Washing process and centrifuge assembly

Claim 2

In a washing centrifuge assembly having a centrifuge rotor and a pair of containers supported from said centrifuge rotor for rotation therewith, a combination comprising: charging means for moving influent in predetermined volumes into each of said containers under an independent pressure head as said rotor spins for washing therein contained material, including means defining an independent influent path for the influent for each of said containers; and discharging means for collecting effluent from each of said containers in a volume corresponding to influent moved into said containers.

Claim 3

A combination according to claim 1 in which the charging means comprises a pump for substantially simultaneously effecting flow of independent substantially equal influent volumes into said containers, respectively, and means defining an influent pathway between said pump and each of said containers.

Claim 4

A combination according to claim 1 in which the means defining an independent influent path includes distributor means including a part arranged for corotation with said rotor and having influent outlet means, said distributor means having influent inlet means, and means for isolating between said inlet means and said outlet means all influent for one container from all influent for the other.

Claim 5

A combination according to claim 1 characterized by distributor means arranged in fluid association with said charging means for delivering influent to said containers and having first and second parts arranged for relative rotation, one of said parts arranged for corotation with said rotor; influent inlet and outlet means associated with said first and second parts, and chamber defining means arranged in said distributor means for isolating between said inlet and outlet openings all influent for each chamber from all influent for the other chamber.

Claim 6

A combination according to claim 1 further characterized by a distributor-collector mounted for fluid communication with said charging means and said discharging means, said distributor-collector having first and second parts arranged for relative rotation; influent outlet and effluent inlet means associated with said second part; and means arranged between said first and second parts defining a plurality of chambers for isolating all influent for each container from all the influent for the other container and for isolating all effluent from all influent.

Claim 7

A combination according to claim 5 in which the chambers for isolating the influent are of lowermost disposition in said distributor-collector for minimizing contamination of influent with effluent.

Claim 8

A combination according to claim 1 further characterized by an influent reservoir disposed above said containers for delivering influent to said charging means; an influent conduit arranged in fluid communication with said charging means and defining a first influent path to each of said containers, and a tube arranged in fluid communication with said reservoir and defining a second influent path bypassing said charging means for gravity feed to each of said containers through an associated of said influent conduits.

Claim 9

A combination according to claim 7 characterized by an electrically energized flow control mechanism associated with said paths for establishing fluid communication between said containers and selected said charging means and reservoir.

Claim 10

A combination according to claim 8 in which the flow control mechanism includes means for siMultaneously clamping said conduits upstream of their connection to said tubes and opening said tubes, and simultaneously clamping said tubes and opening said conduits.

Claim 11

A combination according to claim 10 in which said flow control mechanism comprises a plurality of pressure members spaced from said containers for simultaneously closing said conduits and duct means supported for gravity filling said containers, conduits and duct means between said pressure members.

Claim 12

A combination according to claim 8 further characterized by effluent duct means arranged in fluid communication with said discharging means for removal of effluent form said containers, said flow control mechanism arranged for stopping and permitting flow in said effluent duct means simultaneously with the interruption and permitting of flow in said influent conduits upstream of the connection thereof to said tubes.

Claim 13

In a washing centrifuge assembly having a rotor, container means supported from said rotor for rotation therewith, charging means for moving influent into said container means as said rotor spins, discharging means for receiving effluent from said container means during movement of and in substantially the same volume as influent moved, a combination comprising passaged means arranged in fluid association with said charging means and discharging means for introducing influent into and removing effluent from said container means, and means responsive to centrifugal force and having a first condition in which said passaged means is shut for blocking flow into and out of said container means and a second condition in which said passaged means is open for flow into and out of said container means.

Claim 14

In a washing centrifuge assembly having a rotor, container means supported from said rotor for rotation therewith, charging means for moving influent into said container means as said rotor spins, discharging means for receiving effluent from said container means during movement of and in substantially the same volume as influent moved, a combination comprising passaged means arranged in fluid association with said charging means and discharging means for introducing influent into and removing effluent from said container means, and means responsive to centrifugal force and having a first condition in which said passaged means is shut for blocking flow into and out of said container means and a second condition in which said passaged means is open for flow into and out of said container means.

Claim 15

A combination according to claim 12 in which the means responsive to centrifugal force comprises a clamping member normally biased for effecting said first condition and for moving to effect said second condition upon generation in said assembly of centrifugal force of predetermined magnitude.

Claim 16

A combination according to claim 13 in which said clamping member is corotational with said rotor and characterized by spring means for biasing said clamping member for effecting said first condition and proportioned to yield upon generation in said assembly of a centrifugal force of said predetermined magnitude.

Claim 17

In a washing centrifuge assembly having a first rotor, container means corotationally supported from said first rotor, charging means for moving influent into said container means as said first rotor spins, discharging means for receiving effluent from said container means during movement of and in substantially the same volume as influent moved, a combination comprising: a body corotationally secured to said first rotor for securing said charging and discharging means to said first rotor, and a disposable distributor-collector removably mounted in said body and arranged medially of said charging and discharging means for transferring influent to and effluent from said container means while said first rotor is spinning.

Claim 18

In a washing centrifuge assembly having a first rotor, container means corotationally supported from said first rotor, charging means for moving influent into said container means as said first rotor spins, discharging means for receiving effluent from said container means during movement of and in substantially the same volume as influent moved, a combination comprising: a body corotationally secured to said first rotor for securing said charging and discharging means to said first rotor, and a disposable distributor-collector removably mounted in said body and arranged medially of said charging and discharging means for transferring influent to and effluent from said container means while said first rotor is spinning.

Claim 19

A combination according to claim 15 in which said distributor-collector has a stator and a second rotor mounted for rotation about said stator and arranged in keyed association with said body, some of said charging and discharging means extending into and out of said second rotor for delivery of influent and removal of effluent from said containers, other of said charging and discharging means extending into and out of said stator for delivery of influent to and removal of effluent from said distributor-collector.

Claim 20

A combination according to claim 16 in which said body has an opening, said second rotor disposed outwardly from said stator and having a depending keying extension removably engaged in said opening for rotating said second rotor with said first rotor.

Claim 21

A combination according to claim 17 in which said distributor-collector is vertically disposed with said stator having an extension projecting upwardly from said second rotor and characterized by a bearing mounted in nonrotating, stationary relation relative said first and second rotors and having means for engaging said extension for holding said stator fixed relative to said first and second rotors while said first and second rotors spin.

Claim 22

A combination according to claim 15 in which said body comprises a centrifugal clamp for enabling flow through said passaged means only upon generation of centrifugal force of a predetermined level.

Claim 23

In a process for material separation by centrifugation during which a first material is removed from a second material by a wash fluid which is first passed through the second material and therefrom removed with first material as spent fluid, the improvement comprising passing predetermined volumes of the wash fluid each under an independent pressure head through separate flow paths into each of a plurality of batches of said second material while spun about a common axis.

Claim 24

In a process for material separation by centrifugation during which a first material is removed from a second material by a wash fluid which is first passed through the second material and therefrom removed with first material as spent fluid, the improvement comprising passing predetermined volumes of the wash fluid each under an independent pressure head through separate flow paths into each of a plurality of batches of said second material while spun about a common axis.

Claim 25

A process according to claim 20 in which the wash fluid is forced in substantially equal volumes through said batches, respectively.

Claim 26

A process according to claim 20 in which the wash fluid is forced through said batches substantially simultaneously.