Centrifugal multi-chamber counter current exchange device with removable disc columns

Claim 1

A CENTRIFUGAL COUNTERCURRENT EXCHANGE DEVICE COMPRISING A ROTOR HAVING A CENTRAL SHAFT, A PAIR OF END WALLS AND A CYLINDRICAL OUTER WALL, A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL MIXING CHAMBERS IN SAID ROTOR, SAID CHAMBERS EXTENDING RADIALLY ABOUT SAID SHAFT, SAID OUTER WALL BEING FORMED WITH A PLULRALITY OF PORTHOLES ONE IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OF SAID CHAMBERS, A PLUG REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN EACH OF SAID PORTHOLES, A RELATIVELY SHORT HEAVY LIQUID INLET TUBE REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN EAHC OF SAID CHAMBERS FOR ADMITTING HEAVIER LIQUID THEREIN NEAR THE INNER END THEREOF, A LONGER LIGHT LIQUID INLET TUBE REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN EACH OF SAID CHAMBERS FOR ADMITTING LIGHTER LIQUID THEREINTO NEARER THE OUTER END THEREOF, UNITARY DISC COLUMNS REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN AT LEAST SOME OF SAID CHAMBERS, SAID DISC COLUMNS INCLUDING A CENTRAL TIE ROD, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED PAIRS OF SUPERPOSED PERFORATED DISCS MOUNTED ON SAID TIE ROD AND COOPERATING THEREWITH TO AFFORD INDEXING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID PAIRS OF DISCS TO OBTAIN ANY DESIRED PERFORATION CHARACTERISTICS, SAID LIGHT LIQUID INLET TUBE COMPRISING SAID TIE ROD, A FIRST ANNULUS IN SAID ROTOR ADJACENT AND CONCENTRIC WITH SAID SHAFT, SAID FIRST ANNULUS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INNER END OF EACH CHAMBERS FOR REMOVING THE LIGHTER LIQUID IN COMMON THEREFROM, AND A SECOND ANNULUS IN SAID ROTOR ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY THEREOF AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE OUTER END OF EACH OF SAID CHAMBERS FOR REMOVING THE HEAVIER LIQUID IN COMMON THEREFROM WHEREBY THE FREE TURBULENT FLOW IN SAID OUTER ANNULUS FACILITIES THE REMOVAL OF SOLIDS WITH THE HEAVY LIQUID.