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US 12,655,036 B1Granted
Systems for grit removal
OwnerScott Meyerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems for removing grit from a slurry are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system includes a containment vessel, a separation assembly, and a removal assembly. Grit is separated from the slurry by the separation assembly, which allows the grit to settle out of the slurry as the slurry flows through the containment vessel. The separation assembly is configured to enable the grit to be driven by gravity downwardly toward the bottom surface of the containment vessel and into engagement with a separation conveyor. The grit is conveyed by the separation conveyor to a removal conveyor of the removal assembly. The removal conveyor conveys the grit out of containment vessel and out of a grit exit port. An effluent formed by the slurry with at least some of the grit removed is released from an outlet of the containment vessel.
Claims20
A system for removing grit from a slurry, comprising:
- a containment vessel configured to receive the slurry proximate a first portion thereof and having an outlet proximate a second portion thereof, the containment vessel having at least one bottom surface extending from the first portion to the second portion and being downwardly inclined at an inclination angle with respect to horizontal such that a grit that settles from the slurry moves downwardly along the at least one bottom surface;
- a separation assembly operatively coupled to the containment vessel, the separation assembly including:
- a separation channel assembly operatively coupled to the at least one bottom surface and extending from the first portion to the second portion, the separation channel assembly being positioned to receive the grit that moves downwardly along the at least one bottom surface, and
- a separation conveyor at least partially disposed within the separation channel assembly and having a first longitudinal axis extending from the first portion to the second portion, the first longitudinal axis being downwardly sloping with respect to the horizontal from the first portion to the second portion, the separation conveyor being configured to convey the grit along the separation channel assembly toward the second portion of the containment vessel and out of an end of the separation channel assembly;
- and
- one or more separation ribs positioned within the containment vessel and oriented approximately transversely to the first longitudinal axis of the separation conveyor, the one or more separation ribs being configured to slow a velocity of the slurry as the slurry traverses from the first portion to the second portion to encourage the grit within the slurry to settle out of the slurry toward the separation channel assembly for conveyance by the separation conveyor along the separation channel assembly toward the second portion;
- and
- a removal assembly operatively coupled to the containment vessel and to the separation assembly, the removal assembly having a lower portion and an upper portion having a grit exit port, the removal assembly including:
- a removal conveyor having a second longitudinal axis extending from the lower portion to the upper portion, and a removal chute at least partially disposed about the removal conveyor, the removal chute being positioned to receive the grit that is conveyed by the separation conveyor out of the end of the separation channel assembly, the removal conveyor being configured to convey the grit received by the removal chute toward the upper portion of the removal assembly and out of the grit exit port.
6 more elements
A system for removing grit from a slurry, comprising:
- a containment vessel configured to receive the slurry proximate a first portion thereof and having an outlet proximate a second portion thereof, the containment vessel having first and second bottom surfaces extending from the first portion to the second portion, the first bottom surface extending inwardly and downwardly from a first side surface of the containment vessel, and the second bottom surface extending inwardly and downwardly from a second side surface of the containment vessel, and the first and second bottom surfaces being downwardly inclined with respect to horizontal such that a grit that settles from the slurry moves downwardly along the first and second bottom surfaces;
- a separation assembly operatively coupled to the containment vessel, the separation assembly including:
- a separation channel assembly operatively coupled to the at least one bottom surface and extending from the first portion to the second portion, the separation channel assembly being positioned to receive the grit that moves downwardly along the first and second bottom surfaces, and
- a separation conveyor at least partially disposed within the separation channel assembly and having a first longitudinal axis extending from the first portion to the second portion, the first longitudinal axis being downwardly sloping with respect to the horizontal from the first portion to the second portion, the separation channel assembly being positioned to receive the grit that moves downwardly along the first and second bottom surfaces, the separation conveyor being configured to convey the grit in the separation channel assembly toward the second portion of the containment vessel and out of an end of the separation channel assembly;
- and
- one or more separation ribs positioned within the containment vessel and oriented approximately transversely to the first longitudinal axis of the separation conveyor, the one or more separation ribs being configured to slow a velocity of the slurry as the slurry traverses from the first portion to the second portion to encourage the grit within the slurry to settle out of the slurry toward the separation channel assembly for conveyance by the separation conveyor along the separation channel assembly toward the second portion;
- and
- a removal assembly operatively coupled to the containment vessel and to the separation assembly, the removal assembly having a lower portion and an upper portion having a grit exit port, the removal assembly including:
- a removal conveyor having a second longitudinal axis extending from the lower portion to the upper portion, and a removal chute at least partially disposed about the removal conveyor, the removal chute being positioned to receive the grit that is conveyed by the separation conveyor out of the end of the separation channel assembly, the removal conveyor being configured to convey the grit received by the removal chute toward the upper portion of the removal assembly and out of the grit exit port.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.