Patent ID: 8813973

Claim:
An apparatus for filtering a material from a medium, comprising: a first housing having a first section having a generally conical shape, a second section having a shape of a right cylinder, and at least one wall with a plurality of openings formed therein; a second housing substantially surrounding the first housing and adapted to collect the medium that passes through the openings in the first housing, the second housing including at least one interior panel that compartmentalizes the second housing into a plurality of zones, with each zone having a corresponding outlet; a conveyor disposed in the first housing for moving at least the material in a direction along the first section of the first housing followed by the second section of the first housing; and at least one conduit line in fluid communication with an interior of the first housing for supplying the medium to the apparatus, wherein at least one of the first housing and conveyor rotate relative to a central axis to direct the medium toward the at least one wall so as to filter the material from the medium, and wherein the generally conical shape of the first section of the first housing tapers outwardly along its length in a direction towards the second section.