Rotary separator apparatus and method

A separator apparatus for separating solids from a liquid/solid slurry, comprising:

• (a) a container having a solid outer wall portion defining a first inner cavity suitable for retainably holding a predetermined volume of slurry and a porous outer wall portion defining a second inner cavity contiguous with said first inner cavity;
• said porous outer wall being configured to filter fine solids from liquids carrying fine solids;
• (b) a support connected to said container for rotatably supporting said container for rotation about an axis;
• (c) at least one partially porous lift paddle mounted to said container within said first inner cavity and rotatable with said container along a closed arcuate path, said lift paddle being arranged and configured to engage and lift solids from the volume of slurry within said first inner cavity as said container rotates about said axis in a first direction;
• (d) a partition separating said first and said second inner cavities, said partition being sized and configured to enable liquid with fine solids to pass from said slurry into said second inner cavity as new slurry is added to the volume of slurry within said first inner cavity;
• (e) a collector extending into said first and said second inner cavities and disposed to at least partially underlie said lift paddle as it rotates in said first direction toward an apex of said arcuate path and to underlie an upper portion of said porous wall as it rotates in said first direction;
• and
• (f) a drive connected to said container for rotating said container about said axis in said first direction;
• whereby said lift paddle lifts and deposits coarse solids from said slurry onto said collector and whereby said porous outer wall removes and deposits fine solids from said slurry onto said collector.