Method and system for separating particulate matter

A system for separating particulate material based on particle size and/or density of the material, comprising:

• an inlet for receiving a material comprising at least two solids having at least one of a different particle size and a different density into an inlet compartment;
• a separation chamber having an interior surface and an inner tube having an exterior surface that receives said material from said inlet, wherein an annular space is defined between the exterior surface of the inner tube and the interior surface of the separation chamber;
• a rotatable compartment having a cavity for receiving at least a bottom portion of said separation chamber and a fluid;
• a suction pump for applying negative pressure to classify the material through the annular space of the separation chamber, said suction pump enabling the separation of said solids based on particle size and/or density of the solids by drawing said fluid in an upward direction through said material and separation chamber at a predetermined velocity, wherein relatively larger or denser solids of said material are directed to a bottom portion of said separation chamber;
• and wherein relatively smaller or less dense solids of said material are directed upward through said annular space of said separation chamber;
• wherein rotation of said rotatable bowl enables removal of the relatively larger and/or denser solids from said rotatable compartment;
• and
• and wherein the predetermined velocity of the fluid is modifiable by varying a cross-sectional area of the annular space.

A substantially continuous method for separating particulate material based on particle size and/or density of the material, comprising:

• a) introducing a material comprising at least two solids having at least one of a different particle size and a different density into an inlet compartment having a diameter defining a pathway;
• b) directing said material through said pathway to a separation chamber having an interior surface and an inner tube having an exterior surface, wherein an annular space is defined between the exterior surface of the inner tube and the interior surface of the separation chamber;
• c) providing at least a bottom portion of said separation chamber within a cavity of a rotatable compartment;
• d) maintaining said separation chamber under a negative pressure;
• e) maintaining a predetermined amount of fluid within said cavity and within said separation chamber, wherein said maintaining step (e) comprises:
• (i) inputting a predetermined amount of fluid into a reservoir;
• (ii) directing a predetermined amount of fluid from said reservoir to said separation chamber;
• (iii) drawing a predetermined amount of fluid from said separation chamber by said negative pressure;
• f) monitoring the level of the fluid in at least one of the reservoir and the separation chamber, wherein if said fluid is less than a predetermined amount in said monitoring step, performing one or more steps selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) increasing an amount of fluid directed into said separation chamber;
• (ii) increasing an available pathway of the input compartment;
• and
• (iii) reducing an amount of said negative pressure.
• and wherein, if said fluid is more than a predetermined amount in said monitoring step (f), performing one or more steps selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) decreasing an amount of fluid directed into said separation chamber;
• (ii) decreasing an available pathway of the input compartment;
• and
• (iii) increasing an amount of said negative pressure.

A system for separating particulate material based on particle size and/or density of the material, comprising:

• an inlet compartment having a pathway for receiving a material comprising at least two solids having at least one of a different particle size and a different density;
• a separation chamber having an interior surface and an inner tube having an exterior surface for receiving said material from said inlet compartment, wherein an annular space is defined between the exterior surface of the inner tube and the interior surface of the separation chamber;
• a rotatable compartment having a cavity for receiving at least a bottom portion of said separation chamber;
• a pump for directing predetermined amount of fluid from a reservoir to said separation chamber;
• a suction pump for maintaining the separation chamber under a negative pressure and for drawing a predetermined amount of fluid from said cavity through said separation chamber and out said separation chamber;
• at least one sensor for monitoring the level of the fluid in at least one of the reservoir and in the separation chamber;
• a control system adapted to perform one or more of increasing an amount of fluid directed into said separation chamber, increasing an available pathway of the input compartment, and reducing an amount of said negative pressure if said at least one sensor detects that the amount of fluid is less than a predetermined amount in said reservoir and/or said separation chamber;
• wherein said control system is adapted to perform one or more of decreasing an amount of fluid directed into said separation chamber, decreasing an available pathway of the input compartment, and increasing an amount of said negative pressure if said at least one sensor detects that the amount of fluid is more than a predetermined amount in said reservoir and/or said separation chamber.