Gravitational separator having membrane baffles therein

Abstract

This invention relates to a continuous flow gravitational separator having inclined membrane baffles therein which separates solid particles and also foam from a suspension liquid. A rectangular membrane assembly with a plurality of parallel inclined flexible membranes is received in a cylindrical tank, thereby defining four vertically extending arc-shaped compartments or segments between the membrane assembly and the wall of the tank. The tank has a funnel shaped bottom solids outlet and oppositely located inflow and outflow segments are connected respectively to the liquid inlet and outlet. The liquid flow across the inclined compartments between the membranes is distributed evenly by vertical inflow and outflow distributor plates. The solid particles settle along the inclined membranes to a solids receiving segment, while the foam rises along the membranes to an oppositely located foam receiving segment. Increased membrane slope adjacent the solids and foam receiving segments impedes undesirable currents between these areas and the membrane compartments. The vertical stacking of the inclined lightweight membranes in the cylindrical tank enables a relatively inexpensive compact unit to be provided having a large capacity.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.