Centrifugal clarifier

Claim 2

A centrifugal clarifier for removal of contaminants from a liquid by separating the liquid into two liquid phases, which includes: a rotor comprising: a rotor shaft; a rotor housing to enclose an elongated intermediate portion of said shaft so as to provide around said intErmediate portion of said shaft an elongated working space of annular cross section; a set of partition wall means in said working space of said housing and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shaft from one end part of said intermediate portion to the other end part of said intermediate portion providing a number of elongated parallel annular chambers about said axis for major flow of liquid in said working space across a centrifugal force field and generally parallel to said axis; distributor means extending radially outward from said shaft within one end part of said housing and having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis to furnish feed liquid separately to said chambers; first collector means extending radially outward from said shaft within the other end part of said housing and having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis to receive one of the separated liquid phases from said chambers; and second collector means located between said end parts of said housing to receive the other of the separated liquid phases from said chambers, said rotor shaft having: a longitudinal inlet passageway extending inwardly to said one end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said inlet passageway with said distributor means; a first longitudinal outlet passageway for one of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said other end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said first outlet passageway with said first collector means; a second longitudinal outlet passageway for the other of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said intermediate portion of the shaft; and a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said second outlet passageway with said second collector means; a first outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from one of said first and second outlet passageways the separated liquid phase having a major proportion of contaminant from the feed liquid; a second outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from the other outlet passageway the other separated liquid phase as a clarified liquid; and valved means mounted on first outlet pipe to control the rate of removal of the separated liquid phase by said first outlet pipe, the total area of said openings at each band of radial distance from said axis for one of said distributor means for feed liquid and said collector means to receive the clarified liquid being basically proportional to the square of the radial distance.

Claim 3

The clarifier of claim 1 wherein: said rotor housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell; said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises: radial inlet pipes adjacent one of said circular discs and having holes in said inlet pipes to constitute said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; and means communicating the radially inner end of said inlet pipes with said radial passageway communicating with longitudinal inlet passageway; and said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises: radial outlet pipes adjacent the other of said circular discs and having holes in said outlet pipes to constitute said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; and means communicating radially the inner end of said outlet pipes with said radial passageway communicating with said first longitudinal outlet passageway.

Claim 4

The clarifier of claim 2 wherein: said set of partition wall means comprises a set of equally spaced concentric generally cylindrical shells spaced from said shaft aNd said housing shell in said working space; said holes in said inlet pipes at each of said bands of radial distances communicating only with one of said elongated parallel chambers and said holes being in alignment with the intermediate portion of the radial height of the associated parallel chamber; and said holes in said outlet pipes at each of said bands of radial distances communicating only with one of said elongated parallel chambers and said holes being adjacent one of the outer and inner peripheral portions of the associated parallel chamber.

Claim 5

The clarifier of claim 3 wherein: each of said concentric shells has holes about its periphery at a transverse plane that is between the said radial inlet pipes and said radial outlet pipes; said second collector means comprises: downcomers mounted on said concentric shells at said holes and extending radially inward with the inner end of each downcomer being spaced from the inner periphery of the parallel chamber in which it extends, said downcomers providing sets of radially aligned downcomers at different radii; said radial passageway communicating with said second outlet passageway being at the transverse plane containing said sets of downcomers; and said holes in said outlet pipes communicating with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber.

Claim 6

The clarifier of claim 4 wherein said housing shell and said concentric shells are cylindrical.

Claim 7

The clarifier of claim 3 wherein: said second collector means is located at a transverse plane between said radial inlet pipes and said radial outlet pipes and comprises: radial outlet pipes extending radially inward from said housing shell through said concentric shells at different radii and having said holes at each of said bands of radial distances that are in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber; baffles extending between adjacent outlet pipes of said collector means at the radial distance of said holes and constructed to divert to said holes liquid at that radial distance that would otherwise flow between those pipes toward said first collector means; inner radial pipes concentric with said radial outlet pipes of said second collector means and having their outer ends spaced from said housing shell to permit liquid flowing radially outward in said radial outlet pipes to flow radially inward in said inner radial pipes; and means communicating said inner pipes with said radial passageway communicating with said second longitudinal outlet passageway.

Claim 8

The clarifier of claim 6 where said housing shell and said concentric shells are cylindrical.

Claim 9

The clarifier of claim 1 wherein: said rotor housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell; said set of partition wall means comprises a set of equally spaced concentric generally cylindrical shells spaced from said shaft and said housing shell in said working space; said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; and said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber, said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis with each set being in alignment with one of the outer and inner peripheral portions of the associated parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells, Said concentric shells extending from said inlet disc to said outlet disc.

Claim 10

The clarifier of claim 8 wherein each set of said concentric sets of openings in said circular inlet disc is in alignment with an intermediate annular portion of that parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells in said working space.

Claim 11

The clarifier of claim 9 wherein: said housing shell and said concentric shells are cylindrical; each of said concentric shells has holes about its periphery at a transverse plane spaced from said inlet disc and said outlet disc; said second collector means comprises: downcomers mounted on said concentric shells at said holes and extending radially inward with the inner end of each downcomer being spaced from the inner periphery of the parallel chamber in which it extends, said downcomers providing sets of radially aligned downcomers at different radii; said radial passageway communicating with said second outlet passageway being at the transverse plane containing said sets of downcomers; and said holes in said outlet disc communicating with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber.

Claim 12

The clarifier of claim 10 wherein said cylindrical inlet chamber and said cylindrical outlet chamber contain radial baffles mounted to rotate with said shaft.

Claim 13

The clarifier of claim 9 wherein: said housing shell and said concentric shells are cylindrical; and said second collector means is located at a transverse plane between said inlet disc and said outlet disc and comprises: radial outlet pipes extending radially inward from said housing shell through said concentric shells at different radii and having said holes at each of said bands of radial distances that are in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber; baffles extending between adjacent outlet pipes of said collector means at the radial distance of said holes and constructed to divert to said holes liquid at that radial distance that would otherwise flow between those pipes toward said first collector means; inner radial pipes concentric with said radial outlet pipes of said second collector means and having their outer ends spaced from said housing shell to permit liquid flowing radially outward in said radial outlet pipes to flow radially inward in said inner radial pipes; and means communicating said inner pipes with said radial passageway communicating with said second longitudinal outlet passageway.

Claim 14

The clarifier of claim 12 wherein: said means communicating said inner pipes of said second collector means with said radial passageway comprises: a manifold hollow ring that is mounted on said shaft and having at its inner periphery an opening to communicate with said radial passageway, that has sidewalls that for their inner portion are straight and parallel and for their outer portion are converging outwardly to an outer periphery of lesser width than that of the inner periphery, and that at its outer peripheral wall has openings communicating with said inner ends of said radial outlet pipes of said second collector means; and a radial pipe communicating with said radial passageway, that communicates with said second collector means, and extending outwardly within said manifold ring at a radius other than the radii of said inner radial pipes within said radial outlet pipes, whereby liquid slurry passing through said inner radial pipes can be further centrifugally separated in said hollow ring to a slurry, with a higher solids content than that of said slurry received by said ring, and to additional clarified water; and said shaft further includes: a third longitudinal passageway extending inwardly to a transverse plane containing said ring; and a radial passageway communicating said third longitudinal passageway with said hollow ring to receive said additional clarified water.

Claim 15

The clarifier of claim 12 wherein: each of said concentric shells has holes about its periphery at a transverse plane between and spaced from said inlet disc and said transverse plane containing said radial outlet pipes of said second collector means; and said cylindrical inlet chamber and said cylindrical outlet chamber contain radial baffles mounted to rotate with said shaft, said clarifier further including: third collector means which comprises: downcomers mounted on said concentric shells at said holes of said shells and extending radially inward with the inner end of each downcomer being spaced from the inner periphery of the parallel chamber in which it extends, said downcomers providing sets of radially aligned downcomers at different radii; and a third longitudinal passageway extending inwardly to said transverse plane containing said downcomers; and a radial passageway communicating said third longitudinal passageway with the innermost of said parallel chambers at said transverse plane containing said downcomers.

Claim 16

The clarifier of claim 9 wherein: said housing shell and said concentric shells are slightly frustoconical, based on a cone with a small included angle; said inlet disc and adjacent housing disc have smaller diameters than those of said outlet disc and adjacent housing disc; and said second collector means is located at a transverse plane spaced from and between said inlet disc and said outlet disc and comprises: radial outlet pipes extending radially inward from said housing shell through said concentric shells at different radii and having said holes at each of said bands of radial distances that are in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber; baffles extending between adjacent outlet pipes of said collector means at the radial distance of said holes and constructed to divert to said holes liquid at that radial distance that would otherwise flow between those pipes toward said first collector means; inner radial pipes concentric with said radial outlet pipes of said second collector means and having their outer ends spaced from said housing shell to permit liquid flowing radially outward in said radial outlet pipes to flow radially inward in said inner radial pipes; and means communicating said inner pipes with said radial passageway communicating with said second longitudinal outlet passageway.

Claim 17

The clarifier of claim 1 wherein: said rotor housing comprises a cylindrical housing shell having one end portion that is offset radially outward and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell: said set of partition wall means comprises a set of equally spaced concentric generally cylindrical shells spaced from said shaft and said housing shell in said working space; said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises: a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell at the juncture of the main cylindrical portion of the rotor housing shell and the offset portion of that housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide, with said housing disc at that other end and with the offset end portion of said housing shell, a cylindrical outlet chamber having a larger diameter than that of the main portion of said housing shell, said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis with each set being in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells; radial pipes extending into the outer peripheral portion of said cylindrical outlet chamber provided by said offset portion of said housing shell and spaced from said offset portion of said housing shell to permit liquid flowing radially outward in said cylindrical outlet chamber to flow radially inward in said radial pipes toward said shaft; and means communicating said radial pipes with said radial passageway communicating with said first longitudinal outlet passageway; each of said concentric shells has holes about its periphery at a transverse plane between and spaced from said inlet disc and said outlet disc; said cylindrical inlet chamber contains radial baffles mounted to rotate with said shaft; said second collector means comprises: downcomers mounted on said concentric shells at said holes and extending radially inward with the inner end of each downcomer being spaced from the inner periphery of the parallel chamber in which it extends, said downcomers providing sets of radially aligned downcomers at different radii; said radial passageway, that communicates with said second outlet passageway, is at the transverse plane containing said sets of downcomers, said concentric shells extending from said inlet disc to said outlet disc.

Claim 18

The clarifier of claim 16 and further including in the outer peripheral portion of said cylindrical outlet chamber a number of plates arranged in a polygonal manner with each juncture of the adjacent ends of said plates that form two sides of the polygon being at the radius of one of said radial pipes within said cylindrical outlet chamber to divert liquid flowing radially outward in said outlet chamber toward said radial pipes.

Claim 19

The clarifier of claim 1 wherein: said rotor housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell; said set of partition wall means comprises a number of elongated plates that are disposed about said working space within said housing so that they are angularly disposed with respect to the radii of said shaft; said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; and said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber, said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis, said elongated plates extending from said inlet disc to said outlet disc to provide said elongated parallel chambers and the inner ends of said elongated plates being spaced from said shaft to provide said second collector means at said space around and adjacent said shaft.

Claim 20

The clarifier of claim 1 wherein: said rotor housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the end of said shell; said set of partition wall means comprises a set of elongated partition walls that are transversely curved and stepped with a space between each step of said partition wall and the next adjacent partition wall for radially inward flow of lighter liquid separating from feed liquid in which it is a contaminant, said set of curved and stepped partition walls providing a number of parallel chambers that are transversely curved and stepped; said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, exteNding from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; and said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber, said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis, said curved and stepped partition walls extending from said inlet disc to said outlet disc.

Claim 21

The clarifier of claim 1 wherein: said rotor housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell; said set of partition wall means are located at an outer annular portion of said working space within said housing and comprises a set of equally spaced concentric generally cylindrical shells spaced from said shaft by an inner annular portion of said working space and spaced from said housing shell in said working space; said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc at said outer annular portion of said working space, extending from said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber at that end of said outer annular portion to receive heavier liquid from said inner annular portion of said working space, said inlet disc having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial discs from said axis; said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft through said inner and outer annular portions of said working space to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber, said outlet disc having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis with each set being in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells in said outer annular portion of said working space; each of said concentric shells extends from said inlet disc to said outlet disc and has holes about its periphery at a transverse plane spaced from and between said inlet disc and said outlet disc; said second collector means comprises: downcomers mounted on said concentric shells at said holes and extending radially inward with the inner end of each downcomer, except those downcomers for the innermost concentric shell, being spaced from the inner periphery of the parallel chamber in which it extends; said inlet passageway extending inwardly beyond said one end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; said radial passageway communicating with said inlet passageway being located to communicate with it at that end of said inlet passageway; said radial passageway communicating with said second outlet passageway being located at a transverse plane intermediate the transverse plane containing said downcomers and the transverse plane containing said inlet chamber; and said first outlet pipe is connected to receive liquid from said radial passageway communicating with said second outlet passageway, said clarifier further including: means to introduce liquid to be treated into said inlet passageway; means to mix another liquid with said feed liquid in said feed introduction means; a set of equally spaced concentric perforated hollow cylinders in said inner annular portion of said working space, said perforated cylinders extending from said housing disc adjacent said inlet disc to said outlet disc, and the outermost of said perforated cyliNders being spaced from said innermost shell of said set of concentric shells that are in the outer annular portion of said working space; and radial pipes of equal length and at different radii communicating with said radial passageway communicating with said inlet passageway and extending through some of said perforated cylinders to discharge feed liquid at the same radial distance in said inner annular chamber, said downcomers extending from said innermost concentric shell passing through at least the outermost one of said concentric perforated hollow cylinders in said inner annular portion of said working space.

Claim 22

The clairifer of claim 1 wherein: said set of partition wall means comprises a set of equally spaced concentric cylindrical shells spaced from said shaft and said housing shell, said shells being partly at an inner annular portion and partly at an outer annular portion of said working space and one of the intermediate shells defining a common wall between said inner annular portion and said outer annular portion of said working space; said distributor means within one said end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell and spaced from one said end part of said housing, to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber for the parallel chambers defined by said cylindrical shells for the inner annular portion of said working space and to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber for said parallel chambers defined by said cylindrical shells for the outer annular portion of said working space, said inlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distance from said axis in alignment with said parallel chambers in said inner annular portion of said working space and having concentric sets of openings at different bands of longer radial distances from said axis in alignment with the intermediate portion of said parallel chambers in said outer annular portion of said working space; said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber, said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis with each set being in alignment with the inner peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells in the inner annular portion of said working space and having concentric sets of openings at different bands of longer radial distances from said axis with each set being in alignment with an associated parallel chamber in the outer annular portion provided by said concentric shells; said second collector means is located at a transverse plane spaced from and between said inlet disc and said outlet disc and comprises: radial outlet pipes extending radially inward from said housing shell through said concentric shells in said inner annular portion of said working space at different radii to said shell providing said common wall and having said holes at each of said bands of radial distances that are in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber; baffles extending between adjacent outlet pipes of said collector means at the radial distance of said holes and constructed to divert to said holes liquid at that radial distance that would otherwise flow between those pipes toward said first collector means; inner radial pipes concentric with said radial outlet pipes of said second collector means and having their outer ends spaced from said housing shell to permit liquid flowing radially outward in said radial outlet pipes to flow radially inward in said inner radial pipes; and means communicating said inner pipes with said radial passageway communicating with said second longitudinal outlet passAgeway, said shaft has third and fourth longitudinal outlet passageways and third and fourth radial passageways communicating with said inner end of said third and fourth outlet passageways, said set of concentric shells extending from said inlet disc to said outlet disc, and said rotor of said clarifier further including: radial baffles in said cylindrical inlet chamber and mounted to rotate with said shaft, said radial baffles extending outwardly to a radial distance less than the radial distance of said shell providing said common wall; radial baffles in said chamber between said inlet disc and said one end part of said housing and spaced from said housing shell, said baffles being in alignment with the outer annular portion of said working space; third collector means located primarily within said outer annular portion of said working space and comprising: second radial outlet pipes extending radially inward from said housing shell through said concentric shells in said outer annular portion of said working space at different radii and having holes at each of said bands of radial distances that are in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber in said outer annular portion of said working space; baffles extending between adjacent second outlet pipes of said third collector means at the radial distance of said holes and constructed to divert to said holes liquid at that radial distance that would otherwise flow between those pipes toward said outer annular portion of said inlet disc; second inner radial pipes concentric with said radial outlet pipes of said third collector means and having their outer ends spaced from said housing shell to permit liquid flowing radially outward in said second radial outlet pipes to flow radially inward in said second inner radial pipes; and means communicating said inner pipes with said third radial passageway communicating with said third longitudinal outlet passageway; fourth collector means comprising: holes in each of said shells in the outer annular portion of said working space and said shell providing the common wall, between that annular portion and said inner annular portion, said holes being about the periphery of each shell at a transverse plane spaced from and between said radial outlet pipes in said outer annular portion of said working space and said outlet disc; downcomers mounted on said concentric shells in said outer annular portion at said holes and extending radially inward with the inner end of each downcomer being spaced from the inner periphery of the next parallel chamber in said outer annular portion, while said downcomers mounted on said shell providing said common wall extends through said shells in said inner annular chamber to the innermost parallel chamber of said inner annular portion of said working space; and means communicating said downcomers, extending from said shell providing said common wall, communicating with said fourth radial passageway at the transverse plane containing said downcomers; a short cylindrical shell between said one end of said housing and said inlet disc to separate the chamber therebetween into an inner annular chamber and an outer annular chamber having radial dimensions corresponding generally to those of said inner and outer annular portions of said working space; and means for communicating said outer annular chamber between one end of said housing and said inner disc with said radial passageway communicating with said first longitudinal passageway and thereby communicating said outlet chamber with that longitudinal passageway through said parallel chambers in said outer annular portion of said working space.

Claim 23

A centrifugal clarifier for removal of contaminants from a liquid by separating the liquid into two liquid phases, which includes: a rotor comprising: a rotor shaft; a rotor housing to enclose an elongated intermediate portion of said shaft So as to provide around said intermediate portion of said shaft an elongated working space of annular cross section, said rotor housing comprising a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell; a set of equally spaced concentric generally cylindrical shells spaced from said shaft and said housing shell in said working space defining a plurality of chambers; distributor means extending radially outward from said shaft within one end part of said housing and having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis to furnish feed liquid separately to said chambers; first collector means extending radially outward from said shaft within the other end part of said housing and having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis to receive one of the separated liquid phases from said chambers; and second collector means located between said end parts of said housing to receive the other of the separated liquid phases from said chambers, said rotor shaft having: a longitudinal inlet passageway extending inwardly to said one end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said inlet passageway with said distributor means; a first longitudinal outlet passageway for one of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said other end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said first outlet passageway with said first collector means; a second longitudinal outlet passageway for the other of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said intermediate portion of the shaft; and a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said second outlet passageway with said second collector means; a first outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from one of said first and second outlet passageways the separated liquid phase having a major proportion of contaminant from the feed liquid; a second outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from the other outlet passageway the other separated liquid phase as a clarified liquid; and valved means mounted on first outlet pipe to control the rate of removal of the separated liquid phase by said first outlet pipe.

Claim 24

A centrifugal clarifier for removal of contaminants from a liquid by separating the liquid into two liquid phases, which includes: a rotor comprising: a rotor shaft; a rotor housing to enclose an elongated intermediate portion of said shaft So as to provide around said intermediate portion of said shaft an elongated working space of annular cross section, said rotor housing comprising a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell; a set of equally spaced concentric generally cylindrical shells spaced from said shaft and said housing shell in said working space defining a plurality of chambers; distributor means extending radially outward from said shaft within one end part of said housing and having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis to furnish feed liquid separately to said chambers; first collector means extending radially outward from said shaft within the other end part of said housing and having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis to receive one of the separated liquid phases from said chambers; and second collector means located between said end parts of said housing to receive the other of the separated liquid phases from said chambers, said rotor shaft having: a longitudinal inlet passageway extending inwardly to said one end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said inlet passageway with said distributor means; a first longitudinal outlet passageway for one of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said other end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said first outlet passageway with said first collector means; a second longitudinal outlet passageway for the other of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said intermediate portion of the shaft; and a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said second outlet passageway with said second collector means; a first outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from one of said first and second outlet passageways the separated liquid phase having a major proportion of contaminant from the feed liquid; a second outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from the other outlet passageway the other separated liquid phase as a clarified liquid; and valved means mounted on first outlet pipe to control the rate of removal of the separated liquid phase by said first outlet pipe.

Claim 25

The clarifier of claim 22 wherein: said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber, said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis with each set being in alignment with one of the outer and inner peripheral portions of the associated parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells; each set of said concentric sets of openings in said circular inlet disc is in alignment with an intermediate annular portion of that parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells in said working space; said housing shell and said concentric shells are cylindrical; each of said concentric shells has holes about its periphery at a transverse plane spaced from said inlet disc and said outlet disc; said second collector means comprises: downcomers mounted on said concentric shells at said holes and extending radially inward with the inner end of each downcomer being spaced from the inner periphery of tHe parallel chamber in which it extends, said downcomers providing sets of radially aligned downcomers at different radii; said radial passageway communicating with said second outlet passageway being at the transverse plane containing said sets of downcomers; and said holes in said outlet disc communicating with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber.

Claim 26

The clarifier of claim 22 wherein: said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber, said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis with each set being in alignment with one of the outer and inner peripheral portions of the associated parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells; said housing shell and said concentric shells are cylindrical; and said second collector means is located at a transverse plane between said inlet disc and said outlet disc and comprises: radial outlet pipes extending radially inward from said housing shell through said concentric shells at different radii and having said holes at each of said bands of radial distances that are in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber; baffles extending between adjacent outlet pipes of said collector means at the radial distance of said holes and constructed to divert to said holes liquid at that radial distance that would otherwise flow between those pipes toward said first collector means; inner radial pipes concentric with said radial outlet pipes of said second collector means and having their outer ends spaced from said housing shell to permit liquid flowing radially outward in said radial outlet pipes to flow radially inward in said inner radial pipes; and means communicating said inner pipes with said radial passageway communicating with said second longitudinal outlet passageway.

Claim 27

The clarifier of claim 22 wherein: said distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis; said first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises: a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide, with said housing disc at that other end, a cylindrical outlet chamber, said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis with each set being in alignment with the outer peripheral portion of the associated parallel chamber provided by said concentric shells; radial pipes extending into the outer peripheral portion of said cylindrical outlet chamber provided by said offset portion of said housing shell and spaced from said offset portion of said housing shell to permit liquid flowing radially outward in said cylindrical outlet chamber to flow radially inward in said radial pipes toward said shaft; and means communicating said radial pipes with said radial passageway communicating with said first longitudinal outlet passageway; each of said concentric shells has holes About its periphery at a transverse plane between and spaced from said inlet disc and said outlet disc; said cylindrical inlet chamber contains radial baffles mounted to rotate with said shaft; said second collector means comprises: downcomers mounted on said concentric shells at said holes and extending radially inward with the inner end of each downcomer being spaced from the inner periphery of the parallel chamber in which it extends, said down comers providing sets of radially aligned downcomers at different radii; said radial passageway, that communicates with said second outlet passageway, is at the transverse plane containing said sets of downcomers, said concentric shells extending from said inlet disc to said outlet disc.

Claim 28

A centrifugal clarifier for removal of contaminants from a liquid by separating the liquid into two liquid phases, which includes: a rotor comprising: a rotor shaft; a rotor housing to enclose an elongated intermediate portion of said shaft so as to provide around said intermediate portion of said shaft an elongated working space of annular cross section, said rotor housing comprising a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell; a set of partition walls comprises a set of elongated partition walls that are transversely curved and stepped with a space between each step of said partition wall and the next adjacent partition wall for radially inward flow of lighter liquid separating from feed liquid in which it is a contaminant, said set of curved and stepped partition walls providing a number of generally parallel chambers that are transversely curved and stepped; distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis providing inlets to said chambers; first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis, said curved and stepped partition walls extending from said inlet disc to said outlet disc; second collector means located between said end parts of said housing to receive the other of the separated liquid phases from said chambers, said rotor shaft having: a longitudinal inlet passageway extending inwardly to said one end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said inlet passageway with said distributor means; a first longitudinal outlet passageway for one of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said other end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said first outlet passageway with said first collector means; a second longitudinal outlet passageway for the other of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said intermediate portion of the shaft; and a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said second outlet passageway with said second collector means; a first outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from one of said first and second outlet passageways the separated liquid phase having a major proportion of contaminant from the feed liquid; a second outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from the other outlet passageway the other separated liquid phase as a clarified liquid; and valved means mounted on first outlet pipe to control the raTe of removal of the separated liquid phase by said first outlet pipe.

Claim 29

A centrifugal clarifier for removal of contaminants from a liquid by separating the liquid into two liquid phases, which includes: a rotor comprising: a rotor shaft; a rotor housing to enclose an elongated intermediate portion of said shaft so as to provide around said intermediate portion of said shaft an elongated working space of annular cross section, said rotor housing comprising a generally cylindrical housing shell and two circular discs mounted on said shaft and connected at their periphery to the ends of said shell; a set of partition walls comprises a set of elongated partition walls that are transversely curved and stepped with a space between each step of said partition wall and the next adjacent partition wall for radially inward flow of lighter liquid separating from feed liquid in which it is a contaminant, said set of curved and stepped partition walls providing a number of generally parallel chambers that are transversely curved and stepped; distributor means within said one end part of said housing comprises a circular inlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said one end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical inlet chamber, said inlet disc having concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis providing inlets to said chambers; first collector means within said other end part of said housing comprises a circular outlet disc mounted on said rotor shaft, extending from said shaft to said housing shell, and spaced from said other end part of said housing to provide a cylindrical outlet chamber said outlet disc having said concentric sets of openings at different bands of radial distances from said axis, said curved and stepped partition walls extending from said inlet disc to said outlet disc; second collector means located between said end parts of said housing to receive the other of the separated liquid phases from said chambers, said rotor shaft having: a longitudinal inlet passageway extending inwardly to said one end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said inlet passageway with said distributor means; a first longitudinal outlet passageway for one of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said other end part of said intermediate portion of the shaft; a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said first outlet passageway with said first collector means; a second longitudinal outlet passageway for the other of the separated liquid phases extending inwardly to said intermediate portion of the shaft; and a radial passageway communicating said inner end of said second outlet passageway with said second collector means; a first outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from one of said first and second outlet passageways the separated liquid phase having a major proportion of contaminant from the feed liquid; a second outlet pipe connected to said rotor to receive from the other outlet passageway the other separated liquid phase as a clarified liquid; and valved means mounted on first outlet pipe to control the raTe of removal of the separated liquid phase by said first outlet pipe.