Centrifugal separator having a feed accelerator

• US 9,266,122 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALFA Laval Corporate AB (ALFA Laval AB)
• Original Assignee: ALFA Laval Corporate AB (ALFA Laval AB)
• Inventors: Kjr, Allan Otto
• Primary Examiner(s): COOLEY, CHARLES E
• Application Number:
  US13/376,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 494 52- 54, 494/56, 494/84, 210/377, 210/380.1, 210/380.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/2016 Driving control or mechanisms; Arrangement of transmission gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 11/02 Continuous feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 2001/2033 with feed accelerator inside the conveying screw

Abstract

The centrifugal separator has a rotating bowl and a rotating conveyor with an acceleration chamber arranged coaxially within the bowl. The centrifugal separator further has a separation chamber, which is radially limited by the bowl and the conveyor, respectively, and the acceleration chamber is provided with feed ports for inlet of feed material into the separation chamber. A feed accelerator is arranged coaxially within the acceleration chamber and is rotating in use around a common axis of rotation relative to the conveyor at a lower speed than the conveyor. The feed accelerator has a discharge outlet for discharge of feed material into the acceleration chamber of the conveyor. The feed ports extend a first axial area and the discharge outlet extends a second axial area, whereby the first and the second axial area are overlapping.

Claims

1. A centrifugal separator comprising:

a bowl rotating in use around an axis of rotation, said axis of rotation extending in a longitudinal direction of said bowl,

a radial direction extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;

a conveyor arranged coaxially within said bowl and rotating in use around said axis of rotation, said conveyor comprising an acceleration chamber,

a separation chamber being radially outwards limited by said bowl and radially inwards limited by said conveyor,

said acceleration chamber being provided with a plurality of feed ports on an outer circumferential surface thereof for inlet of feed material into the separation chamber, each of the plurality of feed ports opening in said radial direction, and

a feed accelerator arranged coaxially with said conveyor within said acceleration chamber and rotating in use around said axis of rotation relative to the conveyor at a lower speed than the conveyor, said feed accelerator having a discharge outlet for discharge of feed material through said discharge outlet into said acceleration chamber of the conveyor, wherein

at least one of said plurality of feed ports extend a first axial area and said discharge outlet extends a second axial area, the first and the second axial area overlapping mutually such that feed material flows from the discharge outlet through the plurality of feed ports in direction having a radial and a circumferential component.

2. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1, wherein the second axial area extends within the first axial area.

3. A centrifugal separator according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is rotated by a first drive, and the feed accelerator is rotated by a second drive, said first and second drives being controlled independently, such that in use, the angular velocity of said feed accelerator is set independent from the angular velocity of said conveyor.

4. A centrifugal separator according to claim 3, further comprising a means for monitoring the power consumption of said first and second drives, whereby the overall power consumption of said first and second drives is determined.

5. A centrifugal separator comprising:

a bowl rotating in use around an axis of rotation, said axis of rotation extending in a longitudinal direction of said bowl,

a radial direction extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;

a conveyor arranged coaxially within said bowl and rotating in use around said axis of rotation, said conveyor comprising an acceleration chamber,

a separation chamber being radially outwards limited by said bowl and radially inwards limited by said conveyor,

said acceleration chamber being provided with feed ports for inlet of feed material into the separation chamber, and

a feed accelerator arranged coaxially with said conveyor within said acceleration chamber and rotating in use around said axis of rotation relative to the conveyor at a lower speed than the conveyor, said feed accelerator having a discharge outlet for discharge of feed material through said discharge outlet into said acceleration chamber of the conveyor, wherein said feed ports extend a first axial area and said discharge outlet extends a second axial area, the first and the second axial area overlapping mutually such that feed material flows from the discharge outlet through feed ports in direction having a radial and a circumferential component; and

wherein said feed accelerator comprises an inlet tube, said discharge outlet is provided by a discharge port in a side wall of said inlet tube and a casing having a curved wall part extending from said discharge port, such that said wall part extends tangentially from said inlet tube.

6. A centrifugal separator according to claim 5, wherein said feed accelerator comprises two discharge outlets.

7. A centrifugal separator according to claim 5, wherein said casing of the discharge outlet is provided by an exchangeable casing.

8. A centrifugal separator according to claim 7, wherein said exchangeable casing comprise mountings adapted for attachment of said casing to said inlet tube through said feed ports.

9. A centrifugal separator according to claim 5, wherein said casing at an end thereof opposite the inlet tube is provided with a wear pad.

10. A centrifugal separator according to claim 5, wherein said feed ports are defined by mutually spaced ribs, spaced apart and extending in the direction of said axis of rotation.