Feed accelerator system including feed slurry accelerating nozzle apparatus

Abstract

A feed accelerator system for use in a centrifuge, the system comprising a conveyor hub rotatably mounted substantially concentrically within a rotating bowl, the conveyor hub including at least one passageway connecting an inside surface of the conveyor hub to an outside surface of the conveyor hub for a feed slurry exiting the conveyor hub. The passageway may be associated with a variety of feed slurry accelerator enhancements such as a baffle extending into a slurry pool formed on the inside of the conveyor hub, a divider, a U-shaped channel, an extension tube, and/or a flow directing and overspeeding member. These accelerator enhancements may be combined within the passageway or incorporated into a feed slurry accelerating nozzle apparatus remoyably secured to the passageway. The passageway and/or the nozzle apparatus may include a cross-sectional area having a longer axis approximately parallel to the conveyor hub axis of rotation. Any of these feed slurry accelerator enhancements may include a wear resistant material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.