Patent ID: 6719681
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: B01D,B04B,C02F

Abstract:
A method of accomplishing separation of a multiple-component fluid mixture comprising:feeding the fluid mixture into a chamber of a vessel through an inlet channel, the chamber being at least partially bounded by a peripheral wall and the chamber also communicating with an outlet channel, the fluid mixture including a heavy component and a light component; rotating the vessel about a rotational axis extending through the vessel such that the heavy component collects toward at least a portion of the peripheral wall of the vessel radially outward from the rotational axis and the light component collects toward the rotational axis, a plurality of spaced apart fins being disposed within the chamber, each fin projecting from toward the rotational axis to toward the peripheral wall, at least a portion of the fluid mixture being disposed between the plurality of fins during rotation of the vessel, a disc outwardly projecting from toward the rotational axis to toward the peripheral wall, the disc intersecting with each of the plurality of fins, the fluid mixture being feed into the chamber such that fluid mixture is forced to travel around an outer perimeter of the disc; removing the light component through the outlet channel; and removing the heavy component through a conduit disposed within the chamber, at least a portion of the conduit extending from toward the peripheral wall of the chamber to toward the rotational axis.