GB853733A - Centrifuge apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

853,733. Centrifugal separators. WOLSTENHOLM, R. A. (Dorr-Oliver Inc.). Nov. 4 1956, No. 25185/56. Class 23 Apparatus for separating liquid material into heavy, light and intermediate fractions has provision for the recirculation of at least part of the heavy fraction and for regulating during separation the amount of intermediate fraction discharged. Liquid material is supplied to the separator rotor 101 (Fig. 1), through a feed pipe 121 after passing through a screen 132. Heavy fraction is discharged through nozzles 105 into a volute 106 which is connected by an external circuit to a return passage 109, water being introduced into the circuit if desired. The returned heavy fraction is impelled by vanes 113 through passages 114 to the part 116 of the separating chamber. The light fraction passes through the liner plates 151, through passages 142 and is discharged by a skimming device 141. The intermediate fraction from outside the liner plates passes through tubes 153 and passages 154, and is discharged by a skimming device 157, a valve 167 controlling the discharge. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, some of the heavy fradtion discharged from nozzles 234 into the volute 236 is returned with addition of water, if desired, to the rotor through valve controlled orifice 240. The intermediate fraction is discharged by the skimming device 273 into a chamber 275. Some of the intermediate fraction is discharged from the chamber 275 through a valve 279 and the rest is returned to the rotor through the annulus between sleeves 251 and 252 which also serves to feed the liquid material to the rotor. Cooling or heating fluid may be introduced into compartments 281, 282 of the casing 237. In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the walls 292, 293 of the volute 294 and the part 303 of the internal walls of the rotor are formed from synthetic rubber. The intermediate fraction is discharged by a skimming device 311, part of the discharging fraction being returned by passage 314 to the feed space 316. In a further modification (Fig. 9, not shown), some of the intermediate fraction is introduced into the return circuit for the heavy fraction. In the separation of a starch solution, starch solids, gluten, and fibrous solids constitute the heavy, light and intermediate fractions respectively.