Slurry cleaner systems with cleaner dilution devices and methods of cleaning slurries therewith

A cleaner system for removing solid debris and contaminants from a feed slurry, the cleaner system comprising:

• a cleaner operable to separate a feed slurry into an accepted slurry and a reject slurry, the reject slurry comprising at least a portion of the solid debris and contaminants from the feed slurry;
• and
• a dilution device disposed downstream of the cleaner and fluidly coupled to a reject outlet of the cleaner, the dilution device comprising a dilution water hydrocyclone comprising:
• a dilution water inlet;
• a cyclonic flow section downstream of the dilution water inlet, the cyclonic flow section having an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the cyclonic flow section is tapered so that an inner dimension at the upstream end is greater than an inner dimension at the downstream end;
• an underflow outlet disposed at the downstream end of the cyclonic flow section;
• a reject slurry inlet disposed in a top of the dilution water hydrocyclone and coupled to a reject slurry outlet of the cleaner;
• and
• a flow director, disposed between the dilution water inlet and the reject slurry inlet, the flow director operable to direct the flow of dilution water from the dilution water inlet in at least an axial direction towards the cyclonic flow section, wherein the flow director restricts flow of the dilution water from the dilution water inlet in an axial direction towards the reject slurry inlet, wherein the flow director is a hollow tube comprising a continuous wall.