US2546427A - Continuous separator - Google Patents

Description

iwalch 27, Q BULLEN CONTINUOUS SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 5, 1947 INVENTOR ARTHUR C BULLEN m his ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1951 c i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,546,427 CONTINUOUS SEPARATOR Arthur C. Bullen, San Francisco, Calif.

Application February 5, 1947, Serial No. 726,685

' 4 Claims. 1 My invention relates to a separator; and one of the objects of the invention is the provision of a truly continuous separator in which the machine while operating at its designed speed, continuously receives materials to be separated, and continuously and automatically ejects the separated parts of that material at different points. Another object of the invention is the provision of a continuous separator characterized by relatively low power requirements and high efiiciency. Still another object of the invention is the provision of a continuous separator characterized by uniformity in the separation of materials fed to it. Still another object is theprovision of a continuous separator in which improved means are provid'ed', for washing material passing through the machine.

The invention has other objects which will be explained in the following description of that form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this single embodiment, but may be included in a plurality of forms as set forth in the claims.

In the following description, my separator will be described in connection with the separation of molasses and sugar crystals from massecuite, for which purpose it was especially developed, but it may readily be used for the separation of other solids and liquids with no alteration or but little. A principal characteristic of my invention lies in the dual application of centrifugal force to a substantially cylindrical perforated drum into one end of which materials to be separated are fed. The drum is given a planetary rotation about a main or planetary axis and simultaneously is rotated about its own axis which lies at an angle to the planetary axis. The velocity of rotation of the drum about each axis, therelative values of these velocities, and the angle between the two axes provide variables by which the performance of the machine may be altered to conform to requirements in the separation of specific materials.

It is a well known fact that the application of centrifugal force, by rapidly rotating a cylindrical drum, as is the case in the standard centrifugal separators, forces the molasses out of the massecuite leaving the sugar crystals dry, the molasses passing through the small openings in the sides of the drum. The crystals cannot pass through the openings in the side of the drum and therefore are collected inside the separator. In the case of the standard cylindrical drum, the centrifugal force acts normally to the surface without any other component force, hence 2 the material to be worked must be injected while the separator is nearly at rest, then rotated rapidly until separation has taken place; and again brought to a near standstill in order to eject the charge. This process is not only very wasteful of time in the operation of the separator, but has the enormous disadvantage of requiring a very large initial force to give the separator a rapid acceleration. After separation is complete the separator has to be stopped quickly by the use of a powerful brake. This last operation is wasteful of energy and generally deteriorating t the machine.

. In the case of a separator with a conical body wherein the component of the ce'ntrifugalforce which acts parallel to the surface ofthe' cone is depended upon to move'the' sugar'crystals along the surface and out of the basket, this force is insufiicient tomove all of the sugar out of the basket, or it shears those crystals which are partially lodged in the perforations; This results either in eventual plugging of the perfoi-j rations, necessitating stoppage for cleaning, or it produces a dull final product due to the shearing I of the crystals, and an increased crystal product in the molasses due to the small sheared crystal parts passing through the cone perforations with the molasses or wash liquor.

With my invention, I use two or more cyline drical perforated drums assembled in balanced order about and at an angle to the common planetary axis of rotation, instead of a single cylindrical orconical body as the usual practice is. Means are provided to rotate the bodies about their own axes, and at the same time about the common axis of all the bodies. This dual revolution of the cylindrical drums sets at an angle to their commonaxisof rotation in my appara-; tus eliminates the disadvantages and waste commonly experienced in other separators.

, The centrifugal force generated in my separator when in operation is distinctly dual in character and effect. Bodily rotation of the drums about the main or planetary axis tendsto force the materials outwardly from that axis; and of course rotation of each drum about its own axis tends to force the materials outwardly from its axis. Thus these two forces are constantly mod ifying each other, varying in a constant progression between a minimum which is their difference and a maximum which is their sum. Since the axes of the drums lie at an angle to the planetary axis, a component of the forces tends to move the material through the drums to their ends farthest from the planetary axis. f Thus as massecuite is fed intothe machine it massecuite, the action as above described... will,

not be in articulated action, but will result in a continuous rolling of the massecuit'e down the inside of the drum following a" spiral: course;

Thus in my apparatus dual use of the centrifugal force is made: first, to-separate the materials and secondly to move the retained solids automatically' and continuously through the: separat- Another result of my arrangement of drums is to=--ke'ep=the cylinder perforations clean. When mass'ecuite is first deposited against the outer-- m'o'st" inside of the drum wall, the molasses is forced through thecwa'll perforations, the sugar crystalsabeing: retained inside; When the drum' has-turned 180i on its axis, the centrifugal force f-r'omthe: common axis acts from the outside: to the :inside of the innermost side. of the: drum thus forcing any parti'cles" wedged in the perforations back into the drum and to the opposite side.

Another featureof myseparatorxis the continuousandefficient applicatiomof. wash water to theasugari-crystals. In. the standard: separator the-fairly thickztwall of sugar crystals caught in the basket has to be over washed on the inside layers in order'to' properly wash the under'or outside: layers; solving'of some of the sugar, and lossin'efiiciency. In" my separator the rolling action'of the sugar crystals passing the washing zone presents each layerrof sugar to an equal wash, resulting. in a smaller amount of wash water required: and'a more even and uniform. washing of the sugar.

Stilluanother feature of my separator is the continual discharge of 'thefinaldry sugar from the bottom of. thedrums, due to. their turning on their'own axes at'an' angle with their commonor planetary axis, thus using the main centrifugal force to cause the retained material to travel ina spiral course continuously 'down the drums to dischargefrom their bottoms.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation partly in vertical section, and showing the continuous-separator of my invention. Figure 2- is"-- a sectional 'view, the plane and conical surface which the'view is taken, being indicated by the line Z-Zof Figure 1. Figure 3 is another sectional View taken in a plane and conical surface-indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1. Only oneof the eight separating drum is shown.

Mounted rigidly on a suitable fixed support such as 'is'provided by the structural steel memhas '2 and 3, is a housing 4, in which a vertical shaft iournaledin suitable bearings "i. Keyed to thesh'aftis a pulley 8; connected by belts 9 to tile-pulley l2, fixed on the shaft [3 of the motor l4, which conveniently may be arranged on the supports 2'3;

Keyed to-the main shaft 6 are two spiders l6 and l'finwhich a'series of separating drums l8 are journaled in balanced relation about the main shaft 6. At leasttwodrums are necessary for balance and inthe machine shown eight'are drums;

This results in the partial disused. Each drum comprises a cylindrical shell pierced by small radially extending holes I9. The shell is wide open at the lower end, which is journaled in the lower spider I! by a bearing 2| surrounding the shell. At the upper end the shell is provided with a stub shaft 22 journaled in bearings 23 in the upper spider l6.

An axial passage 24 extends upinto the stub shaft past the-middle of the bearing; and a series of transverse passages 26 through the shaft near the end of the axial passage, connects it at all times with an arcuate chamber 21, formed in the bearing face" of the spider at the outer end of the radialpassage 28. At its inner end, the passage is continued through the main shaft and into communication withthervertical feed passage 29 provided bythe fixed feed tube 30 terminating at its upper" end in a funnel 3|. The feed tube is supported on a cap 32, fixed on the housing over the end of the main shaft: and extends downw'ardly' through the-hollowedupper half of the mainshaft' to open immediately into the radial passages, so that materials feed int'o'th'eupper flared end ofthe tube emerge from the lower end and are whirled directly into the radial passages, with" no opportunity tobuild up on the inside face of the-shaft.

It' is to be especially n'oted'that'the rotational axes 33 of the drums l8 lieatan angletothe rotational axis 34 of themainshaf-t'; Important benefits flow from this angular relationship of the two rotational axes;

Means are providedforrotating reach. of the Fixed 0n the; upper of each:- stub shaft isxa-beveli gear :36 in mesh. with; the central gear 31 fixed on the hub-.38 of the -pulle'y"3'9"jour+ naled on the main shaft in bearings 4 I. The pulley 39"lies immediately below the-pulleyfland'is driven by V-belts42'from .thelower end. of the motor pulley 12. The relative sizes of the pulleys andgears are of course chosen to give the desired relative rotational speeds of the main shafts and drums. These relationships may vary for the eflicient separation of different materials but chamber 48 is connected, by passage 51' in the spiderarm and main shaft, to the -axial pas-' sage 52 in the lower endof the main shaft; and a fixed supply pipe 53 introduces water into the main shaft passage'through'a"suitable gland and packing connection 54.

My separator is designed so'that molasses is thrown off of the upper portion'of each drum, the sugar crystals washed and the-wash water thrown off in themid portion, and the dry sugar crystals discharged from the 'open'bottomend. A cylindrical curb or housing 56 concentric with the main shaft 6, and having a conical upper part 51, surrounds the lower part of the machine comprising the drums. An annular fin 58 is fixed on each drum at what may be considered the lower end of the zone from which the molasses A cone top 59 of the curb 6 l, spaced inside and concentric with the outer curb. A third curb E2, concentric with the others, is arranged with its upper edge just above the orbit circle of the high side of the drum. The curb catches the discharging sugar crystals; and its insider vertical surface is swept by pitched blades 63, carried on a spider 64, journaled on a bracket 66. A pulley 61 on the hub of the spider is connected by belt 68 with a drive pulley on shaft 69; which in turn may be connected by belt 1| over suitable pulleys, to the motor shaft [3, or to an independent source of power.

Operation.The machine being brought up to speed, massecuite is fed continuously into the funnel 3| and feed tube 30, through which it reaches the openings of the passages 28, where it is seized by centrifugal force and distributed equally through the connecting passages and into the tops of the drums l8. That portion of each drum above the fin separates the molasses from the massecuite, the former being thrown through the perforations and against the outside curb 57 from which it flows downwardly to be discharged from the machine through the annular passage 72. The fin 58 on the drum prevents creeping of the molasses down the outside of the drum wall. The algebraic sum of the centrifugal forces resulting from planetary rotation of the separating drum about the main axis 34, and that resulting from the bodily rotation of the drum about its own inclined axis 33 tends to move ma terial in the drum in a downward spiral progression roughly indicated by the arrows 13.

Wash water is fed into the drum from the 1101- low saddle 41 where it is thrown against the separated crystals moving downwardly therein. The wash syrup passes through the perforations, and is thrown against the curb 59-61, flowing downwardly and out of the machine through the annular space M. The lower part of the drums under the washing area around the spider 46, is the drying portion of the cylinder. The bearing case of the bearing 2| acts as a baflle to prevent wash syrup from creeping down inside the curb 62 to mix with the dry sugar crystals now working down the lower part of the drum to be discharged over the lower edge and against the curb 62 from which adhering crystals are dislodged by the blades 63.

Suitable means for separately collecting and disposing of the discharging molasses, Wash syrup and sugar crystals are of course provided, but these form no part of my present invention and are not included in this description.

I claim:

1. A continuous separator comprising a shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a spider having passages therein and fixed on said shaft, stub shafts journaled in the spider at an angle with said first named shaft and having a passage therein in communication with the spider passages, a plurality of apertured drums axially aligned with and below the stub shafts and fixed thereon, the stub shaft passages opening into the upper ends of the drums and the lower end of the drums being open, a passage in the first named shaft opening at its upper end and in communication with the spider passages at its lower end, and means for rotating the stub shafts.

2. A continuous separator comprising a central shaft, an upper and lower spider fixed on the central shaft, a plurality of apertured drums, each drum having an open lower end journaled in the lower spider for rotation about an axis inclined to the central shaft axis, a stub shaft extending axially from the upper end of each drum and journaled in the upper spider, said stub shaft having a passage opening into the drum, a passage in the central shaft, passages in the upper spider connecting the central shaft passage with the passage in the stub shaft, an intermediate spider fixed on the central shaft and extending to a running fit against the side of each drum, a chamber in the face of the intermediate spider against which the drum lies, a passage extending from each chamber through the intermediate spider and into the central shaft, a passage in the central shaft for supplying water to each of the intermediate spider passages, means for rotating the central shaft, and means for rotating the drums.

3. A continuous separator comprising a central shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a plurality of apertured drums journaled for rotation about an axis inclined to the shaft axis, means for rotating the drums about their axes, a spider fixed on the central shaft and having chambers therein opening against the sides of the drums, the edge of the spider surrounding the chamber forming a running fit with the drums, a passage extending from the chamber through the spider and into the central shaft, a passage in the central shaft in communication with the spider passage, means for introducing water into the shaft passage, and means for introducing materials to be separated into the drums at a point above said means for introducing water.

4;. A continuous separator comprising a shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a spider fixed on the shaft intermediate the ends thereof, passages in the spider, a plurality of apertured drums open at their lower ends and having inlet passages at their upper ends directed down centrally into each drum and in communication with said spider passages, said drums being mounted on said spider for rotation about an axis inclined to the shaft axis, means for rotating the drums about their axes, a passage in the shaft running from the top thereof down to and communicating with said spider passages, and means for introducin material to be separated into the top of said shaft passage.

ARTHUR, C. BULLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 46,724 Stewart Mar. 7, 1865 300,545 Wiegand June 17, 1884 1,012,794 Barker Dec. 26, 1911 1,591,821 Heaton July 6, 1926 1,665,065 Malloy Apr. 3, 1928 2,061,340 Adams Nov. 17, 1936 2,368,876 Puig y Terradas Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 272,047 Great Britain June 9, 1927 6,270 Great Britain of 1913

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