Dual stage centrifugal liquid-solids separator

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. a discontinuous helical ring attached around the cylindrical wall of said outlet pipe at the second end thereof such that said ring protrudes into the upper section of said chamber;
• e. a plurality of radially spaced apart axially-extending openings passing through the wall of said outlet pipe in the vicinity of said helical ring fluidly interconnecting the interior of said outlet pipe and the upper section of said chamber;
• and
• f. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. a helical ring attached around the cylindrical wall of said outlet pipe at the second end thereof such that said ring protrudes into the upper section of said chamber;
• e. a plurality of radially spaced apart axially-extending openings passing through the wall of said outlet pipe in the vicinity of said helical ring fluidly interconnecting the interior of said outlet pipe and the upper section of said chamber;
• f. an axially oriented circular spin plate of small diameter extending across a portion of said chamber in the lower section thereof;
• and
• g. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. a helical ring attached around the cylindrical wall of said outlet pipe at the second end thereof such that said ring protrudes into the upper section of said chamber;
• e. a plurality of radially spaced apart axially-extending openings passing through the wall of said outlet pipe in the vicinity of said helical ring fluidly interconnecting the interior of said outlet pipe and the upper section of said chamber;
• f. an axially oriented circular spin plate having a diameter, said spin plate extending across a portion of said chamber in the lower section thereof and defining an annular gap between the edge of said spin plate and the cylindrical wall of said vessel;
• and
• g. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. a helical ring attached around the cylindrical wall of said outlet pipe at the second end thereof such that said ring protrudes into the upper section of said chamber;
• e. a plurality of radially spaced apart axially-extending openings passing through the wall of said outlet pipe in the vicinity of said helical ring fluidly interconnecting the interior of said outlet pipe and the upper section of said chamber;
• f. a pair of axially oriented circular spin plates of different diameters provided in the lower section of said chamber;
• and
• g. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. a helical ring attached around the cylindrical wall of said outlet pipe at the second end thereof such that said ring protrudes into the upper section of said chamber;
• e. a plurality of radially spaced apart axially-extending openings passing through the wall of said outlet pipe in the vicinity of said helical ring fluidly interconnecting the interior of said outlet pipe and the upper section of said chamber;
• f. an upper axially oriented circular spin plate of small diameter extending across a portion of said chamber in the lower section thereof;
• g. a lower axially oriented circular spin plate having a diameter, said lower spin plate extending across a portion of said chamber in the lower section thereof and defining an annular gap between the edge of said lower spin plate and the cylindrical wall of said vessel;
• h. a plurality of air breaker vanes provided in the upper section of said chamber extending radially between the cylindrical wall of said vessel and said outlet pipe;
• i. a plurality of spin arrestor vanes provided in the lower section of said chamber above said lower spin plate, extending radially across the annular gap between said lower spin plate and the cylindrical wall of said vessel;
• j. a plurality of baffles provided in the lower section of said chamber below said lower spin plate said baffles extending radially between the center of said chamber and the cylindrical vessel wall;
• and
• k. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. an upper axially oriented circular spin plate of small diameter extending across a portion of said chamber in the lower section thereof
• e. a lower axially oriented circular spin plate having a diameter, said lower spin plate extending across a portion of said chamber in the lower section thereof and defining an annular gap between the edge of said lower spin plate and the cylindrical wall of said vessel;
• and
• f. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. an upper axially oriented circular spin plate of small diameter extending across a portion of said chamber in the lower section thereof
• e. a lower axially oriented circular spin plate having a diameter, said lower spin plate extending across a portion of said chamber in the lower section thereof and defining an annular gap between the edge of said lower spin plate and the cylindrical wall of said vessel;
• f. a plurality of air breaker vanes provided in the upper section of said chamber extending radially between the cylindrical wall of said vessel and said outlet pipe;
• g. a plurality of spin arrestor vanes provided in the lower section of said chamber above said lower spin plate, extending radially across the annular gap between said lower spin plate and the cylindrical wall of said vessel;
• h. a plurality of baffles provided in the lower section of said chamber below said lower spin plate said baffles extending radially between the center of said chamber and the cylindrical vessel wall;
• and
• i. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end said second end having a flared section forming a bell shape;
• d. a helical ring attached around the cylindrical wall of said outlet pipe at the second end thereof such that said ring protrudes into the upper section of said chamber;
• e. a plurality of radially spaced apart axially-extending openings passing through the wall of said outlet pipe in the vicinity of said helical ring fluidly interconnecting the interior of said outlet pipe and the upper section of said chamber;
• and
• f. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A method for separating solids from a liquid/solids fluid stream comprising the steps of:

• a. introducing a pressurized fluid stream containing solids and liquids into an upper section of a cylindrical vessel at generally tangential angle to induce a rotational flow inside said vessel;
• b. pushing the heavier solids in said fluid stream outward by centrifugal force;
• c. guiding said fluid stream into a downward spiral using a centrally located helical ridge;
• d. moving the solids in said downwardly spiraling fluid stream along the inside of the cylindrical vessel to a lower collection chamber in said vessel;
• e. reversing the direction of flow of the central portion of said downwardly spiraling fluid stream using an axially oriented central spin plate causing said central portion to spiral upward;
• f. receiving said upwardly spiraling central portion of said fluid stream into an upper exit pipe that is axially attached at the top of said cylindrical vessel;
• g. separating finer solids from said upwardly spiraling fluid stream through a plurality of radially spaced apart axially-extending openings in said exit pipe, said openings interconnecting the interior of said exit pipe and the upper section of said vessel;
• h. discharging the remainder of said upwardly spiraling fluid stream through said exit pipe;
• and
• i. periodically purging the solids from said lower collection chamber.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. a vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. a helical ring attached around the cylindrical wall of said outlet pipe at the second end thereof such that said ring protrudes into the upper section of said chamber;
• e. a plurality of openings passing through the wall of said outlet pipe fluidly interconnecting the interior of said outlet pipe and the upper section of said chamber, said openings being provided below an inner annular shoulder of said outlet pipe;
• and
• f. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.

A centrifugal liquid/solids separator comprising:

• a. vessel having a cylindrical side wall, and upper and lower end walls forming an interior chamber, said chamber having an upper section and a lower section;
• b. an inlet in said cylindrical wall near the upper end wall for introducing fluid under pressure at an angle that is generally tangential to said cylindrical side wall;
• c. an outlet pipe axially mounted in the upper end wall of said vessel, said outlet pipe having a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter than said vessel, a hollow interior, an upper portion that extends out from said upper end wall to a first end, and a lower portion that extends into the upper section of said chamber to a second end;
• d. a helical ring attached around the cylindrical wall of said outlet pipe at the second end thereof such that said ring protrudes into the upper section of said chamber;
• e. a plurality of openings passing through the wall of said outlet pipe in the vicinity of said helical ring fluidly interconnecting the interior of said outlet pipe and the upper section of said chamber;
• and
• f. a discharge opening in the lower end wall of said vessel.