Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for controlling the quality and throughput of an accepts portion of a pulp slurry without stopping a rotor-operated screen used to produce the accepts portion, the method comprising the steps of: (a) continuously introducing a pulp slurry into a primary screening zone between a rotor impeller and a screen having a clearance therebetween; (b) operating the rotor to generate regions of disturbance in the pulp slurry within the primary screening zone, so that a portion of the slurry passes through apertures in the screen, thereby becoming the accepts portion; (c) monitoring at least one portion selected from the group consisting of feed portion, accepts portion, rejects portion, and combinations thereof, to determine at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of accepts throughput rate, accepts dirt content, accepts debris content, reject rate, reject concentration, feed rate, debris level in feed, and combinations thereof, and (d) while continuing to introduce pulp slurry into the primary screening zone, adjusting the clearance between the rotor impeller and the screen so that at least one determined parameter is brought into a desired range.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for controlling the quality and throughput of an accepts portion of a pulp slurry without stopping a rotor-operated screen used to produce the accepts portion, the method comprising the steps of: (a) continuously introducing a pulp slurry into a primary screening zone between a rotor impeller and a screen having a clearance therebetween; (b) operating the rotor to generate regions of disturbance in the pulp slurry within the primary screening zone, so that a portion of the slurry passes through apertures in the screen, thereby becoming the accepts portion; (c) monitoring at least one portion selected from the group consisting of feed portion, accepts portion, rejects portion, and combinations thereof, to determine at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of accepts throughput rate, accepts dirt content, accepts debris content, reject rate, reject concentration, feed rate, debris level in feed, and combinations thereof, and (d) while continuing to introduce pulp slurry into the primary screening zone, adjusting the clearance between the rotor impeller and the screen so that at least one determined parameter is brought into a desired range.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the rotor and screen each have coaxial frusto-conical portions defining the primary screening zone therebetween and the adjustment step comprises the step of axially displacing the frusto-conical portions of the rotor and the screen relative to one another.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the rotor and screen each comprise a parallel plate defining the primary screening zone therebetween and the adjustment step comprises the step of axially displacing the parallel plates relative to one another.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
201 words
A method for controlling the quality of an accepts portion of a pulp slurry without stopping a rotor-operated screen used to produce the accepts portion, the method comprising the steps of: (a) continuously introducing a pulp slurry into a primary screening zone on a first side of the screen, the screen having an opposite second side and a plurality of apertures therethough; (b) operating a rotor impeller to cause a portion of the slurry to flow through the apertures in the screen into a region formed between the second side of the screen and the rotor impeller, the portion of the slurry drawn in thereby becoming the accepts portion; (c) monitoring at least one portion selected from the group consisting of feed portion, accepts portion, rejects portion, and combinations thereof, to determine at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of accepts throughput rate, accepts dirt content, accepts debris content, reject rate, reject concentration, feed rate, debris level in feed, and combinations thereof; and (d) while continuing to introduce pulp slurry into the primary screening zone, adjusting the clearance between the rotor impeller and the screen so that the at least one determined parameter is brought within a desired range.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
201 words
A method for controlling the quality of an accepts portion of a pulp slurry without stopping a rotor-operated screen used to produce the accepts portion, the method comprising the steps of: (a) continuously introducing a pulp slurry into a primary screening zone on a first side of the screen, the screen having an opposite second side and a plurality of apertures therethough; (b) operating a rotor impeller to cause a portion of the slurry to flow through the apertures in the screen into a region formed between the second side of the screen and the rotor impeller, the portion of the slurry drawn in thereby becoming the accepts portion; (c) monitoring at least one portion selected from the group consisting of feed portion, accepts portion, rejects portion, and combinations thereof, to determine at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of accepts throughput rate, accepts dirt content, accepts debris content, reject rate, reject concentration, feed rate, debris level in feed, and combinations thereof; and (d) while continuing to introduce pulp slurry into the primary screening zone, adjusting the clearance between the rotor impeller and the screen so that the at least one determined parameter is brought within a desired range.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the rotor and screen each have coaxial frusto-conical portions defining the primary screening zone therebetween and the adjustment step comprises the step of axially displacing the frusto-conical portions of the rotor and the screen relative to one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the rotor and screen each comprise a parallel plate defining the primary screening zone therebetween and the adjustment step comprises the step of axially displacing the parallel plates relative to one another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of introducing a fluid into the region formed between the second side of the screen and the rotor impeller.