Centrifuge with peripheral outlets and stationary paring device

Claim 1

In combination with a centrifugal separator including a rotor forming a separating chamber and having a central inlet for a mixture to be centrifuged, the rotor also having normally closed peripheral outlets adapted to be opened intermittently during rotation of the rotor to effect intermittent discharge of a separated heavy component from the separating chamber, the rotor also forming a paring chamber located near the rotor axis and communicating with the separating chamber, and stationary paring means extending into the paring chamber and having a paring channel for discharging liquid separated from said mixture, an arrangement for preventing air from passing into said paring channel when the liquid level within the rotor moves radially outward due to opening of said peripheral outlets, said arrangement comprising an annular partition connected with the rotor and located between the separating chamber and the paring chamber, said partition allowing liquid flow, during normal operation of the rotor, from the separating chamber to the paring chamber but extending so far inwardly toward the rotor axis that upon movement of the liquid level in the separating chamber radially outward due to opening of said peripheral outlets, said partition prevents some liquid in the paring chamber from flowing back to the separating chamber, said arangement also comprising a first annular stationary disc coaxial with the rotor and extending into the paring chamber to a level radially outside the innermost part of the partition, said disc being arranged to maintain a liquid seal between the separating chamber and the opening of said paring channel into the paring chamber when said peripheral outlets are opened during rotation of the rotor, and means including a second annular stationary disc operable during rotation of the rotor to form a liquid seal between said opening of the paring channel and the atmosphere surrounding the rotor, there being a gas-venting passage between the interior of the rotor and the surrounding atmosphere, said passage affording unobstructed flow of air in both directions through the passage.