Hydrocyclone for washing particles in liquid suspension
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorsGlenn R. Dalby, Wolfgang K. Heiland
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for separating particulate solids from a liquid suspension relies upon a hydrocyclone having two radially and vertically spaced inlets in the upper portion thereof for establishing throughout the hydrocyclone concentric flow patterns of a fluid stream containing the particulate solids and a stream of wash fluid which are separately fed into the hydrocyclone through the inlets. The particles are efficiently separated and washed by passing laterally from one stream to the other as a result of inherent centrifugal or centripedal forces. Multiple hydrocyclone units arranged in a countercurrent series achieve a high product recovery per unit ratio. The invention is particularly suitable for freeze concentration of high value food products.
Claims10
A hydrocyclone comprising a body having a cylindrical upper portion defining an upper region and a frustoconical lower portion defining a lower region, an axially-oriented bottom outlet at the apex of the lower body portion, an axially-oriented vortex finder and top outlet within the upper region, a vertically extending cylindrical skirt baffle having a lower extension terminating within said upper region and separating said upper region into an interior zone radially surrounding the vortex finder and an exterior zone radially surrounding the interior zone, a first inlet to the exterior zone of said upper region substantially tangential to the upper body portion, and a second inlet to the interior zone of said upper region substantially tangential to the skirt baffle, where said first and second inlets are radially separated from one another by the skirt baffle and wherein said first and second inlets are vertically spaced from one another.
A process for separating and washing particulate solids from a liquid suspension wherein said particles have a specific gravity less than said liquid, said process being conducted in a hydrocyclone comprising a body having a cylindrical upper portion defining an upper region and a frustoconical lower portion defining a lower region, an axially oriented bottom outlet at the apex of the lower body portion, an axially oriented vortex finder and top outlet within the upper region, a vertically extending cylindrical skirt baffle having a lower extension terminating within said upper region and separating said upper region into an interior zone radially surrounding the vortex finder and an exterior zone radially surrounding the interior zone, a first inlet to the exterior zone of said upper region substantially tangential to the upper body portion, and a second inlet to the interior zone of said upper region substantially tangential to the skirt baffle, wherein said first and second inlets are radially separated from one another by the skirt baffle and wherein said first and second inlets are vertically spaced from one another, said process comprising:
- a. introducing said liquid suspension into the first inlet;
- b. introducing into the second inlet a wash fluid having a content of said particulate solids less than the particulate solids content of the liquid suspension;
- c. withdrawing from the bottom outlet an effluent having at least a portion of the particulate solids removed;
- and
- d. withdrawing washed particles from the top outlet.
A process for separating and washing particulate solids from a liquid suspension wherein said particles have a specific gravity greater than said liquid, said process being conducted in a hydrocyclone comprising a body having a cylindrical upper portion defining an upper region and a frustoconical lower portion defining a lower region, an axially oriented bottom outlet at the apex of the lower body portion, an axially oriented vortex finder and top outlet within the upper region, a vertically extending cylindrical skirt baffle having a lower extension terminating within said upper region and separating said upper region into an interior zone radially surrounding the vortex finder and an exterior zone radially surrounding the interior zone, a first inlet to the exterior zone of said upper region substantially tangential to the upper body portion, and a second inlet to the interior zone of said upper region substantially tangential to the skirt baffle, wherein said first and second inlets are radially separated from one another by the skirt baffle and wherein said first and second inlets are vertically spaced from one another, said process comprising:
- a. introducing said liquid suspension into the second inlet;
- b. introducing into the first inlet a wash fluid having a content of said particulate solids less than the particulate solids content of the liquid suspension;
- c. withdrawing from the top outlet an effluent having at least a portion of the particulate solids removed;
- and
- d. withdrawing washed particles from the bottom outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.