Patent ID: 6698592
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: B01D,G01N

Abstract:
A separation plate employed for separating a fluid stream into a major flow and a minor flow, the major flow including a minor portion of particles that are above a predetermined size and the minor flow including a major portion of the particles that are above the predetermined size, said separation plate comprising:(a) a block in which is defined a laterally extending passage having an inlet disposed on one edge of the block and an outlet disposed on an opposite edge of the block, said passage having a length extending between said inlet and said outlet, a lateral dimension extending in a direction that is orthogonal to the length and to a transverse dimension extending between the opposed surfaces of the laterally extending passage, said lateral dimension being substantially greater than the transverse dimension of the passage, the opposed surfaces of said passage between which the transverse dimension of the passage is defined generally converging toward each other within the block; (b) a transverse, laterally extending slot defined within said block, in fluid communication with a portion of the passage that has the substantially smaller cross-sectional area; and (c) a major flow outlet port defined in the block, in fluid communication with the transverse, laterally extending slot, the major flow entering the slot and exiting the block through the major flow outlet port, while the minor flow exits the block through the outlet of the passage, said major flow carrying the minor portion of the particles, and said minor flow carrying the major portion of the particles that are above the predetermined size.