Self-cleaning sedimentation unit
AssigneeThe M. W. Kellogg Company
InventorsJoseph Fruchtbaum, Frederick B. Kronmiller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gravity sedimentation unit for thickening or clarifying a solids containing liquid is disclosed. The unit comprises a settling basin for receiving the feed and permitting the suspended solids to settle. A pump moves around the basin to discharge solids accumulating at the bottom. Support and vertical positioning of the pump is effected by a pump suspension which comprises a winch and a solids level detector. Horizontal positioning of the pump is effected by a bridge-type crane including a traverse with a drive for moving the traverse over the basin and a motorized trolley for moving the pump suspension back and forth along the traverse. Control of the pump travel is effected by a controller programmed to carry out regular search patterns through the basin.
Claims20
A sedimentation unit for gravity separation of suspended solids from a liquid, comprising:
- a basin having an inlet for introducing a liquid containing suspended solids, a bottom area for accumulating settled solids from the liquid, and a liquid outlet for discharging liquid reduced solids content;
- a pump, having an agitator mounted on a common shaft with an impeller of the pump for rotation therewith, and the agitator is spaced below the impeller, for pumping a slurry of the accumulated solids to a slurry discharge from the basin;
- a horizontal traverse with a drive for moving the traverse over the basin;
- a pump suspension for supporting the pump from the traverse and vertically positioning the pump with respect to the traverse;
- a motorized trolley for supporting the pump suspension from the traverse and adapted to move and reciprocate the pump suspension along a length of the traverse;
- a solids detector for sensing a presence or absence of solids adjacent a suction of the pump;
- and
- a controller adapted to activate the pump when the solids detector senses the presence of the solids adjacent the pump suction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.