Patent ID: 6561965
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: B04B

Abstract:
A decanter centrifuge for applying centrifugal force to a feed mixture, the centrifugal force created by rotation of the centrifuge, the centrifuge comprising:a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis, the bowl having discharge ports therein; a feed pipe for introducing the feed mixture into the bowl; and a rotatable conveyor mounted within the centrifuge bowl and adapted for rotation at a differential speed with respect to the bowl, the conveyor having a central hub extending for at least a portion of the longitudinal length of the centrifuge, a helical conveyor flight extending along at least a portion of the length of the hub, and a feed chamber within the hub for receiving a feed mixture from the feed pipe, the feed chamber delivering the feed mixture into the bowl, the feed chamber having a sidewall including an interior surface and being coaxially positioned about the longitudinal axis, an opening in the feed chamber sidewall for receiving the feed pipe, a space defined between the feed pipe and the opening, and a plurality of pump vane means located radially inward from a portion of the sidewall and defining a space between a radially outer surface of the pump vane means and an inner surface of the sidewall adjacent the sidewall opening for providing a centrifugal force to the feed mixture as the pump vane means rotate along with the conveyor about the longitudinal axis and for drawing the feed mixture from the space between the feed pipe and the sidewall opening and returning the feed mixture into the space between the sidewall and the radially outer surface of the pump vane means and back into the feed chamber radially outward from the pipe, an unobstructed annular area defined between the radially inner surface of the pump vane means and the feed pipe extending from the sidewall opening to a distal end of the pump vane means.