Outlet device of a separator

Abstract

An outlet device (24) of a separator (10) has an outlet channel (38) for discharging a liquid phase from a rotating drum of the separator (10). The outlet channel (38) extends along a rotational axis (16) in a fixed tube device (42) of the separator (10). A cap (74) is connected fixedly to the tube device (42), surrounds the tube device (42), and covers the drum in the radial direction.

Claims

1. An outlet device (24) of a separator (10), the outlet device (24) comprising an outlet channel (38) for discharging a liquid phase from a rotating drum of the separator (10), wherein the outlet channel (38) extends along a rotational axis (16) in a fixed tube device (42) of the separator (10), the outlet device further comprising: a cap (74) that is provided within a drum housing (12) of the separator (10), the cap (74) being connected fixedly to the tube device (42), surrounds the tube device (42) and covers the drum in a radial direction; a drum ring (82) arranged in an interior (80) of the cap (74), the drum ring (82) being connectedly fixedly to the drum and being L-shaped in cross-section; a web ring (90) arranged in an interior of the drum ring (82), the web ring (90) being connected fixedly to the tube device (42) and extending radially to the outside; a gripper (30) supported on the tube device (42); a blocking disc (94) projecting radially out from the tube device (42); an axial blocking chamber wall (54) projecting axially from the drum and being radially outward from the blocking disc (94); and an upper radial blocking chamber wall (56) projecting radially inward from the axial blocking chamber wall (54) and being spaced axially from the blocking disc (94), the drum ring (82) projecting from a radially inner part of the upper radial blocking chamber wall (56).

2. The outlet device according to claim 1, wherein the cap (74) covers the drum in the radial direction and also in the axial direction.

3. The outlet device according to claim-5 1, wherein the gripper (30) is surrounded by a gripper chamber (70), the gripper chamber (70) being defined by one radial gripper chamber wall (64) and one axial gripper chamber wall (68), each defining part of the drum, the radial gripper chamber wall (64) being provided with a ribbing (72) and the axial gripper chamber wall (68) having no ribbing.

4. The outlet device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking disc (94) is axially between the cap (74) and the gripper (30), the blocking disc (94) being fixedly connected to the tube device (42) and being surrounded by a blocking chamber (44) delimited by the axial blocking chamber wall (54), the upper radial blocking chamber wall (56) and a lower radial blocking chamber wall (58) disposed on a side of the blocking disc (94) opposite the upper radial blocking chamber wall (56).

5. The outlet device according to claim 4, wherein the blocking disc (94) is configured to have a constant disc thickness (96) in the axial direction.

6. The outlet device according to claim 1, wherein an inlet device (18) is formed in the interior of the outlet device (24) for admitting a phase mixture to the drum of the separator (10).

7. The outlet device according to claim 1 wherein the drum ring (82) includes an axial extension projecting axially from the radially inner part of the radial blocking chamber wall (56) in a direction away from the blocking disc (94) and a radial extension projecting radially in so that the web ring (90) is between the radial extension of the drum ring (82) and the blocking disc (94).

8. The outlet device according to claim 7, wherein the fixed tube device (42) includes an annular recess in an outer circumferential surface thereof, the radial extension of the drum ring (82) defining an upper ring edge (84) projecting into the annular recess in the outer circumferential surface of the fixed tube device (42).

9. The outlet device according to claim 8, wherein the drum ring (82) includes a lower ring edge (86) at a position radially outward from the web ring (90) and at a position closer to the blocking disc (94) than a position of the web ring (90) relative to the blocking disc (94).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal section of an outlet device of a separator according to the state of the art.

(2) FIG. 2 is a section according to FIG. 1 of an outlet device of a separator according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 illustrates, partially indicated, the fixed drum housing 12 of a separator 10 and a blocking device 14 arranged therein. With respect to the operating position, the blocking device 14 forms the upper end of a drum not shown in more detail. During the operation of the separator 10, the drum rotates as a rotor around a rotational axis 16 at a high speed.

(4) An inlet device 18 protrudes upward out from the drum housing 12, at the axially upper end of which inlet device 18, an inlet nozzle 20 is situated for introducing a good, product or phase mixture to be clarified.

(5) The inlet nozzle 20 leads into an inlet tube 22 extending coaxially to the rotational axis 16. Radially outside around the inlet tube 22, an outlet tube 26 belonging to an outlet device 24 is arranged, so that the inlet device 18 is arranged inside the outlet device 24. Thereby, the inlet tube 22 and the outlet tube 26 extend coaxially in a common channel portion 28. The common channel portion 25 ends in the drum axially inside at a fixed gripper 30.

(6) In the inlet tube 22, a circular cylindrical inlet channel 32 is situated, which is guided centrally through the gripper 30 and leads into the interior 34 of the drum.

(7) In the gripper 30, three radially directed gripper channels or discharge channels 36 are formed leading from radially outside to radially inside and ending at a hollow cylindrical outlet channel 38. The discharge channels 36 serve to discharge clarified liquid phase from the interior 34 of the drum.

(8) The outlet channel 38 is situated between the inlet tube 22 and the outlet tube 26. The outlet channel 38 leads in this case axially throughout the common channel portion 28 to an outlet nozzle 40, where the discharged liquid phase is led out from the outlet device 24.

(9) The outlet channel 38 arranged in this way coaxially outside around the inlet channel 32 thus extends along the rotational axis 16 within a fixed tube device 42 comprising the inlet tube 22 and the outlet tube 26. The common channel portion 28 of the inlet tube 22 and the outlet tube 26 thereby ends axially inside the drum at the fixed gripper 30, which is therewith supported on the inside end area 43 of the tube device 42.

(10) The blocking device 14 is arranged axially above the gripper 30 an comprises a blocking chamber 44, in which a radially oriented circular blocking disc 46 is situated. Being slightly conical in its disc thickness, the blocking disc 46 extends radially to the outside, which results in a relative thin mean disc thickness 48. Furthermore, a blocking fluid nozzle 50 is provided through which a blocking fluid may be introduced into the blocking chamber 44 in a blocking fluid channel 52. The blocking fluid is used to prevent oxygen from ambient air to be able to reach the interior 34 of the drum and the product there from outside.

(11) Usually, degassed water (low in oxygen) serves as the blocking fluid. Such a hydro-hermetical blocking allows the interior 34 of the drum to be sealed with respect to its environment without mechanical wear.

(12) The blocking disc 46 surrounds the fixed tube device 42 coaxially and fixedly as a blocking ring. Therewith, the blocking disc 46 is situated inside the blocking chamber 44 which is delimited radially inside by the fixed tube device 42. Furthermore, the blocking chamber 44 is delimited radially outside by an axial blocking chamber wall 54, axially on the top by an upper radial blocking chamber wall 56 and axially at the bottom by a lower radial blocking chamber wall 58. All of the blocking chamber walls 54, 56, and 58 rotate as a part of the rotating drum together with this drum around the rotational axis 16.

(13) In this case, the axial blocking chamber wall 54 features a plurality of axial grooves, and all of the radial blocking chamber walls 56 and 58 feature a plurality of grooves as ribbing 60. Such ribbings 60 support rotating of a blocking fluid introduced into the blocking chamber 44 with the blocking chamber walls 54, 56 and 58 rotating along with the drum.

(14) Both radial blocking chamber walls 56 and 58 are arranged radially inside to be spaced from the fixed tube device 42. Thereby, the upper radial blocking chamber wall 56, as compared to the lower radial blocking chamber wall 58, has a smaller inner diameter, by which a blocking chamber overflow edge 62 is defined. The blocking fluid in the blocking chamber 44 should not rise beyond this blocking chamber overflow edge 62 in the direction of the rotational axis 16. Otherwise, the blocking fluid would exit from the blocking chamber 44. Thus, the blocking chamber overflow edge 62 defines a maximum possible pool depth of a blocking fluid pool.

(15) In the present case, the lower radial blocking chamber wall 58 is at the same time an upper radial gripper chamber wall 64 which defines a drum overflow edge 66 by its inner diameter. The product situated in the interior 34 of the drum is not allowed to rise in the radial direction to the rotational axis 16 above the drum overflow edge 66. Otherwise, the product would exit through the blocking chamber 44 to the outside, what would lead to product losses. Thus, a maximum possible pool depth of the separator 10 is defined by means of this drum overflow edge 66.

(16) An axial gripper chamber wall 68 joins the radial gripper chamber wall 64 radially outside, which together belong to a gripper chamber 70 surrounding the gripper 30 and open downward toward the interior 34 of the drum. In this case, the radial gripper chamber wall 64 features radial grooves and the axial gripper chamber wall 68 features axial grooves as ribbings 72. These ribbings 72 support a rotational movement of the liquid phase in the gripper chamber 70 when the drum is rotating. Thereby, the gripper chamber walls 64 and 68 likewise rotate around the rotational axis 16 as a part of the rotating drum.

(17) In FIG. 2, a separator 10 according to the invention is illustrated, in which the blocking device 14 with its blocking chamber 44 represents the upper end in the operation position of a drum not represented in greater detail. In a manner similar to the separator 10 according to FIG. 1, a gripper chamber 70 surrounding the gripper 30 is arranged axially below the blocking chamber 44.

(18) As essentially distinguished from FIG. 1, a cap 74 surrounding the fixed tube device 42 is situated axially above the blocking chamber 44 with its upper radial blocking chamber wall 56. The cap 74 is fixedly connected to a fastening tube 75 that is configured to be stepped radially outside, which fixedly and coaxially surrounds the outlet tube 26 and belongs to the tube device 42.

(19) The cap 74 comprises a flat outer wall section 76 extending obliquely downward and radially to the outside, which is connected to the fastening tube 75 radially inside. Following this oblique outer wall section 76, a hollow cylindrical outer wall section 78 of the cap 74 extending coaxially to the rotational axis 16 is situated radially outside. Thus, an interior or a cavity 80 of the cap 74 is formed such that the oblique outer wall section 76 covers the drum with its upper radial blocking chamber wall 56 in the radial direction. Further, the interior 80 of the cap 74 or the cap cavity covers the drum at least with a lower part of the hollow cylindrical outer wall section 78 in the axial direction.

(20) Shaped this way, a blocking gas such as, for example, carbon dioxide, may be introduced into the interior 80 of the cap 74 as necessary, which then will separate the drum in its upper area radially and axially from ambient air as a gas separating layer.

(21) Moreover, a drum ring 82, L-shaped in its cross section and integrally formed with the upper radial blocking chamber wall 56, is arranged in the interior 80 of the cap 74. The drum ring 82 is thus fixedly connected to the drum and rotates around the rotational axis 16 during rotation of the drum.

(22) The drum ring 82 has an upper ring edge 84 and a lower ring edge 86, wherein the upper ring edge 84 features a smaller diameter than the lower ring edge 86. Thus, the upper ring edge 84 of this kind serves as an overflow edge or overflow weir for the blocking fluid received within the blocking chamber 44. Moreover, the upper ring edge 84 is arranged to be radially further inside than the blocking chamber overflow edge 62 according to FIG. 1.

(23) Within a thus formed L-shaped cavity or interior 88 of the drum ring 82, a web ring 90 fixedly connected to the tube device 42 is arranged. The web ring 90 is configured integrally with the fastening tube 75 in a particularly stable manner and runs from the fastening tube 75 radially to the outside in parallel along an upper ring area 92 of the L-shaped drum ring 82. This upper ring area 92 extends from the upper ring edge 84 radially to the outside and constitutes a relatively small spacing from the web ring 90 so that a very narrow clearance is formed in this area. Thus formed, a kind of labyrinth is formed by the web ring 90 and the upper ring area 92 of the L-shaped drum ring 82, which labyrinth may act sealingly to a certain extent.

(24) The labyrinth of this kind is surrounded by the interior 80 of the cap 74. Blocking gas introduced therein thus also surrounds the labyrinth, whereby a blocking gas pressure against the labyrinth may be built up. In the region of the labyrinth, the blocking gas pressure will then press against a blocking fluid pressure which builds up by means of the blocking fluid present in the blocking chamber 44. If necessary, these pressure conditions on the labyrinth may be varied and set so that different rates of flow can be realized in the drum without product loss.

(25) For introducing blocking fluid or blocking gas, a blocking gas supply in the form of a fluid line and advantageously coming from outside is formed through the drum housing 12 and/or through the fastening tube 75 into the interior 80 of the cap 74 and/or into the interior 88 of the drum ring 82.

(26) Further, there is a blocking disc 94 within the blocking chamber 44 featuring a constant disc thickness 96 in the radial direction. This disc thickness 96 is substantially greater than the mean disc thickness 48 according to the state of the art. Moreover, all of the blocking chamber walls 54, 56 and 58 are configured with their inner surfaces to be smooth or unribbed.

(27) As a whole according to FIG. 2, a substantially smaller spacing between the blocking disc 94 and the blocking chamber walls 54, 56 and 58 is created as compared to the state of the art. This allows less blocking fluid volume to be required for filling the blocking chamber 44 according to FIG. 2 than for filling the blocking chamber 44 according to FIG. 1. Moreover, in case of less blocking fluid volume, less turbulences occur in the blocking fluid when the blocking chamber 44 is rotating. It has been shown surprisingly that this smaller blocking fluid volume is sufficient for the desired reliably blocking action with respect to ambient air.

(28) Furthermore, the gripper chamber 70 according to FIG. 2 features radial grooves as ribbings 72 only on its radial gripper chamber wall 64. However, the axial gripper chamber wall 68 is smooth on its inner surface.

(29) Finally, it should be noted that the entirety of features mentioned in the application documents and in particular in the dependent claims should also be protected individually or in any combination despite of the formal back reference made to one or more certain claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(30) 10 separator 12 drum housing 14 blocking device 16 rotational axis 18 inlet device 20 inlet nozzle 22 inlet tube 24 outlet device 26 outlet tube 28 common axial channel portion 30 gripper 32 inlet channel 34 interior of the drum 36 gripper channel or discharge channel 38 outlet channel 40 outlet nozzle 42 fixed tube device 43 inside end area 44 blocking chamber 46 blocking disc 48 mean disc thickness 50 blocking fluid nozzle 52 blocking fluid channel 54 axial blocking chamber wall 56 upper radial blocking chamber wall 58 lower radial blocking chamber wall 60 ribbing 62 blocking chamber overflow edge 64 radial gripper chamber wall 66 drum overflow edge 68 axial gripper chamber wall 70 gripper chamber 72 ribbing 74 cap 75 fastening tube 76 oblique outer wall section 78 hollow cylindrical outer wall section 80 interior or cavity of the cap 82 drum ring being L-shaped in its cross section 84 upper ring edge or overflow edge 86 lower ring edge 88 interior or cavity of the drum ring 90 web ring 92 upper ring area 94 blocking disc 96 disc thickness