Method of controlling hydroseparator operation

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR CONTROL OF THE OPERATION OF A HYDROSEPARATOR, INCLUDING A CONTINUOUS INTRODUCTION OF A SLURRY FEED, AND OF A SEPARATE FLOW OF PROCESS LIQUID INTO A CONTAINED BODY OF SLURRY IN TH EHYDROSEPARATOR, CONTINUOUSLY OVERFLOWING LIQUID OF THE TREATMENT FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID BODY REMOTE FROM SAID FEED INTRODUCTION, CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING SETTLED SOLIDS OF THE TREATMENT AS AN UNDERFLOW PULP THOUGH A POINT OF DISCHARGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINED BODY AND CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING A BACKWASH LIQUID INTO THE UNDERFLOW PULP DISCHARGE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES ESTABLISHING AN ESSENTIALLY UNIFORM PUMP DENSITY IN THE UNDERFLOW PULP BY AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE VOLUME OF UNDERFLOW DISCHARGE IN RELATION TO A CONTINUOUS DETERMINATION OF PULP DENSITY, AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING PROCESS LIQUOR INPUT INTO THE CONTAINED BODY IN RELATION TO A CONTINUOUS DETERMINATION OF OVERFLOW RATE, AND AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAINING A FLOW RATE OF THE BACKWASH LIQUID IN A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT RATIO TO A CONTINUOUS DETERMINATION OF THE FLOW RATE OF THE UNDERFLOW PULP DISCHARGE.