Claims
- 1. A feed accelerator system for use in a centrifuge, the system comprising
- a conveyor hub rotatably mounted substantially concentrically within a rotating bowl,
- at least one feed slurry passageway between an inside surface of the conveyor hub and an outside surface of the conveyor hub,
- said conveyor hub is circumferentially continuous between said passageways, and
- at least one divider associated with the passageway so as to form a plurality of discharge channels within the passageway including a leading discharge channel and a trailing discharge channel arranged sequentially and circumferentially in the direction of rotation.
- 2. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein a flow directing and overspeeding member is associated with the passageway so as to direct the feed slurry exiting the passageway in the direction of rotation of the conveyor hub at a linear circumferential speed greater than the linear circumferential speed of the passageway at its outermost radius.
- 3. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein at least one baffle is associated with the passageway and extends radially inward into a slurry pool formed on the inside of the conveyor hub by the feed slurry.
- 4. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein a generally U-shaped channel is associated with the passageway and extends outwardly from the conveyor hub, the U-shaped channel having a base and two side walls.
- 5. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein an extension tube is associated with the passageway and extends outwardly from the conveyor hub.
- 6. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein at least one divider is removable.
- 7. The feed accelerator system of claim 2 wherein the flow deflecting and overspeeding member is removable.
- 8. The feed accelerator system of claim 5 wherein the extension tube is removable.
- 9. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein the passageway includes a cross-sectional area having a longer axis approximately parallel to the conveyor hub axis of rotation.
- 10. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein the divider is removably secured to the passageway by a fastener assembly.
- 11. The feed accelerator system of claim 5 wherein the extension tube is removably secured to the passageway by a fastener assembly.
- 12. The feed accelerator system of claim 2 wherein the flow deflecting and overspeeding member is removably secured to the passageway by a fastener assembly.
- 13. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein the passageway includes at least one wear resistant material.
- 14. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein the passageway includes at least one wear resistant insert.
- 15. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein the passageway is generally rectangular shaped, and includes a cross-sectional area having a longer axis approximately parallel to the conveyor hub axis of rotation.
- 16. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein the passageway is generally oval shaped, and includes a cross-sectional area having a longer axis approximately parallel to the conveyor hub axis of rotation.
- 17. The feed accelerator system of claim 1 wherein each divider defining a discharge channel includes a baffle extending into a slurry pool formed on the inside of the conveyor hub by the feed slurry.
- 18. The feed accelerator system of claim 17 wherein the baffle of a trailing discharge channel extends further into the slurry pool than the baffle of an adjacent leading discharge channel.
- 19. The feed accelerator system of claim 17 wherein the baffle of a trailing discharge channel extends further into the slurry pool than the baffle of a leading discharge channel.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 07/799,371 which was filed on Nov. 27,1991, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (26)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2347076 |
Dec 1977 |
FRX |
2160063 |
Jun 1990 |
JPX |
0724212 |
Mar 1980 |
SUX |
1613174 |
Dec 1990 |
SUX |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
799371 |
Nov 1991 |
|