Claims
- 1. A centrifuge for separating feed material into solid and fluid parts, the centrifuge comprising
a conveyor rotatably mounted in a rotatable housing, the conveyor having a longitudinal axis and an interior and at least one impeller, said at least one impeller having an impeller length, the rotatable housing having a separating region comprising a pool area and a beach area between the conveyor and the rotatable housing so that feed material is passable through the interior of the conveyor and rotational speed is impartable to said feed material by said at least one impeller prior to treatment in said separating region, and so that said at least one impeller spreads feed material onto said beach area, the beach area having a beach length, and the at least one impeller spreading feed material onto the beach area adjacent the length of the at least one impeller.
- 2. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the at least one impeller is a plurality of spaced-apart impellers.
- 3. The centrifuge of claim 2 further comprising a central nose member and wherein each impeller has a central end connected to the central nose member mounted in the conveyor.
- 4. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the at least one impeller is of curved cross section.
- 5. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the at least one impeller is a plurality of interconnected impellers comprising accelerator apparatus, the accelerator apparatus removably disposed within the conveyor.
- 6. The centrifuge of claim 5 further comprising
a central nose apparatus having an end plate and a central nose member projecting from the end plate, the central nose member positioned within the plurality of interconnected impellers, and the end plate secured to the plurality of interconnected impellers.
- 7. The centrifuge of claim 6 further comprising
mounting apparatus within the conveyor, the accelerator apparatus and central nose apparatus mounted within the mounting apparatus.
- 8. The centrifuge of claim 7 wherein the mounting apparatus has a plurality of spaced-apart lobes defining therebetween a plurality of flow channels through which is flowable material flowing from the plurality of interconnected impellers.
- 9. The centrifuge of claim 8 wherein the lobes of the mounting apparatus include at least a portion of sacrificial mass for wearing away by the feed material.
- 10. The centrifuge of claim 8 wherein each impeller is of curved cross-section and a portion of each impeller extends between two of the spaced-apart lobes of the mounting apparatus.
- 11. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the at least one impeller is of generally uniform thickness throughout.
- 12. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the impeller length is at least fifty percent of the beach length.
- 13. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the impeller length is at least seventy-five percent of the beach length.
- 14. The centrifuge of claim 1 further comprising
helical screw apparatus on the conveyor with multiple openings through which material is flowable, the helical screw apparatus for moving material toward an end of the rotatable housing.
- 15. The centrifuge of claim 14 wherein
the at least one impeller is a plurality of spaced-apart impellers, and each impeller traverses a plurality of openings of the multiple openings of the helical screw apparatus.
- 16. The centrifuge of claim 1 further comprising
head apparatus with a plurality of spaced-apart spokes, the rotatable housing secured to the head apparatus with bolts passing through the plurality of spaced-apart spokes into portions of the rotatable housing.
- 17. The centrifuge of claim 1 further comprising
first motor apparatus interconnected with the rotatable housing for rotating the rotatable housing, second motor apparatus interconnected with the conveyor for rotating the conveyor, and an integral centrifuge housing for both supporting the motor apparatuses and for accessibly enclosing the rotating housing.
- 18. the centrifuge of claim 17 wherein the integral centrifuge housing includes an integral base support.
- 19. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the feed material has an axial velocity in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the conveyor and the at least one impeller directs the feed material radially imparting radial speed to said feed material.
- 20. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the at least one impeller is configured and positioned to also spread feed material onto a portion of the pool area adjacent a portion of the at least one impeller.
- 21. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein the rotatable housing has an interior length and the impeller length is substantially equal to said interior length of the rotatable housing.
- 22. A centrifuge for separating feed material into solid and fluid parts, the centrifuge comprising
a conveyor rotatably mounted in a rotatable housing, the conveyor having a longitudinal axis and an interior and at least one impeller, said at least one impeller having an impeller length, the rotatable housing having a separating region comprising a pool area and a beach area between the conveyor and the rotatable housing so that feed material is passable through the interior of the conveyor and rotational speed is impartable to said feed material by said at least one impeller prior to treatment in said separating region, and so that said at least one impeller spreads feed material along a portion os sadi conveyor, the feed material having an axial velocity in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the conveyor and the at least one impeller spreading feed material onto the beach area adjacent the length of the at least one impeller, wherein the at least one impeller is a plurality of interconnected spaced-apart impellers each with of curved cross section, and end plate connected to the conveyor, a central nose member connected to or formed integrally of the end plate and projecting therefrom, each impeller having a central end connected to the central nose member mounted in the conveyor, wherein the plurality of interconnected impellers comprises accelerator apparatus, the accelerator apparatus removably disposed within the conveyor, the central nose member positioned within the plurality of interconnected impellers, and mounting apparatus within the conveyor, the accelerator apparatus and central nose apparatus mounted to the mounting apparatus, the mounting apparatus having a plurality of spaced-apart lobes defining therebetween a plurality of flow channels through which is flowable material flowing from the plurality of interconnected impellers, wherein each impeller has a portion extending between two of the spaced-apart lobes of the mounting apparatus, and helical screw apparatus on the conveyor with multiple openings through which material is flowable, the helical screw apparatus for moving material toward an end of the rotatable housing.
- 23. The centrifuge of claim 21 further comprising
power apparatus for rotating the conveyor and the rotatable housing.
- 24. The centrifuge of claim 21 wherein said at least one impeller spreads feed material onto said beach area.
- 25. The centrifuge of claim 21 wherein said at least one impeller is configured and positioned to spread feed material onto a portion of the pool area adjacent a portion of the at least one impeller.
- 27. Any and every invention disclosed herein.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/272,535 filed Oct. 16, 2002 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/109,617 filed Mar. 28, 2002 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/652,418 filed Aug. 31, 2000, all incorporated herein fully for all purposes.
Continuation in Parts (3)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10272535 |
Oct 2002 |
US |
Child |
10407819 |
Apr 2003 |
US |
Parent |
10109617 |
Mar 2002 |
US |
Child |
10272535 |
Oct 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09652418 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Child |
10109617 |
Mar 2002 |
US |