Rotating-machine bowl assembly with flow guide

A bowl assembly for a rotating machine, comprising:

• a bowl mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation;
• a feed inlet connected to said bowl for introducing a feed slurry into said bowl;
• a liquid-phase outlet provided in said bowl;
• and
• a guide member disposed inside said bowl about said axis for guiding a suspension in an at least partially circumferential or annular path about said axis, said guide member being fixed relative to said bowl to rotate at even angular speed therewith about said axis.

A method for separating phases of a multiple phase slurry, comprising:

• providing a bowl rotatable about an axis and a guide member disposed in said bowl, said guide member defining a first path having a substantial circumferential or annular component, said guide member having an outer edge spaced by a predetermined distance from an inner surface of said bowl;
• rotating said bowl and said guide member about said axis;
• during the rotating of said bowl and said guide member, introducing a suspension into said bowl;
• during the rotating of said bowl and said guide member, sedimenting a solid phase from said slurry onto said inner surface of said bowl;
• during the rotating of said bowl and said guide member and the sedimentation of the heavy phase, guiding said slurry or suspension which is depleted in heavy phase along said helical path towards a liquid phase discharge port in said bowl;
• and
• moving the settled heavy phase along a second path substantially different from said first path.