Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of cleaning a circular filter element provided with a filtering material upon a surface of which a cake is deposited during a filtering process, comprising the steps of providing a nozzle means positioned over said cake; ejecting a cleaning fluid through said nozzle means; contemporaneously cyclically sweeping said nozzle means in a substantially circular arc defined by a first fixed point coincident with the periphery of said circular filter element, a second fixed point coincident with that portion of said cake nearest the central axis of said circular filter element and a third fixed point also coincident to the periphery of said circular filter element, and contemporaneously rotating said circular filter element about said central axis, said steps of ejecting, sweeping and rotating being sufficient to convert said cake into a slurry so as to provide substantially complete removal thereof from said circular filter element.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of cleaning a circular filter element provided with a filtering material upon a surface of which a cake is deposited during a filtering process, comprising the steps of providing a nozzle means positioned over said cake; ejecting a cleaning fluid through said nozzle means; contemporaneously cyclically sweeping said nozzle means in a substantially circular arc defined by a first fixed point coincident with the periphery of said circular filter element, a second fixed point coincident with that portion of said cake nearest the central axis of said circular filter element and a third fixed point also coincident to the periphery of said circular filter element, and contemporaneously rotating said circular filter element about said central axis, said steps of ejecting, sweeping and rotating being sufficient to convert said cake into a slurry so as to provide substantially complete removal thereof from said circular filter element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said turning step includes turning said nozzle means in two opposite directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said ejecting step includes utilizing a filtrate as said cleaning fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said ejecting step includes utilizing gas as said cleaning fluid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as defined in claim 4, wherein said gas is an inert gas.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising the step of applying to said cleaning fluid an adjustable elevated pressure so that said cleaning fluid exists from said nozzle means at a pressure between substantially 5 and 100 bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the step of applying is carried out during only a part of said step of ejecting.