In-line pressurized wet screening apparatus

Abstract

An in-line apparatus for separating oversize particles from a pressurized fluid slurry which comprises: a rigid, hollow body member capable of withstanding the pressure of the fluid slurry, the body member having a valved slurry inlet port and a slurry outlet port, each port adapted to mate with slurry conduit means; a washer access port opposite from and in axial alignment with the slurry outlet port; a hollow, open-ended screen assembly fixedly mounted within the body member between and in axial alignment with the slurry outlet port and the washer access port; a valved oversize particle discharge port at the lowermost end of the body member adapted to mate with oversize particle conduit means; and retractable backwasher means externally mounted on the body member in axial alignment with the washer access port and the screen assembly, where the backwasher means comprises a fluid discharging spray head adapted to pass axially through the interior of the screen assembly, whereby a pressurized backwashing fluid is directed against the entire interior surface of the screen assembly to dislodge and wash out accumulated oversize particles, and then retract so that the spray head is withdrawn through the washer access port.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.