Feedwell system for a separation vessel

A feedwell system for delivering a slurry to a separation vessel, the system comprising:

• a feedwell barrel for containing and controlling the slurry, the feedwell barrel having an inlet for receiving the slurry;
• a series of spaced-apart internal baffles around an inner perimeter of the feedwell barrel for dissipating inflow energy while limiting an internal circulation field within the feedwell barrel;
• the feedwell barrel having a bottom with an outlet in the bottom to allow discharge of the slurry, the outlet being sized to cause a buildup of the slurry within the feedwell barrel, to dissipate energy;
• an extension downpipe depending down from the bottom of the feedwell barrel below the outlet for encouraging axi-symmetric discharge of the slurry out of the extension downpipe;
• a deflector plate below, and spaced from, the extension downpipe to deflect the slurry radially and outwardly;
• and
• a protector plate above the deflector plate and below the extension downpipe for limiting discharge flow off the deflector plate from disrupting layers formed in the separation vessel, for encouraging circumferential distribution, and for limiting recirculation of the slurry into an area between the extension downpipe and the deflector plate, the protector plate comprising at least one ventilation opening for limiting formation of an adverse pressure gradient and decelerating the flow of the slurry from the feedwell barrel to the an inlet area between the deflector plate and the protector plate by allowing a controlled inflow of an external fluid through the at least one ventilation opening into the inlet area between the deflector plate and the protector plate.