Filtering Annuli for Screw Press

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018170784-A1
Application number	US-201715812045-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2017
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Jun 21, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for concentrating a slurry are disclosed. A concentrator is utilized, including a cylindrical vessel containing a cylindrical filter and a screw. The cylindrical filter consists of a plurality of spaced annuli. The screw passes through the cylindrical filter. A slurry passed through the cylindrical vessel is concentrated. The slurry is conveyed by the screw along an interior of the cylindrical filter. Any two concentric annuli are spaced such that the solid is prevented from passing between them. The slurry is concentrated to produce a concentrated slurry by restricting the product outlet such that a back pressure is created in the cylindrical vessel. The back pressure causes a portion of the liquid to pass between the annuli and out a fluid outlet. The concentrated slurry passes out a product outlet.

First claim

1 . A concentrator device comprising:
a cylindrical vessel comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a product outlet, and wherein the cylindrical vessel has a first inner diameter and a longitudinal axis; a cylindrical filter comprising a plurality of spaced annuli, wherein each of the plurality of spaced annuli have a geometric center located on the longitudinal axis and each of the plurality of spaced annuli have a second outer diameter and a second inner diameter, and wherein the second outer diameter is smaller than the first inner diameter such that a space between an outer side wall of the plurality of spaced annuli and an inner wall of the cylindrical vessel forms a fluid plenum, the fluid outlet being adjacent to the fluid plenum; and a screw passing through the cylindrical filter along the longitudinal axis, an outer edge of the screw having a first outer diameter, wherein the first outer diameter is substantially the same as the second inner diameter such that the outer edge of the screw is adjacent to an inner side wall of the plurality of spaced annuli without contact.

2 . The concentrator device of claim 1 , wherein any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli are spaced by a plurality of spacers between the two annuli.

3 . The concentrator device of claim 1 , wherein any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli are spaced such that a solid in a slurry conveyed by the screw through the cylindrical filter is prevented from passing between the any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli, the slurry further comprising a liquid.

4 . The concentrator device of claim 3 , wherein the slurry passes through the fluid inlet and is conveyed by the screw through the cylindrical filter to the product outlet, the product outlet being restricted such that a back pressure is created in the cylindrical vessel, and wherein the back pressure causes a portion of the liquid to pass between the any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli into the fluid plenum and out the fluid outlet, and wherein removal of the portion of the liquid from the slurry produces a concentrated slurry, the concentrated slurry passing out the product outlet.

5 . The concentrator device of claim 4 , wherein the liquid comprises water, hydrocarbons, liquid ammonia, liquid carbon dioxide, cryogenic liquids, or a combination thereof.

6 . The concentrator device of claim 5 , wherein the hydrocarbons comprise 1,1,3-trimethylcyclopentane, 1,4-pentadiene, 1,5-hexadiene, 1-butene, 1-methyl-1-ethylcyclopentane, 1-pentene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene, 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methyl-1,4-pentadiene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 3-methyl-1-pentene, 3-methylpentane, 4-methyl-1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 4-methylcyclopentene, 4-methyl-trans-2-pentene, bromochlorodifluoromethane, bromodifluoromethane, bromotrifluoroethylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, cis 2-hexene, cis-1,3-pentadiene, cis-2-hexene, cis-2-pentene, dichlorodifluoromethane, difluoromethyl ether, trifluoromethyl ether, dimethyl ether, ethyl fluoride, ethyl mercaptan, hexafluoropropylene, isobutane, isobutene, isobutyl mercaptan, isopentane, isoprene, methyl isopropyl ether, methylcyclohexane, methylcyclopentane, methylcyclopropane, n,n-diethylmethylamine, octafluoropropane, pentafluoroethyl trifluorovinyl ether, propane, sec-butyl mercaptan, trans-2-pentene, trifluoromethyl trifluorovinyl ether, vinyl chloride, bromotrifluoromethane, chlorodifluoromethane, dimethyl silane, ketene, methyl silane, perchloryl fluoride, propylene, vinyl fluoride, or combinations thereof.

7 . The concentrator device of claim 4 , wherein the solid comprises carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur trioxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, water, mercury, hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, soot, dust, minerals, ore, microbes, precipitated salts, or a combination thereof.

8 . The concentrator device of claim 4 , wherein the product outlet further comprises a plunger, the plunger restricting the product outlet.

9 . The concentrator device of claim 8 , wherein the plunger further comprises a heating element.

10 . The concentrator device of claim 4 , wherein the back pressure is created by a combination of a feed pressure of the slurry passing through the fluid inlet and a conveyance pressure on the slurry from the screw conveying the slurry through the product outlet.

11 . The concentrator device of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical vessel further comprises a gas outlet.

12 . The concentrator device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spaced annuli have different thicknesses at the outer side wall and the inner side wall.

13 . The concentrator device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spaced annuli comprise stainless steel, carbon steel, brass, ceramics, plastics, polymers, or combinations thereof.

14 . The concentrator device of claim 1 , wherein any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli are spaced between 0.001 and 3 mm apart.

15 . A method for concentrating a slurry comprising:
passing a slurry, the slurry comprising a solid and a liquid, through a fluid inlet of a cylindrical vessel, the cylindrical vessel comprising the fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a product outlet, and wherein the cylindrical vessel has a first inner diameter and a longitudinal axis; conveying the slurry by a screw along an interior of a cylindrical filter, wherein:
the cylindrical filter comprises a plurality of spaced annuli, wherein each of the plurality of spaced annuli have a geometric center located on the longitudinal axis and each of the plurality of spaced annuli have a second outer diameter and a second inner diameter;
the second outer diameter is smaller than the first inner diameter such that a space between an outer side wall of the plurality of spaced annuli and an inner wall of the cylindrical vessel forms a fluid plenum, the fluid outlet being adjacent to the fluid plenum;
any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli are spaced such that the solid is prevented from passing between the any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli; and
the screw passing through the cylindrical filter along the longitudinal axis, an outer edge of the screw having a first outer diameter, wherein the first outer diameter is substantially the same as the second inner diameter such that the outer edge of the screw is adjacent to an inner side wall of the plurality of spaced annuli without contact;
concentrating the slurry to produce a concentrated slurry by restricting the product outlet such that a back pressure is created in the cylindrical vessel, the back pressure causing a portion of the liquid to pass between the any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli into the fluid plenum and out the fluid outlet; passing the concentrated slurry out the product outlet.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the any two concentric annuli of the plurality of spaced annuli are spaced by a plurality of spacers between the two annuli.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the liquid comprises water, hydrocarbons, liquid ammonia, liquid carbon dioxide, cryogenic liquids, or a combination thereof.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the hydrocarbons comprise 1,1,3-trimethylcyclopentane, 1,4-pentadiene, 1,5-hexadiene, 1-butene, 1-methyl-1-ethylcyclopentane, 1-pentene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene, 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methyl-1,4-pentadie

Assignees

• Baxter Larry
• Chamberlain Skyler
• Chamberlain Jacom
• Stitt Kyler
• Davis Nathan

Inventors

• Baxter Larry
• Chamberlain Skyler
• Chamberlain Jacom
• Stitt Kyler
• Davis Nathan

Classifications

• C02F11/125 Primary

  using screw filters · CPC title

• B01D36/001

  Filters in combination with devices for the removal of gas, air purge systems · CPC title

• B01D29/828

  using screws (B01D29/6476 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D29/117

  arranged for outward flow filtration (B01D29/23, B01D29/35 take precedence) · CPC title

• B01D29/6476

  with a rotary movement with respect to the filtering element · CPC title