CA3081915A1 - Centrifuge - Google Patents

Abstract

A centrifuge, in which a flowable starting product (AP) can be clarified of solid substances F in a continuous operation in a centrifugal field in a rotating drum (1), wherein the drum (1) has a drum top part (4) and a drum bottom part (3), and wherein the drum top part (4) or the drum bottom part (3) has a movable piston valve (11), by means of which outlet openings (2) in the drum (1) can be opened or closed, wherein one or more wear protection elements are also provided to protect against abrasive wear, the centrifuge having one or both of the following features: a. the drum is provided with two or more first wear protection elements (16) on an axial annular surface (4a) of the drum top part (4) or the drum bottom part, wherein the wear protection elements (16, 17) are in the shape of circular ring segments, and/or b. the piston valve (11) is provided with two or more second wear protection elements (17) on a corresponding axial annular surface (11a), wherein the wear protection elements (16, 17) are in the shape of circular ring segments.

Description

Centrifuge The invention relates to a centrifuge in which a flowable starting product can be clari-fied of solids in continuous operation in a centrifugal field in a rotating drum, wherein the drum comprises a drum top part and a drum bottom part, and wherein the drum top part or the drum bottom part comprises a movable piston valve, by means of which outlet openings in the drum can be opened or closed, wherein further one or more wear protection elements are provided for protection against abrasive wear.
The starting product to be clarified by a centrifuge drum and thus also the solids con-tained therein - which may be waste materials but also valuable materials -are sub-jected to a high centripetal acceleration, which can be more than 10,000 times the acceleration due to gravity (more than 10,000 g) in a separator with a vertical axis of rotation. The closed drum keeps the substances in the rotating system, in which a pressure builds up that is proportional to the square of the angular velocity "w2".
If one or more outlet opening(s) on the outer circumference of the drum are opened during solids discharge from the drum, the pressurized solids are forced through these outlet opening(s) at high speed and thus with high energy. When solids are dis-.. charged from a self-draining separator at full speed, the solids, especially abrasive solids, can therefore cause wear on the discharge opening(s) of the drum bottom part, on the drum top part and especially also on the piston valve.
To reduce this wear, it is known to protect vulnerable areas outside the drum by spe-cial elements or by a coating of a suitable hard material, e.g. hard metal (e.g.
W02004/054719 Al). In this respect, the prior art also refers to DE 1 869 993 U, which discloses wear protection rings to protect against abrasive wear.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

2 It is the object of the invention to provide further constructive ways for protecting ele-ments of and on centrifuge drums against abrasive wear.
The invention solves this problem by the subject matter of claim 1 This centrifuge is characterized by one or both of the following features:
a) the drum is provided with two or more first wear protection elements on an axial annular surface of the drum top part or the drum bottom part, wherein the wear protection elements are in the shape of circular ring segments and/or b) the piston valve is provided with two or more second wear protection el-ements on a corresponding axial annular surface, wherein the wear protection elements are in the shape of circular ring segments.
This is a simple way to improve the wear protection on the drum and/or the piston valve.
In the following, advantageous variants of this invention are explained, with which the wear protection can be optimized in each case.
If the piston valve is slidably guided in the drum bottom part, the drum part on which the first wear protection elements are arranged is the drum top part (which may also include an element arranged on the drum top part such as a ring). If, on the other hand, the piston valve is slidably guided in the drum top part - which is less preferred but possible - the drum part on which the first wear protection elements are arranged is the drum bottom part.
It may be provided that the first and/or second wear protection element(s) are de-signed to cover the entire axial annular surface of the component to which they are fitted. The advantage of this design is that the component(s) or functional carrier(s), which enable the solids outlet by mechanically opening and closing the solids dis-charge openings, are completely equipped with wear protection elements on their en-tire circumference or in the circumferential direction and protected accordingly.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

3 Alternatively, it may be provided that the first and/or second wear protection ele-ment(s) are designed in such a way that they cover only a part of the axial annular surface of the component on which they are located (i.e. either drum top part or bot-tom part on the one hand and/or the piston valve on the other hand). In this case, sections of the covered surfaces are better protected.
It may be advantageous to provide wear protection elements on both corresponding components - in particular on the drum top part and on the piston valve - and that these elements abut axially when the solids discharge openings of the drum are closed. This results in a particularly advantageous protection of both components.
According to one variant it may be provided that the first and/or second wear protec-tion element(s) are designed to cover only a radial part of the axial annular surface of the component on which they are located.
According to another variant, however, it may be provided that the first and/or second wear protection element(s) are designed to cover only individual circumferential sec-tions of the axial annular surface of the component on which they are mounted, so that they do not form a circumferentially closed ring.
It may also be provided that the first and/or second wear protection element(s) to-gether form a closed ring. In this way a particularly advantageous wear protection is achieved.
According to one variant, this ring protrudes in each case axially inwards beyond the respective component. In this way, some solids can accumulate here, which provides further wear protection. This will be explained in closer detail further below and also on the basis of the figure description. However, the ring can also be flush with the re-spective component radially inwards.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

4 Furthermore, in order to achieve good wear protection and good mountability, it may be provided that the first and/or second wear protection element(s) (e.g. in two direc-tions) are positively attached to the component whose surface they cover.
In the context of this document, "solid" is understood to mean the substances that are discharged through the outlet openings of the drum. These can be e.g. cloudy sub-stances or impurities, but also auxiliary materials such as bentonite or valuable sub-stances such as algae, yeasts, cell cultures or microorganisms. The term solid is not to be understood too narrowly. It also includes a possibly flowable phase which can be emptied through the openings which can be opened and closed by the piston valve.
The first wear protection element(s) can thus be designed to cover the entire axial annular surface of the drum top part. Alternatively, however, they can also be de-signed in such a way that they extend radially and/or in the circumferential direction over only part of the axial annular surface of the drum top part and only partially cover it. It can preferably be provided that the first wear protection element(s) may be designed to form a circumferentially closed ring. However, it or they can also be pro-vided in the circumferential direction only in sections, so that no circumferentially closed ring is formed. However, it is preferably provided that at least the radial area radially in front of each discharge opening is assigned a wear protection element of the drum top part. This effectively reduces the abrasive wear on the drum top part in this endangered area. This is a preferred design of the invention. A
particularly ad-vantageous wear protection is achieved if the ring of wear protection elements on the drum top part is designed to be circumferentially closed.
The second wear protection element(s) can be designed accordingly to cover the en-tire axial annular surface of the piston valve. Alternatively, however, they can also be designed in such a way that they extend radially and/or in the circumferential direc-tion over only part of the axial annular surface of the piston valve and only partially Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06 cover it. It may preferably be provided that the second wear protection element(s) form a circumferentially closed ring. However, it or they can also be provided in the circumferential direction only in sections, so that no circumferentially closed ring is formed. However, it is preferably provided that at least the radial area radially in front

5 of each discharge opening is assigned a wear protection element of the piston valve.
In this way the abrasive wear on the piston valve in this endangered area is effec-tively reduced. This is a preferred design of the invention. A particularly advanta-geous wear protection is obtained if the ring of wear protection elements on the pis-ton valve is designed to be circumferentially closed.
According to a preferred design, the first and/or second wear protection elements can be designed as plates, in particular as curved plate sections of a ring which is other-wise preferably flat at least on one side. These can then preferably have the shape of a circular ring segment. In this way, the wear protection elements can be produced at low cost without a large amount of waste. The circular ring segments can comple-ment each other to form a closed circle or ring. They can be placed next to each other in the circumferential direction. Each circular ring segment is then not circum-ferentially closed and preferably smaller than 360 , in particular smaller than 1800 or even smaller than 90 .
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the several wear protection elements together with one (if, for example, two semicircles form a ring) or, if applica-ble, two adjacent wear protection elements (if, for example, three or more circular ring segments form a ring) then each have a common abutting edge. A joint is thus formed between adjoining or contiguous abutting edges.
The respective joint or all joints can be completely or partially radial according to one design. However, it is preferable that it does not extend completely or in sections ra-dially but is inclined at an angle a in the direction of rotation of the drum.
This Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

6 prevents the radially escaping solids from following the course of the joint and erod-ing it. Since the direction of the escaping solids essentially crosses the course of the joint with the angle a, erosion of the joint is minimized.
The respective joint or all joints can also have an undulating or zigzag-shaped con-tour in such a way that adjacent wear protection elements can be or are arranged in a positive-locking row in the circumferential direction.
This has the effect that the radially emerging abrasive solid particles do not immedi-ately follow a joint that forms the respective abutting edge between two wear protec-tion elements, but are advantageously slowed down by the undulating or zigzag-shaped course of the abutting edge and thus cannot widen or grind the joint further.
Furthermore, the wave or zig-zag shape of the abutting edge also allows the abrasive solid particles to stick to the joint, which provides further advantageous protection of the abutting edge against further abrasive expansion of the joint.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the abutting edge has an alternat-ing series of one or more angle section(s). Thus the wave-like or zigzag-like course of the abutting edge is advantageously simple.
Solids that have penetrated into the joint are slowed down by the angle section and prevented from flowing on. The solid material collected in this way closes the joint, re-sulting in advantageous protection of the abutting edge against further abrasive ex-.. pansion of the joint.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening direction of the angle a is in the direction of rotation of the drum. Since the escaping solid is braked against Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

7 the direction of rotation, an angle a in the direction of rotation promotes the crossing of the escaping solid and the joint.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the first wear protection elements and the second wear protection elements are designed in such a way that they each project a defined amount radially over the inner edge of the drum top part or piston valve into the interior of the drum.
This is advantageous because, in spite of the open outlet opening(s), solids still re-main on the inside of the wear protection elements and thus on the inner surface of the piston valve or on the inner surface of the drum top part. The solid material slides on this remaining layer during further discharges. This is advantageous as the sur-faces of the drum top part or the piston valve are additionally protected against abra-sive wear as the adhering solid layer covers the surfaces and thus provides a benefi-cial protective effect.
Further advantageous designs of the method according to the invention can be found in the subclaims.
The invention is further explained below by means of a preferred embodiment exam-ple with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1: shows a schematic sectional view of a centrifuge which can be operated according to a method according to the invention;
Fig. 2: shows in a) a detail enlargement of the drum in the area of an outlet opening with closed outlet opening and in b) the detail enlargement from Fig. 2a) with opened outlet opening;
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

8 Fig. 3: shows in a) an embodiment variant of the invention and in b) the detail enlargement from Fig. 3a) with opened outlet opening;
Fig. 4: shows a plan view of the open outlet opening as shown in Fig.
3a or Fig. 3b, with the drum top part hidden.
Fig. 1 shows a centrifuge - here designed as a separator - for the clarification of sol-ids-containing, flowable starting products AP of solids with a rotating drum 1 having a vertical axis of rotation D. The processing of the starting product AP takes place in continuous operation.
The separator shown here is a self-draining separator. This means that the inflow of the suspension to be clarified or the starting product AP to be clarified is continuous and also the discharge of at least one clarified liquid phase, called clear phase KP, is continuous. In contrast, drum 1 of the centrifuge in its design as a self-draining sepa-rator has a discontinuous solids outlet, wherein the solids F separated from the start-ing product AP by clarification are removed at intervals by opening and reclosing one or more outlet openings 2.
The rotatable drum 1 has a drum bottom part 3 and a drum top part 4. Drum 1 is here surrounded by a hood 5 which is spaced apart from it and does not rotate during op-eration. Drum 1 is also mounted on a drive spindle 6, which is rotatably mounted and can be driven by a drive motor. The rotatable parts together form a rotating system, which includes drum 1 and drive spindle 6. During operation, the rotating system is rotated in one direction of rotation U.
Drum 1 has a product inlet 7, through which the starting product AP is fed into drum 1. It also has at least one outlet 8 - equipped with a gripper - which serves to dis-charge a clear phase KP from drum 1. The gripper - also known as a peeling disc - is Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

9 designed here as a centripetal pump. Outlet 8 can also be designed in a different way or by other means. In addition, it is also conceivable to separate the starting product AP into two liquid phases of different density in addition to clarification. For this purpose, a further liquid outlet is then required. The drum can be hermetically sealed or non-hermetically sealed.
Drum 1 preferably has a disk stack 9 consisting of axially spaced separating disks. A
solids collection chamber 10 is formed between the outer circumference of the disk stack 9 and the inner circumference of drum 1 in the area of its largest inner diame-ter. Solids which are separated from the clear phase KP in the area of disk stack 9 collect in the solids collection chamber 10, from which the solids F can be discharged from drum 1 via one or more outlet opening(s) 2.
The outlet opening(s) 2 can be opened and closed here by means of a piston valve 11, which is arranged in the drum bottom part 3 and can be moved in it parallel to the axis of rotation (especially vertically). With the outlet opening(s) 2 open, the solids F
are discharged from the drum 1 into a solids trap 12.
Drum 1 has an actuating mechanism to move the piston valve 11. In this case it com-prises at least one supply line 22 for a control fluid, such as water or clear phase KP, zo and a valve arrangement 23 in drum 1 and further elements outside drum 1. In this way, the supply of the control fluid is made possible via a dosing arrangement 24 ar-ranged outside drum 1, which is assigned to a hydraulic line 25 for the control fluid arranged outside drum 1, so that the control fluid can be introduced into drum 1 for a solids discharge of the solid F by releasing the valve arrangement 23 or, conversely, the supply of control fluid can be interrupted in order to move the piston valve 11 ac-cordingly in order to release the outlet opening(s) 2.
At least one sensor device 26 can be arranged on the drive spindle 6 and/or drum 1, which is designed to determine the instantaneous amount of the speed of the drive Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06 spindle 6 or the instantaneous speed of drum 1 or the rotating system of the centri-fuge. A sensor device 27 for determining the flow rate volume/time or one or more parameters, such as mass/time, of the starting product AP to be conducted into drum 1 can also be arranged at or in the product feed 7 for the starting product AP
into 5 drum 1. This is advantageous, but not mandatory.
The sensor devices 26, 27 are connected via data connections 28, 29 to an evalua-tion and control unit 30 (preferably a control computer of the centrifuge), which evalu-ates the measured values and controls or regulates the movement of the piston valve

10 11 and thus also the time interval until the opening of the outlet opening(s) 2. The ac-tuating mechanism for the piston valve 11 - here in particular the dosing arrangement 24 - can be connected via a data link 31 to an evaluation and control unit 30, which also has a program routine for controlling and/or regulating the solids outlet. The dos-ing arrangement 24 can, for example, be designed in accordance with DE 10 2005 049 941 Al. In addition, preferably a further controllable device 32 - for example a controllable valve - can be connected to the product feed 7, with which the volume flow in the feed can be changed in order to change the feed quantity or the current feed volume VAP of the starting product AP to be processed per time unit. This con-trollable device 32 is connected to the control unit 30 via a data connection 33.
The above-mentioned data connections 28, 29, 31, 33 enable data transmission from or to the control and evaluation unit. They can each be designed as lines or as wire-less connections.
Fig. 2a shows a sectional enlargement of the section of drum 1, in which the outlet opening(s) 2 is shown in section. Also indicated here is a radially outer area of the in-terior of the drum, in which solids F have collected radially inwards in front of the out-let opening 2 shown here.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

11 The piston valve 11 is conically torus-shaped - and preferably also annular -and is axially movably guided in the drum bottom part 3. In an upper position it rests with an upper axial annular surface lla against a corresponding lower axial annular surface 4a of the drum top part 4, or against a seal which is arranged in this axial annular sur-face. If it is moved to a lower position - see Figs. 2a and 2b - an annular gap RS is formed between these two axial annular surfaces lla and 4a.
On an outer circumference, the piston valve 11 has a seal 13 (a sealing ring), with which the circumferential gap between the outer circumference of the piston valve 11 .. and the inner circumference of the drum bottom part 3 is sealed.
The drum top part 4 also has a groove 15 on its lower axial annular surface 4a, into which a sealing ring 14 is inserted. This ring seals in the state in which the piston valve 11 closes the annular gap RS.
In order to prevent abrasive wear of the outlet opening(s) 2 when discharging the sol-ids F through the outlet opening(s) 2, the drum top part 4 has at least one, two or more first wear protection elements 16 on its lower axial annular surface 4a facing the annular gap RS.
It may be provided that the drum top part 4 has a step-like step or ring clearance 4b, into which these first wear protection elements 16 are inserted with positive locking.
The ring clearance 4b can be dimensioned and designed in such a way that the first wear protection elements 16 axially form a flush surface with the partial surface 4c of the axial annular surface 4a not covered by the wear protection elements 16.
In addi-tion, it may be advantageously provided according to a variant that the ring clearance 4b extends to the groove 15, into which the sealing ring 14 is inserted.
The first wear protection elements 16 can also be designed according to a preferred configuration in such a way that they project a (defined) amount radially over the Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

12 inner edge of the drum top part 4 into the interior of drum 1. This has the effect that despite discharging the solid F, a residual quantity of this solid F always remains in the drum in front of the edge described, which acts like a protective layer on the drum top part 4. The solid F slides on this layer during further discharges, which reduces the abrasion of the affected surface in the drum top part.
Alternatively or as an option it may be provided that the piston valve 11 has at least one, two or more second wear protection elements 17 on its upper axial annular sur-face 11 a facing the annular gap RS.
The second wear protection elements 17 can be designed to cover the entire axial annular surface 11a of the piston valve. Alternatively, they can also be designed in such a way that they extend radially over only part of the axial annular surface lla and only partially cover it.
It may be provided that the piston valve has a step-like ring clearance llb at the top with an outer circumferential edge 18, into which the second wear protection ele-ments 17 are inserted. The ring clearance lib can be dimensioned and designed in such a way that the second wear-protection elements 17 project axially slightly be-yond the remaining partial surface 11c of the upper axial annular surface lla of the piston valve 11, which is not covered by the wear-protection elements 17. In this way, only the first and second wear protection elements 16, 17 are axially adjacent when closed. In this way, the annular gap RS can continue to be closed well in this area.
The second wear protection elements 17 are here designed in such a way that they abut against the circumferential edge 18. The second wear protection elements can also project a defined distance radially over the inner edge of the piston valve 11 into the interior of drum 1. This has the effect that despite a discharge of solids F, a residual quantity of this solids F always remains in the drum in front of the edge Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

13 described, which acts like a protective layer on the piston valve 11. The solid F slides on this layer during further emptying, which reduces the abrasion of the affected area in the piston valve 11.
The first and second wear protection elements 16, 17 can have a plate-like design, so that they can be manufactured at low cost and are easy to install.
When the outlet opening(s) 2 are closed, the first wear protection elements 16 prefer-ably contact the second wear protection elements 17.
Furthermore, the seal 14 rests on the second plate-like wear protection elements 17 and thus seals the interior of drum 1 against the outlet opening(s) 2.
In Fig. 2b the outlet opening(s) 2 is/are shown in an open condition. Two areas can be identified in the interior of drum 1 to which solids F still adhere despite the open outlet opening(s) 2. Solids F glide on this layer during further discharges.
This is ad-vantageous, since the affected surfaces of the drum top part 4 or the piston valve 11 are additionally protected against abrasive wear, since the adhering layer of solids covers the surfaces and thus provides an advantageous protective effect.
This advantageous adhesion of solids F is achieved by the edges of the first plate-like wear protection element(s) 16 and the second plate-like wear protection ele-ment(s) 17 projecting into the interior of drum 1 by a defined amount.
Fig. 3a shows an alternative embodiment of the invention. Deviating from the embod-iment according to Fig. 2a or 2b, it is provided here that (only) the second plate-like wear protection elements 17 cover the entire outlet opening-side end of the piston valve 11 or the entire axial annular surface 11a. In this case, the second plate-like wear protection elements 17 are each positively fixed in the radial direction by a ring Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

14 shoulder 19, 20, which is formed by the piston valve 11 and the second plate-like wear protection elements 17.
In Fig. 3b the outlet opening(s) is/are shown in an open condition. Two areas can be identified in the interior of drum 1 to which solids F still adhere despite the open outlet opening(s) 2. This advantageous adhesion of solids F is achieved by the edges of the first plate-like wear protection element(s) 16 and the second plate-like wear pro-tection element(s) 17 projecting by a defined amount into the interior of drum 1. This means that the affected surfaces of the drum top part 4 or the piston valve 11 are ad-ditionally protected against abrasive wear, since the adhering solids layer covers the surfaces and thus provides an advantageous protective effect.
Fig. 4 shows how the second plate-like wear protection elements 17 are arranged along the circumference of the axial end of the piston valve 11.
The following also applies analogously to the first plate-like wear protection elements 16, which are arranged along the circumference of the drum top part 4 (not shown here).
In order to be able to follow the annular contour of the piston valve 11 or the drum top part 4, the wear protection elements have the form of circular ring segments.
When arranged in a row, they form a circular ring. The wear protection elements 17 can thus be produced at low cost without a large amount of waste.
.. Each wear protection element 17, together with the respectively adjacent wear pro-tection elements 17, comprises abutting edges 21.
The abutting edge 21 is designed in such a way that the abutting edge 21, starting from a tangent point T, which forms a first radial R1 with the arc of the circumference Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06 of the outlet opening side end of the piston valve 11, follows the first radial R1 and thus forms at least a first radial section r1. At least one first angular section w1 ex-tending at an angle a to the first radial section r1 is connected to the first radial sec-tion r1.

The abutting edge 21 is further designed in such a way that each further radial sec-tion r is part of a further radial R which passes through the respective end point E of the preceding angle section w or is a parallel to the first radial R1.
10 In the example of abutting edge 21 according to Fig. 4, abutting edge 21 has three radial sections r1, r2, T3 and two angular sections w1, w2. The number of radial sec-tions r and angle sections w can also deviate from this.
The length of the respective sections r, w results from the length of the abutting edge

15 21 and the choice of the amount and the opening direction - here clockwise - of the angle a and is therefore variable in each case, wherein an abutting edge 21 with at least two angle sections w is preferred.
The abutting edge 21 thus has an alternating sequence of one or more radial sec-tion(s) r and angular section(s) w.
The respective abutting edge 21 thus has a wave-like or zigzag-like contour in such a way that adjacent wear protection elements 17 can be arranged in a positive-locking row.
This has the effect that the radially emerging abrasive solid particles do not follow a joint that forms the respective abutting edge 21 between two wear protection ele-ments 17, but are advantageously slowed down by the undulating or zigzag-like course of the abutting edge 21 and thus cannot widen or grind the joint further.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

16 The wave or zig-zag shape of the abutting edge 21 also allows the abrasive solid particles to stick to the joint, which provides further advantageous protection of the abutting edge 21 against further abrasive expansion of the joint.
The wear protection elements 16, 17 are made of a hard, wear-resistant material.
However, the choice of material is limited with regard to the centrifugal forces acting on them, so technical ceramics or tungsten carbide is preferred.
The wear protection elements 16, 17 are each attached to the piston valve 11 or to the drum top part 4 by a material-bonding joining process. Preferred joining methods are welding, soldering or gluing.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-06

Claims (18)

GEÄNDERTE ANSPRÜCHE
beim Internationalen Miro eingegangen am 17 Mai 2019 (17.05.2019)

1. Zentrifuge, in der ein fliegfähiges Ausgangsprodukt (AP) in einem kontinuierli-chen Betrieb in einem Zentrifugalfeld in einer sich drehenden Trommel (1) von Feststoffen F klärbar ist, wobei die Trommel (1) ein Trommeloberteil (4) und ein Trommelunterteil (3) aufweist, und wobei das Trommeloberteil (4) oder das Trommelunterteil (3) einen bewegbaren Kolbenschieber (11) aufweist, durch den Auslassöffnungen (2) in der Trommel (1) geöffnet oder geschlossen wer-den können, wobei ferner eines oder mehrere Verschlei schutzelemente zum Schutz gegen Abrasivverschlei vorgesehen sind, gekennzeichnet durch ei-nes oder beide folgender Merkmale a) oder b) und durch das Merkmal c):
a. die Trommel ist an einer Axial-Ringfläche (4a) des Trommeloberteils (4) oder des Trommelunterteils mit zwei oder mehr ersten Verschlei -schutzelement(en) (16) versehen, wobei die ersten VerschleiRschutz-elemente (16) die Form von Kreisringsegmenten aufweisen, und/oder b. der Kolbenschieber (11) ist an einer korrespondierenden Axial-Ringfläche (11a) mit zwei oder mehr zweiten VerschleiRschutzele-ment(en) (17) versehen, wobei die zweiten VerschleiRschutzelemente (17) die Form von Kreisringsegmenten aufweisen, c. wobei jedes der VerschleiRschutzelemente (16 bzw. 17) gemeinsam mit einem oder zwei jeweils angrenzenden Verschleaschutzelementen (16 bzw. 17) jeweils eine Sto kante (21) aufweist, so dass zwischen aneinander liegenden Sto kanten eine Fuge ausgebildet ist.

2. Zentrifuge nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das oder die ersten und/oder zweiten VerschleiRschutzelemente (16, 17) so ausgestaltet sind, dass sie die gesamte Axial-Ringfläche (4a, 11a) des Bauteils, an dem sie angeordnet sind, abdecken.

3. Zentrifuge nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das oder die ersten und/oder zweiten VerschleiRschutzelemente (16, 17) so ausgestaltet sind, dass sie nur einen Teil der Axial-Ringfläche (4a, 11a) des Bauteils, an dem sie angeordnet sind, abdecken.
GEANDERTES BLATT (ARTIKEL 19)

4. Zentrifuge nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das oder die ersten und/oder zweiten Verschleigschutzelemente (16, 17) so ausgestaltet sind, dass sie nur einen radialen Teil der Axial-Ringfläche (4a, 11a) des Bau-teils, an dem sie angeordnet sind, abdecken.

5. Zentrifuge nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das oder die ersten und/oder zweiten Verschleigschutzelemente (16, 17) so ausgestal-tet sind, dass sie nur einzelne Umfangsabschnitte der Axial-Ringfläche (4a, 11a) des Bauteils, an dem sie angeordnet sind, abdecken, so dass sie keinen umfangsgeschlossenen Ring bilden.

6. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche 1 bis 5, dadurch ge-kennzeichnet, dass das oder die ersten und/oder zweiten Verschleigschutz-elemente (16, 17) gemeinsam im Zusammenspiel einen umfangsgeschlosse-nen Ring ausbilden.

7. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche 1 bis 6, dadurch ge-kennzeichnet, dass das oder die ersten und/oder zweiten Verschleigschutz-elemente (16, 17) formschlüssig an dem Bauteil, dessen Fläche sie ganz oder teilweise abdecken, angeordnet sind.

8. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche 1 bis 7, dadurch ge-kennzeichnet, dass das Bauteil das Trommeloberteil (4) und/oder der Kol-benschieber (11) oder beide ist/sind.

9. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass die Verschleigschutzelemente (16, 17) plattenartig gestaltet sind.

10. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass das Trommeloberteil (3) mindestens zwei erste Verschlei schutz-(16) und/oder der Kolbenschieber (11) mindestens zwei zweite Ver-schleigschutzelemente (17) aufweisen.

11. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass die eine oder mehreren Fugen jedenfalls abschnittweise radial ver-laufen.
GEANDERTES BLATT (ARTIKEL 19)

12. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass die eine oder mehreren Fugen abschnittsweise oder ganz nicht ra-dial verlaufen.

13. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass die jeweilige Sto kante (21) zwischen zwei Verschlenschutzele-menten (16 bzw. 17) eine wellenförmige oder zickzack-artige Kontur aufweist, in der Art, dass benachbarte Verschlei schutzelemente (16 bzw. 17) form-schlüssig aneinanderreihbar sind.

14. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass die ersten VerschleiRschutzelemente (16) und die zweiten Ver-schleiRschutzelemente (17) so gestaltet sind, dass sie jeweils ein definiertes Stück radial Ober die lnnenkante des Trommeloberteils (4) bzw. Kolbenschie-bers (11) in den lnnenraum der Trommel (1) hineinragen.

15. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass die VerschleiRschutzelemente (16, 17) aus einem harten, ver-schleigfesten Werkstoff hergestellt sind.

16. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass die Verschlei schutzelemente (16, 17) aus technischer Keramik oder Hartmetall hergestellt sind.

17. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass die VerschleiRschutzelemente (16, 17) jeweils durch ein stoffschlüs-sige Fügeverfahren an dem Kolbenschieber (11) bzw. an dem Trommelober-teil (4) befestigt sind.

18. Zentrifuge nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeich-net, dass in der Trommel (1) ein Tellerpaket (9) angeordnet ist und/oder dass sie eine vertikale Drehachse (D) aufweist.
GEANDERTES BLATT (ARTIKEL 19)