Combination clarifier and contactor

Claim 1

IN A CENTRIFUGAL CONTACTING APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A FIRST LIQUID PHASE CONTAINING SUSPENDED SOLID MATERIAL FROM WHICH THE SOLID MATERIAL IS DESIRABLY REMOVED PRIOR TO CONTACTING WITH A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY IMMISCIBLE LIQUID PHASE OF DIFFERENT DENSITY, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: (1) A ROTATIVELY MOUNTED SHAFT PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF LIQUID FLOW PASSAGES THEREIN; (2) A ROTOR CASING MOUNTED COAXIALLY ON SAID SHAFT AND PROVIDING A PRESSURE-RETAINING WORKING SPACE THEREIN EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SHAFT; (3) PARTITION MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID ROTOR CASING TO EXTEND OUTWARDLY BETWEEN SAID SHAFT AND THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID CASING, SAID PARTITION MEANS DIVIDING SAID WORKING SPACE INTO TWO SIDE-BY-SIDE CHAMBERS COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND CHAMBERS; (4) INLET MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SAID FIRST LIQUID PHASE TO THE FIRST ONE OF SAID FIRST LIQUID PHASE OF SAID SHAFT PASSAGES; (5) OPENING MEANS PROVIDED IN THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID CASING AND EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID FIRST CHAMBER TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CASING; (6) SOLIDS DISCHARGE VALVE MEANS MOUNTED IN THE OUTER PORTION OF THE FIRST CHAMBER FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID OPEINING MEANS TO EFFECT THE DISCHARGE OF THE SOLID MATERIAL SEPARATED IN SAID FIRST CHAMBER; (7) BY-PASS OPENING MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID PARTITION MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING SAID FIRST PHASE AFTER THE SEPARATION OF THE SOLID MATERIAL THEREFROM TO SAID SECOND CHAMBER, SAID BY-PASS OPENING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FIRST CHAMBER AT A POINT INWARDLY OF THE OUTER PORTION THEREOF; (8) INLET MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SAID SECOND PHASE TO SAID SECOND CHAMBER FROM A SECOND ONE OF SAID SHAFT PASSAGES, THE INLET FROM SAID INLET MEANS BEING LOCATED IN RADIALLY-SPACED RELATION IN SAID SECOND CHAMBER WITH RESPECT TO THE INLET THERETO FROM SAID BYPASS MEANS TO PROVIDE A COUNTERCURRENT CONTACTING ZONE BETWEEN SAID INLETS; (9) A HEAVY PHASE OUTLET MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID SECOND CHAMBER TO A THIRD ONE OF SAID SHAFT PASSAGES; AND (10) LIGHT PHASE OUTLET MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE INNER PORTION OF SAID SECOND CHAMBER TO A FOURTH ONE OF SAID SHAFT PASSAGES.