Patent ID: 6602413
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: B01D,B04B

Abstract:
A centrifugal clarifier comprising:a cylindrical separation chamber that is attachable to a drive motor; an annular lid which attaches to the top of the separation chamber; a sterile, disposable container which fits into said separation chamber; a disposable lid which attaches to the top of the disposable container; a feed port which passes through the disposable lid and is capable of passing a liquid or a liquid-solid mixture from an outside source into the disposable chamber; and an effluent port which passes through the lid and is capable of passing a liquid from the disposable container into an outside receptacle; wherein the feed port is connected to a feed tube which runs along the longitudinal axis of the separation chamber and carries liquid or a liquid-solid mixture from the feed port to the disposable container and wherein the effluent port is connected to a effluent tube which runs along the longitudinal axis of the separation chamber and carries liquid from the disposable container to the effluent port; openings positioned in the wall of the effluent tube so that liquid from the disposable container may pass through the wall of the effluent tube into the interior space of the effluent tube; wherein the feed port and effluent port are structured and arranged to allow continuous flow into and out of the disposable container; wherein the liquid-solid mixture is fed into the disposable container through the feed port; wherein the separation chamber can spin around the longitudinal axis of the separation chamber so that the liquid-solid mixture fills the disposable container from the radially most outward bottom portion of the disposable container upwards and inwards to the topmost center portion of the disposable container; wherein the solid is separated from the liquid-solid mixture due to the centrifugal force of the rotating separation chamber until the disposable container is almost filled with the separated solid; and wherein the clarified liquid is released from the disposable container through the effluent port.