Method of removing solid particles from a mixture comprising a viscous liquid, and separator for the carrying out of this method

Claim 1

Apparatus for removing solid particles from a viscous liquid comprising, means defining a compartment into which a flow of a mixture of viscous liquid with solid particles suspended therein is continuously flowed downwardly during operation, said compartment having a first upstanding perforated wall and a second upstanding perforated wall confronting the first perforated wall, means to continuously apply air pressure to the first perforated wall from externally of the compartment into the compartment toward said second perforated wall and to the flowing mixture therethrough, means for keeping said mixture from flowing through the perforations of said second perforated wall, said means comprising a plurality of axially reciprocated partial plugs extending axially into the second perforated wall perforations from externally of the compartment to keep particles from filling and passing through said perforations and to restrict flow therethrough to only said flow of liquid, means to selectively reciprocably actuate the plugs axially into said compartment to maintain the perforations of said second perforated wall clean and unobstructed, means for supplying said mixture into said compartment, means isolated from the means to continuously apply air pressure for applying a vacuum to the perforations of the second perforated wall from externally of the compartment to effect said flow of liquid therethrough, means to collect the liquid passing out from said compartment through the perforations of said second perforated wall, a plurality of driven scrapers in said compartment, said scrapers been constructed and arranged for scraping inner surfaces of the second perforated wall to remove solid particles therefrom when said plugs are retracted from said compartment, and means to remove solid particles collected in the bottom of said compartment.

Claim 7

A method of removing solid particles from a viscous liquid comprising, confining volumes, of a flow of viscous liquid having solid particles suspended therein in an inclined space, continuously applying air pressure from externally of said space to one inclined side of the viscous liquid volume in said space on a plurality of local areas on the surface of said side of the volume of viscous liquid while simultaneously continuously applying a vacuum to a plurality of restricted local areas on an opposite inclined side of the volume of viscous liquid to flow the entire flow of viscous liquid through restricted passages corresponding with said local areas under vacuum and dimensioned to preclude passage of said solid particles therethrough, whereby the solid particles are retained in the space in which said volume of viscous liquid is confined, selectively mechanically removing solid particles entrained in said restricted passages into said space while applying said vacuum and flowing said liquid therethrough, mechanically scraping off solid particles in said space from a boundary thereof defining and confining the opposite inclined side of the volume of viscous liquid, and removing from a lower part of said space said solid particles.

Claim 8

A method of removing solid particles from a viscous liquid comprising, confining volumes, of a flow of viscous liquid having solid particles suspended therein in an inclined space, continuously applying air pressure from externally of said space to one inclined side of the viscous liquid volume in said space on a plurality of local areas on the surface of said side of the volume of viscous liquid while simultaneously continuously applying a vacuum to a plurality of restricted local areas on an opposite inclined side of the volume of viscous liquid to flow the entire flow of viscous liquid through restricted passages corresponding with said local areas under vacuum and dimensioned to preclude passage of said solid particles therethrough, whereby the solid particles are retained in the space in which said volume of viscous liquid is confined, selectively mechanically removing solid particles entrained in said restricted passages into said space while applying said vacuum and flowing said liquid therethrough, mechanically scraping off solid particles in said space from a boundary thereof defining and confining the opposite inclined side of the volume of viscous liquid, and removing from a lower part of said space said solid particles.