Apparatus for clarifying liquids containing suspended solids

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLID PARTICLES CAPABLE OF FLOCCULATION FROM A LIQUID, COMPRISING: A VERTICAL AXIS CYLINDER OPEN OVER SUBSTANTIALLY ITS ENTIRE BOTTOM AREA, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CYLINDER FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS VERTICAL AXIS, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID CYLINDER AT RELATIVELY HIGH PERIPHERAL SPEEDS, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A LIQUID CARRYING SOLID PARTICLES THEREIN INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CYLINDER, MEANS FOR DIRECTING SAID LIQUID INTO CONTACT WITH THE UPPER INNER WALLS OF SAID CYLINDER FOR DOWNWARD FLOW OVER THE INNER WALLS OF SAID CYLINDER, A CHAMBER SURROUNDING SAID CYLINDER, MEANS DEFINING IMPACT SURFACES PERPENDICULARLY ARRANGED AROUND THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID CYLINDER, WHEREBY BOTH THE LIQUID FLOWING DOWNWARDLY PAST THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID CYLINDER AND GAS WITHIN SAID CHAMBER FLOWING INTO SAID CYLINDER ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY THROWN IN RELATIVELY THIN SHEET FORM AT HIGH VELOCITY AGAINST SAID INPACT SURFACES, A ROTARY VERTICAL AXIS DISH DISPOSED IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID CYLINDER, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DISH, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING AN ELECTROLYTE INTO SAID DISH FOR ADDITION TO SAID LIQUID BY A CENTRIFUGAL DISTRIBUTION ACTION PRODUCED BY THE ROTATION OF SAID DISH.