Decanter centrifuge nozzle

A decanter centrifuge nozzle comprising:

• a rectangular aperture;
• a convex rounded leading edge of the aperture;
• and
• a trailing edge facing the rounded leading edge across an interior of the aperture,
• the leading edge to precede the trailing edge when the nozzle is in motion during centrifuge operation;
• the nozzle to be mounted in a feed chamber that is cylindrical except at the leading and trailing edges of the aperture;
• and
• the aperture to be positioned between conveyor flights such that slurry does not impact the conveyor flights as it passes through the aperture during centrifuge operation.

A method of separating two phases of a slurry, the method comprising:

• charging the slurry into a feed chamber within a centrifuge bowl of a decanter centrifuge, the feed chamber being coaxially aligned with a scroll conveyor and with the centrifuge bowl, the scroll conveyor:
• encircling the feed chamber;
• comprising a plurality of conveyor flights;
• and
• being in a separation zone of the centrifuge bowl;
• discharging the slurry from the feed chamber into the separation zone of the centrifuge bowl via one or more nozzles, each one of the one or more nozzles:
• comprising a rectangular aperture;
• being located such that a discharge from the one nozzle discharges into a single space between two adjacent ones of the plurality of conveyor flights;
• having a convex rounded leading edge defining a first boundary of the aperture;
• and
• having a trailing edge defining a second boundary of the aperture, the leading edge and the trailing edge being delineated in that a direction of rotation of the feed chamber coincides with a direction from the trailing edge to the leading edge;
• the interior of the feed chamber being cylindrical except for the leading and trailing edges of the rectangular apertures of the nozzles,
• rotating the feed chamber in the direction of rotation, thereby imparting centrifugal acceleration upon the slurry, separating the slurry into the two phases;
• and
• discharging the two separated phases from the decanter centrifuge.