Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
314 words
An apparatus for centrifugal filtration of suspended solids, said apparatus comprising; a pressure housing defining a pressurized space; a drive shaft having an axis of rotation inside said pressurized space; a filtrate inlet conduit for introducing filtrate of a density d L containing suspended material; a filter medium connected to said drive shaft and centered on said axis of rotation, defining an interior space communicating with said pressurized space, and surrounding said inlet conduit; a solid jacket drum connected to said drive shaft and centered on said axis of rotation, surrounding said filter medium, and defining a filtrate collector space; a partition in said filtrate collector space defining a filtrate withdrawal space in communication with said filtrate collector space; a filtrate withdrawal conduit having an end within said filtrate withdrawal space positioned to establish a liquid level r a ; a gas exhaust conduit in communication with said filtrate collector space; a pressure conduit in communication with said pressure housing; means for generating pressure in said pressure conduit so as to produce a pressure p u , within said pressure housing and inside said interior space; means for reducing pressure in said gas exhaust conduit below said pressure p U , to a pressure p O resulting in a pressure gradient Δp where Δp=p u -p O ; means for rotating said drive shaft at an angular velocity w whereby a filter cake is formed on said filter medium and a filtrate liquid level r i substantially below said gas exhaust conduit is established in said filtrate collector space; and means for controlling operation of said apparatus whereby a hydrostatic pressure p z is maintained across said filter medium corresponding to said pressure gradient Δp where p.sub.z 1/2d.sub.L (w.sup.2) (r.sub.a.sup.2 -r.sub.i.sup.2); and means for reverse flushing said filter medium while rotating said filter at a reduced rotational speed compared to a filtration rotational speed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
314 words
An apparatus for centrifugal filtration of suspended solids, said apparatus comprising; a pressure housing defining a pressurized space; a drive shaft having an axis of rotation inside said pressurized space; a filtrate inlet conduit for introducing filtrate of a density d L containing suspended material; a filter medium connected to said drive shaft and centered on said axis of rotation, defining an interior space communicating with said pressurized space, and surrounding said inlet conduit; a solid jacket drum connected to said drive shaft and centered on said axis of rotation, surrounding said filter medium, and defining a filtrate collector space; a partition in said filtrate collector space defining a filtrate withdrawal space in communication with said filtrate collector space; a filtrate withdrawal conduit having an end within said filtrate withdrawal space positioned to establish a liquid level r a ; a gas exhaust conduit in communication with said filtrate collector space; a pressure conduit in communication with said pressure housing; means for generating pressure in said pressure conduit so as to produce a pressure p u , within said pressure housing and inside said interior space; means for reducing pressure in said gas exhaust conduit below said pressure p U , to a pressure p O resulting in a pressure gradient Δp where Δp=p u -p O ; means for rotating said drive shaft at an angular velocity w whereby a filter cake is formed on said filter medium and a filtrate liquid level r i substantially below said gas exhaust conduit is established in said filtrate collector space; and means for controlling operation of said apparatus whereby a hydrostatic pressure p z is maintained across said filter medium corresponding to said pressure gradient Δp where p.sub.z 1/2d.sub.L (w.sup.2) (r.sub.a.sup.2 -r.sub.i.sup.2); and means for reverse flushing said filter medium while rotating said filter at a reduced rotational speed compared to a filtration rotational speed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said filtrate withdrawal space is axially disposed within said solid jacket drum and with respect to said filtrate inlet conduit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said filtrate withdrawal space is annular to said gas exhaust conduit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said filtrate withdrawal conduit comprises an angled conduit section within said annular withdrawal space.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said filtrate withdrawal conduit further comprises means for radially adjusting said end of said filtrate withdrawal conduit within said annular withdrawal space.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for controlling said means for radially adjusting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said gas exhaust conduit is aligned with said axis of rotation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising connection means for rigidly connecting said gas exhaust conduit to said solid jacket drum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said connection means further comprises fluid communication means for establishing said fluid communication between said gas exhaust conduit and either or both of said filter medium and said filtrate collector space.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said fluid communication means comprises a spacer grid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for generating pressure is connected by a recycle conduit to said gas exhaust conduit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said recycle conduit comprises a condenser.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said recycle conduit comprises a radiator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said recycle conduit comprises a heater.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the connections form a closed system for recycle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said recycle conduit comprises a 4 port/2 way valve connected to said pressure conduit for passing pressurized gas to said gas exhaust conduit and said solid jacket drum.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a peeling device comprising a collector blade in adjustable communication with solids retained by said filter medium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said peeling device further comprises a discharge conduit in fluid communication with said collector blade for removing solids freed from said filter medium by said collector blade when in communication with said filter medium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gas exhaust conduit comprises a check valve.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
241 words
A method for filtration of suspended solids comprising the steps of: introducing filtrate of a density d L containing suspended material through a filtrate inlet conduit to an interior space defined by a filter medium, said interior space communicating with a pressurized space surrounding said filtrate inlet conduit; reducing pressure in a filtrate collector space defined by a solid jacket drum surrounding said filter medium to a pressure p o ; generating a pressure p u , within said pressure housing and inside said interior space above said pressure p o , resulting in a pressure gradient Δp where Δp=p u -p o ; rotating said filter medium and said solid jacket drum at an angular velocity w whereby a filter cake is formed on said filter medium, a filtrate liquid level r i substantially below a gas exhaust conduit is established in said filtrate collector space, and said filtrate flows to a filtrate withdrawal spaced defined by a partition in said filtrate collector space; and integrating the steps of reducing, generating, and rotating through a connector control unit thereby maintaining a hydrostatic pressure p z across said filter medium corresponding to said pressure gradient Δp where p.sub.z =1/2d.sub.L (w.sup.2) (r.sub.a.sup.2 -r.sub.i.sup.2); and reverse flushing said filter medium while rotating said filter at a reduced angular velocity p z correlated to centrifugal pressure of a liquid column r a -r i , wherein r i is a reverse flushing liquid level.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
241 words
A method for filtration of suspended solids comprising the steps of: introducing filtrate of a density d L containing suspended material through a filtrate inlet conduit to an interior space defined by a filter medium, said interior space communicating with a pressurized space surrounding said filtrate inlet conduit; reducing pressure in a filtrate collector space defined by a solid jacket drum surrounding said filter medium to a pressure p o ; generating a pressure p u , within said pressure housing and inside said interior space above said pressure p o , resulting in a pressure gradient Δp where Δp=p u -p o ; rotating said filter medium and said solid jacket drum at an angular velocity w whereby a filter cake is formed on said filter medium, a filtrate liquid level r i substantially below a gas exhaust conduit is established in said filtrate collector space, and said filtrate flows to a filtrate withdrawal spaced defined by a partition in said filtrate collector space; and integrating the steps of reducing, generating, and rotating through a connector control unit thereby maintaining a hydrostatic pressure p z across said filter medium corresponding to said pressure gradient Δp where p.sub.z =1/2d.sub.L (w.sup.2) (r.sub.a.sup.2 -r.sub.i.sup.2); and reverse flushing said filter medium while rotating said filter at a reduced angular velocity p z correlated to centrifugal pressure of a liquid column r a -r i , wherein r i is a reverse flushing liquid level.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method for filtration according to claim 20, said process further comprising the steps of: removing said filter cake from said filter medium; and discharging said filter cake from said interior space.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method for filtration according to claim 20, further comprising the steps of: generating a pressure in said filtrate collector space; and reducing pressure in said pressure housing and inside said interior space.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method for filtration according to claim 20 wherein the step of reducing pressure in said filtrate collector space further comprises: collecting exhausted gas from reducing pressure in said filtrate collector space; and wherein the step of generating a pressure further comprises reintroducing said exhausted gas into said pressure housing.