being driven in rotation for centrifugally urging the slurry against the screen and causing fluid from the slurry to pass through the screen.

Abstract: A two-stage, screw-fed vertical mechanical separator for separating a low viscosity material from a high viscosity material, wherein the bulk of the low viscosity material is removed in the first stage and the high viscosity material is heated as a result of mechanical working through a restriction into a second stage and subjected to a vacuum to flash off residual low viscosity material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filter comprising a housing at inside which are provided two separate filtering zones, isolated one from the other, each zone containing a stack of filtering elements; at least one admission orifice for the fluid to be filtered; one rotary fluid distributor arranged so as to be co-axial to said filtering elements; and a motor driving the distributor coupled to a first end thereof, whereas the second end of the distributor is free with respect to the actual body of the filter, and is guided in rotation by said bore alone.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to the filtering of liquids charged with solid particles, with a filtration device of the kind comprising a rotary drum 1, a first continuous filter cloth 12 enflanking a first angular sector of the drum and separated from the drum in a second angular sector. A series of cellular elements 7 enflank the first sector and comprise a cell 9 whose bottom has grooves 11 in communication with a discharge orifice for clear liquid. Lateral injection means 35 for injecting a charged liquid which is to be filtered abreast of each cell. There is also a second continuous filter cloth 13 also enflanking the first sector and separated from the drum 1 in the said second angular sector. The outer surface of the drum has, abreast of each of the cells, a series of grooves 34 in communication with an orifice for recovery of clear liquid.

Abstract: A juice extraction apparatus comprising a generally vertically extending structure having side walls defining a generally vertically extending enclosed space, a vertical passage extending through said space, at least a portion of said passage being defined by a screen so juice from crushed fruit located in said passage may drain therethrough, means to duct extracted juice from within said space, and means to regulate the flow of the crushed fruit through said passage.

Abstract: A device for filtering a liquid, particularly molten polymer, removes incompletely molten polymer, foreign matter, aggregates of various additives and the like from the molten polymer prior to further processing of the liquid such as extrusion through a spinneret plate. The device comprises a housing provided with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet and, positioned between the inlet and the outlet, a filter pack built up of a number of filtering disks and supporting disks. The disks are so arranged the liquid to be filtered is caused to flow between a center portion and an outer surface of the filter pack. On the filter pack there is placed a piston for applying a compressive pressure to the pack. The piston is displaced and acts to compress the filter pack on a liquid supply side under the influence of the pressure of the liquid to be filtered.

Abstract: A slurry separator utilizes the power inherent in the pressurized slurry from the slurry pump through a reaction nozzle to drive a rotor, with the slurry distributed through the nozzle being distributed over the surface of a conical grid. The rotor structure also drives squeegee-like blades which scrape the solids downward inside the cone readying screen for the next discharge, and then sweeping them down into a cylindrical auger chamber where they are compacted downwardly against an inverted conical floor to further squeeze moisture through the sides of a housing cylinder. The conical floor of the compacting cylinder presses up against the particulates to be compacted with a resistance that is proportional to the speed of the rotor, achieved through the use of a centrifugal governor. This action makes it tolerant to variations in nozzle flow volume (pressure) and converts energy output into optimum separation.

Abstract: A dialyser has a membrane assembly (12) comprising two superposed conduits partially defined, and separated, by a transfer membrane wall. The walls of the conduit are provided with furrowing (38 or 39) extending with a component along the conduits. Blood is pumped through one conduit by a roller pump (21) and dialysate is pumped in counter current through the other conduit by a roller pump (24). The conduits communicate with separate chambers in flexible bladders (16) along each side edge of the conduits and the bladders are alternately compressed by rollers (27) to provide a superimposed reciprocatory flow component on the blood and dialysate in a direction transverse to the length of the conduits. This reciprocatory flow component, in conjunction with the furrows, produces vortexes in, and good mixing of, the blood and dialysate in their respective conduits and hence enhanced contact of each of these liquids with the transfer membrane wall.

Abstract: Filter apparatus for continuously separating filterable mixtures, such as fluid-solid or fluid-fluid mixtures, includes a closed loop tubular enclosure having an inlet, at least one filter section spaced downstream from the inlet, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced driving disks within the enclosure mounted for movement downstream therearound, the driving disks preferably being driven downstream through the enclosure by fluid flow from the inlet to the filter section for discharging at least a portion of the fluid. A backflow preventing portion of reduced inner cross section area may be provided upstream from the inlet and a residual material outlet may also be provided.

Abstract: A filter for separating solid bodies such as fish from a liquid stream such as flowing water to be used as a coolant for a power-generating plant comprises a cylindrical housing, an inlet conduit attached to a cylindrical wall of the housing substantially radially thereto, a first outlet conduit connected to a bottom end of the housing for drawing off filtrate, a second outlet conduit connected to the cylindrical housing wall opposite the inlet conduit for channeling away fish-laden effluent, a wedge disposed at the junction of the inlet conduit and the housing for dividing an incoming fluid stream into two equal portions, a filter sieve eccentrically disposed in the housing for forming therewith an annular filter chamber including tapered chamber halves of decreasing width in the direction of fluid flow, and a pair of independently actuatable gate flaps swingably mounted on the wedge for pivoting between respective closed positions engaging the housing and respective fully open positions engaging the sieve.

Abstract: A membrane pressure filter comprises a pressure chamber divided into non-intercommunicating first and second compartments by a substantially upright impermeable elastic membrane, said first compartment containing a filtering surface, and said impermeable elastic membrane either being constructed in a manner such that or co-operating with means such that, in use, when the material in said first compartment has a specific gravity which is greater than the specific gravity of the material in said second compartment, said membrane is constrained to adopt a shape such that the surface of the membrane opposite the filtering surface is substantially parallel to the filtering surface.

Abstract: Flow distribution means for a dewatering screen comprising a nozzle assembly having a rotatable valve and housing assembly extending transversely of the feed end of the screen. Manual or automatically operable actuator means are interconnected to the valve for controlling movement thereof to vary the size of the spout opening of the nozzle and for providing rapid opening of the spout for purging the nozzle assembly.

Abstract: A stationary chamber having a perforated peripheral wall contains an axial rotor having rubber-like radial carrier blades which, as the rotor rotates, are indented at their outer edges by guide means having helical turns extending along said peripheral wall. A passage allows ambient gas to enter the chamber so that the rotor's action on a liquid-solids mixture entering a first part of the chamber maintains a free liquid surface therein. The carrier blades and rotor coact with the helical turns to carry a liquid-bearing cake of the solids through the free liquid surface and thence through a second part of the chamber to a solids outlet, during draining of liquid from the cake through the perforated peripheral wall.

Abstract: A fluid filtering device comprises an inner member having an inner axial passageway for the fluid, and an outer housing radially spaced from the inner member to define therewith an outer axial passageway for the fluid, the inner member being formed with a radial passageway providing a communicating path between the two axial passageways for the fluid. A filter is disposed with the device upstream of the radial passageway in the path of the fluid flowing through the passageway, and a deflector is disposed within the axial passageway of the inner member on the upstream side of its radial passageway to deflect the fluid to flow through the radial passageway and through the filter. The deflector has a cylindrical wall disposed within the inner member and extending axially thereof, and a transverse wall extending transversely across the axial passageway of the inner member.

Abstract: An improved system for dewatering dilute slurries is disclosed. The system includes a spring-loaded sludge feed tray incorporating an adjustable flow splitter plug, along with spring-loaded sludge side guides. The sludge-cake compression section provides for a compression roller which is adjustable between two positions as a component in the backflushing of the sludge carrier screen using cake effluent. Also, a particular screen sludge solids loading range is employed which results in a significant improvement in performance and capacity of the dewatering system.

Abstract: This invention relates to a self-cleaning filter formed of an assembly of filtering elements fed in parallel, a rotary distributor enabling the feed of a series of filtration chambers to be cut off, wherein the distributor is driven by a hydraulic motor functioning under the pressure of the liquid filtered or to be filtered.

Abstract: A screening apparatus comprising a water receptacle, a screen frame mounted on the water receptacle with a screen covering the opening of the water receptacle, a sprinkler for sprinkling water into the screen frame and a vibrator for expanding and contracting air within the water receptacle to thereby vibrate the screen.

Abstract: An apparatus for filtering fluids to remove solid discard particles therefrom, in which the apparatus includes a housing having a filter chamber, an inlet-side sealing chamber, and a discharge-side sealing chamber, a movable fluid inlet member which is movable into and out of the housing and which includes inlet-side and discharge-side bearing surfaces, and flexible sealing members which cooperate with the bearing surfaces in the sealing chambers to seal the filter chamber, a movable length of filter medium, and means for displacing the bearing surfaces and the movable length of filter medium, and which is operated by displacing the discharge-side movable bearing surface so that the movable length of filter medium may pass clear thereof, and displacing the movable length of filter medium clear of the discharge-side movable bearing surface to provide synchronized removal of the used length of filter medium from the filter chamber with discard particles associated therewith which are embedded therein and collec