Centrifuge
AssigneePhase Inc.
InventorsCurtis Kirker, Berkeley F. Fuller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A centrifuge with specific wall and opening shapes for receptacles is disclosed. A centrifuge may include a fluid separation wall aligned substantially parallel to an axis of rotation and include an inner surface, a void area, and an outer surface. The inner surface may be placed in contact with the fluid medium. The inner surface may include at least one receptacle. The receptacle may aid in separation of the more dense particles from the fluid medium. The centrifuge may further include at least one fluid flow path extending through the separation wall from the inner surface to the outer surface. The fluid flow path may transport the more dense particles to the containment zone.
Claims30
A centrifuge for removing more dense material from a fluid medium, comprising:
- a fluid separation wall placed within a non-rotating sleeve to form a containment zone therebetween;
- the containment zone operable to receive a portion of the fluid medium having a greater concentration of the more dense material;
- the fluid separation wall including an inner surface, a middle section, and an outer surface;
- the fluid separation wall aligned generally parallel to an axis of rotation and operable to rotate around the axis of rotation;
- at least one receptacle defined in a part by a respective geometry formed on the inner surface and a respective shape formed in the middle section to form a void space between the inner and outer surface;
- the receptacle operable to aid in separation of the more dense material from the fluid medium;
- at least one flow path extending through the fluid separation wall from the void area to the outer surface of the receptacle;
- and
- the flow path operable to transport the more dense material to the containment zone.
A method of constructing a centrifuge for separating more dense material from a fluid medium, comprising:
- forming a centrifuge core with a separation wall having an inner surface, a middle section, and an outer surface;
- forming at least one receptacle in the separation wall to provide a void area to aid in separation of the more dense material from the fluid medium;
- placing an opening within the receptacle extending from the void area to the outer surface to transport the more dense material to be disposed on the non-rotating sleeve;
- placing the centrifuge core within a non-rotating sleeve;
- and
- aligning the centrifuge core for rotation along an axis of rotation to create centrifugal force to separate the more dense material from the fluid medium.
A method of removing more dense material from a centrifuge, comprising:
- forming a centrifuge core with at least one receptacle having an opening and a flow path extending therethrough;
- forming a centrifuge with the centrifuge core disposed within an outer non-rotating collecting sleeve;
- rotating the centrifuge core around an axis of rotation to create centrifugal force to separate the more dense material from a fluid medium by directing the more dense material through the opening into a void area formed by the receptacle and through the flow path to a collection zone between the centrifuge core and the nonrotating sleeve;
- and
- creating chaos within the void area of the receptacle to disrupt the formation of a cyclonic vorticity.
A fluid separation wall for separating more dense material from a fluid medium in a centrifuge, comprising:
- an inner surface, an outer surface and a middle section;
- a plurality of replaceable receptacles to aid in the separation of more dense fluid from a fluid medium;
- a respective geometry formed on the inner surface for each receptacle;
- a respective shape formed in the middle section of the receptacle between the inner surface and the outer surface;
- the respective shape in communication with the fluid medium;
- and
- at least one flow path formed in the respective shape for separating more dense material to be removed from the receptacle.
A replaceable segment of a fluid separation wall for a centrifuge, the replaceable segment comprising:
- at least one receptacle forming the replaceable segment having a first surface and a second surface;
- the first surface including a replaceable wear layer placed in communication with a fluid medium, the first surface having a respective geometry and a respective shape operable to aid in separation of the fluid medium;
- the second surface opposite the first surface of the replaceable segment including a flow path for each receptacle;
- and
- the flow path extending through each receptacle from the first surface wall to the second surface wall, the flow path operable to transport a more dense fluid separated from the fluid medium through the fluid separation wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.