Centrifuge with feed tube adapter

• US 6,790,169 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wright, John Patrick, Seyffert, Kenneth Wayne, Koch, Richard James, Mitra, Subrata
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooley, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US10/272,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20030096691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 494/52-54, 494/56, 494/84, 210/377, 210/380.1, 210/380.3
• US Class Current: 494/53
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 1/20 discharging solid particles from the bowl by a conveying screw coaxial with the bowl axis and rotating relatively to the bowl
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 1/2008 with an abrasion-resistant conveyor or drum
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 11/06 Arrangement of distributors or collectors in centrifuges
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 2001/2033 with feed accelerator inside the conveying screw
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 2001/2041 with baffles, plates, vanes or discs attached to the conveying screw
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 2001/2058 with ribbon-type screw conveyor

Abstract

Centrifuges and conveyor apparatuses for centrifuges, the conveyor apparatus, in one aspect, having a plurality of spaced-apart flight members spaced apart along the length of the conveyor apparatus, a plurality of support members extending between, and connected to the spaced-apart flight members, the support members spaced-apart around the plurality of spaced-apart flight members, a nose member with a target end within the plurality of support members, and a feed tube for feeding fluid having a fluid exit end within the conveyor, fluid exiting the fluid exit end flowable to the target end of the nose member; a centrifuge with such a conveyor apparatus; in one aspect the conveyor apparatus also having at least one wear protector on at least one flight member of the spaced-apart flight members and/or the conveyor apparatus having fluid accelerating apparatus and at least one wear protector positioned adjacent the accelerating apparatus to protect a flight or a support member.

Claims

1. Conveyor apparatus for a centrifuge, the conveyor apparatus having a length and comprising

a plurality of spaced-apart flight members spaced apart along the length of the conveyor apparatus,

a plurality of support members extending between, and connected to the spaced-apart flight members, the support members spaced-apart around the plurality of spaced-apart flight members,

a nose member with a target end mounted within the plurality of support members,

a feed tube for feeding fluid within the conveyor apparatus, the feed tube having a fluid exit end within the conveyor apparatus, fluid exiting the fluid exit end flowable to the target end of the nose member,

wherein the feed tube has a first feed tube portion with a fluid exit end and the conveyor apparatus further comprising

adapter apparatus with a bore therethrough, the first feed tube portion passing through the bore, the first feed tube portion positioned so that fluid is flowable from the fluid exit end into the conveyor apparatus,

the adapter apparatus having an inner chamber therein and an inner wall, the first feed tube portion having an outer surface with a space between said inner wall and said outer surface so that fluid from the fluid exit end of the first feed tube portion is flowable into the space and from the space into the inner chamber, and

drain apparatus for draining fluid from said inner chamber.

2. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spaced-apart flight members and plurality of support members define a plurality of open areas through which fluid to be treated by the centrifuge is flowable out from the conveyor apparatus.

3. The conveyor apparatus of claim 2 further comprising

at least one wear protector on at least one flight member of the plurality of spaced-apart flight members, the at least one wear protector positioned for protecting the at least one flight member from flowing fluid impacting the at least one flight member.

4. The conveyor apparatus of claim 3 wherein the conveyor apparatus has fluid accelerating apparatus and the at least one wear protector is positioned adjacent the accelerating apparatus.

5. The conveyor apparatus of claim 3 wherein

the at least one wear protector is a plurality of wear protectors each on a flight member of the plurality of spaced-apart flight members.

6. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 further comprising accelerating apparatus within the conveyor apparatus for accelerating fluid to be treated by the centrifuge, the accelerating apparatus having a plurality of spaced-apart impellers and including said nose member, each impeller of the plurality of spaced-apart impellers having a first end and a second end.

7. The conveyor apparatus of claim 6 wherein the fluid exit end of the feed tube is between the first end of the impellers and the target end of the nose member.

8. The conveyor apparatus of claim 6 wherein the target end of the nose member is closer to the first end of the impellers than to the second end of the impellers.

9. The conveyor apparatus of claim 6 wherein the fluid exit end of the feed tube is positioned so that substantially all of the fluid to be treated is acceleratable by the accelerating apparatus.

10. The conveyor apparatus of claim 6 wherein the target end of the nose member has a curved surface to facilitate fluid flow in a direction out from the accelerating apparatus.

11. The conveyor of claim 6 wherein flow direction of fluid exiting the fluid exit end of the feed tube is changed upon the fluid impacting the target end of the nose member.

12. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the target end of the nose member is semi-spherical in shape.

13. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

at least one wear shield on at least one of the support members, the at least one wear shield positioned for protecting the at least one support member from flowing fluid impacting the at least one support member.

14. The conveyor apparatus of claim 13 wherein the conveyor apparatus has a fluid accelerating apparatus and the at least one wear shield is positioned adjacent the accelerating apparatus.

15. The conveyor apparatus of claim 13 wherein the at least one wear shield is a plurality of wear shields each on a support member of the plurality of support members.

16. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

the adapter apparatus'"'"'s drain apparatus including at least one drain tube for draining fluid from the space.

17. The conveyor apparatus of claim 16 wherein the at least one drain tube has an exit end disposable above a pool of fluid in a centrifuge which contains the conveyor apparatus.

18. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feed tube also comprises a second feed tube portion secured to the adapter apparatus with an inner surface of the second feed tube portion spaced-apart from an outer surface of the first feed tube portion so that fluid is passable between said inner surface and said outer surface into the inner chamber.

19. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

chamber apparatus encircling a portion of the feed tube.

20. The conveyor apparatus of claim 19 wherein the chamber apparatus is conical.

21. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feed tube is comprised of a plurality of hollow tubes in fluid communication with each other.

22. A centrifuge comprising

a bowl with a hollow interior and a first bowl end spaced-apart from a second bowl end,

apparatus for selectively rotating the bowl,

conveyor apparatus rotatably mounted in the bowl, the conveyor apparatus comprising a plurality of spaced-apart flight members spaced apart along the length of the conveyor apparatus, a plurality of support members extending between, and connected to the spaced-apart flight members, the support members spaced-apart around the plurality of spaced-apart flight members, a nose member with a target end within the plurality of support members, and a feed tube for feeding fluid having a fluid exit end within the conveyor apparatus, fluid exiting the fluid exit end flowable to the target end of the nose member,

wherein the feed tube has a first feed tube portion with a fluid exit end and the conveyor apparatus further comprising

adapter apparatus with a bore therethrough, the first feed tube portion passing through the bore, the first feed tube portion positioned so that fluid is flowable from the fluid exit end into the conveyor apparatus,

the adapter apparatus having an inner chamber therein and an inner wall, the first feed tube portion having an outer surface with a space between said inner wall and said outer surface so that fluid from the fluid exit end of the first feed tube portion is flowable into the space and from the space into the inner chamber, and

drain apparatus for draining fluid from said inner chamber.

23. The centrifuge of claim 22 wherein the centrifuge has fluid accelerating apparatus and the fluid exit end of the feed tube is positioned so that substantially all of the fluid to be treated is acceleratable by the accelerating apparatus.

24. The centrifuge of claim 22 comprising

at least one wear protector on at least one flight member of the plurality of spaced-apart flight members.

25. The centrifuge of claim 22 further comprising

at least one wear shield on at least one of the support members.

26. A feed apparatus for feeding and accelerating fluid in a centrifuge, the feed apparatus comprising

feed tube apparatus for feeding fluid to be treated into a centrifuge, the feed tube having a fluid exit end,

a plurality of accelerating impellers for accelerating the fluid to be treated,

the feed tube exit end adjacent the accelerating impellers, a nose member with a target end positioned within the accelerating impellers,

the feed tube exit end positioned so that fluid is flowable therefrom to impact the target end of the nose member,

the feed tube having a first feed tube portion with a fluid exit end,

adapter apparatus with a bore therethrough, the first feed tube portion passing through the bore, the first feed tube portion positioned so that fluid is flowable from the fluid exit end,

the adapter apparatus having an inner chamber therein and an inner wall, the first feed tube portion having an outer surface with a space between said inner wall and said outer surface so that fluid from the fluid exit end of the first feed tube portion is flowable into the space and from the space into the inner chamber, and

drain apparatus for draining fluid from said inner chamber.

27. A centrifuge comprising

a bowl with a hollow interior and a first bowl end spaced-apart from a second bowl end,

apparatus for selectively rotating the bowl, and

feed apparatus with feed tube apparatus for feeding fluid to be treated into a centrifuge, the feed tube having a fluid exit end, a plurality of accelerating impellers for accelerating the fluid to be treated, the feed tube exit end adjacent the accelerating impellers, a nose member with a target end positioned within the accelerating impellers, and the feed tube exit end positioned so that fluid is flowable therefrom to impact the target end of the nose member,

the feed tube having a first feed tube portion with a fluid exit end,

adapter apparatus with a bore therethrough, the first feed tube portion passing through the bore, the first feed tube portion positioned so that fluid is flowable from the fluid exit end,

the adapter apparatus having an inner chamber therein and an inner wall, the first feed tube portion having an outer surface with a space between said inner wall and said outer surface so that fluid from the fluid exit end of the first feed tube portion is flowable into the space and from the space into the inner chamber, and

drain apparatus for draining fluid from said inner chamber.

28. A method for separating components of a feed material, the method comprising

introducing feed material into a centrifuge, the centrifuge comprising a bowl with a hollow interior and a first bowl end spaced-apart from a second bowl end, apparatus for selectively rotating the bowl, conveyor apparatus rotatably mounted in the bowl, the conveyor apparatus comprising a plurality of spaced-apart flight members spaced apart along the length of the conveyor apparatus, a plurality of support members extending between, and connected to the spaced-apart flight members, the support members spaced-apart around the plurality of spaced-apart flight members, a nose member with a target end within the plurality of support members, and a feed tube for feeding fluid having a fluid exit end within the conveyor apparatus, fluid exiting the fluid exit end flowable to the target end of the nose member, wherein the feed tube has a first feed tube portion with a fluid exit end and the conveyor apparatus further comprising adapter apparatus with a bore therethrough, the first feed tube portion passing through the bore, the first feed tube portion positioned so that fluid is flowable from the fluid exit end into the conveyor apparatus, the adapter apparatus having an inner chamber therein and an inner wall, the first feed tube portion having an outer surface with space between said inner wall and said outer surface so that fluid from the fluid exit end of the first feed tube portion is flowable into the space and from the space into the inner chamber, and drain apparatus for draining fluid from said inner chamber, and

separating components of the material with the centrifuge.