The present disclosure relates to a centrifugal separator for separating components of a fluid composition, such as one or more suspended particulate components from a fluid.

It is known to utilise centrifugal separators to separate components from a wide arrange of fluids, including water, liquids, gasses, oils and the like. Examples of particulate components that may be separated from a fluid by means of a centrifugal separator include both solid matter (e.g. fine sand), gel particles and biological matter, such as algae.

Centrifugal separators are known to comprise an interior into which a fluid is introduced and induced to rotate. The resultant centrifugal force induces particulate components suspended in the fluid to drift towards a side of the interior of the centrifugal separator, where they accumulate and are thus separated from the fluid. The remaining fluid - now substantially free of suspended particles - is subsequently allowed to flow out of the interior.

A disadvantage of the hereabove described centrifugal separators is that the separated particulate components accumulate in the interior of the centrifugal separator, which therefore needs to be emptied on a regular basis. Emptying the centrifugal separator is a comprehensive operation that typically includes shutting down the centrifugal separator and draining the fluid from its interior. Accumulated particulate components may then be removed from the interior of the centrifugal separator. This is typically done by removing at least a part of the enclosure of the centrifugal separator and then powering on the centrifugal separator, after which particulate components are ejected outward by the resultant centrifugal force.

A further disadvantage of known centrifugal separators is their relatively poor performance when a mixture of different particulate components (i.e. comprising particles of various mass densities and particle sizes) is to be separated from a fluid.

The objective of the present disclosure is to provide a centrifugal separator with which one of more of the hereabove described disadvantages, or other disadvantages, of known centrifugal separators are obviated or abated.

This objective is achieved with a centrifugal separator for separating one or more suspended particulate components from a fluid, the centrifugal separator comprising a carrier rotatable around an axial axis thereof and arranged in a housing comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the housing comprises one or more than one brush pack having a plurality of bristles extending in a radially outward direction relative to the axial axis of the carrier, said one or more than one brush pack defining a coarse separation section, and one or more than one plate pack comprising a plurality of plates extending in an axial direction of, and in a radial outward direction relative to, the axial axis of the carrier, said one or more than one plate pack defining a fine separation section. The above centrifugal separator has been found to be particularly suitable for separating mixtures of suspended particulate components that vary with respect to their respective mass densities and particle sizes. Suspended particles having a relatively high mass density predominantly precipitate in coarse separation section of the centrifugal separator, whereas suspended particles having a relatively low mass density predominantly precipitate in the fine separation section. The centrifugal separator may also be employed to separate components of a fluid composition, such as oil and water phases.

A further advantage of the above centrifugal separator is that the separated particular components precipitate substantially along the entire length of the (interior of the housing of the) centrifugal separator, with the likelihood of a concentrated local accumulation of separated particular components forming within the centrifugal separator being significantly reduced. In other words, the storage capacity of the centrifugal separator for precipitated particular components is optimized, resulting in the centrifugal separator according to the present disclosure needing to be emptied on a less frequent basis.

In a preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, the fine separation section is arranged downstream of the coarse separation section. In particular, the plate pack(s) can be arranged downstream of the brush pack(s).

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, the length of the coarse separation section in the axial direction of the axial axis of the carrier is from 0.3 to 3 times, preferably from 0.5 to 2 times, more preferably from 0.8 to 1.2 times, that of the fine separation section. The coarse and fine separation section may be of the same length or may have a length ratio of 1 : 1 (which is most preferred), even when only one brush and one plate pack are employed in the centrifugal separator.

In a further preferred embodiment, the centrifugal separator comprises an acceleration impeller configured to accelerate incoming fluid. Preferably, the acceleration impeller is arranged between the fluid inlet and the coarse separation section.

The acceleration impeller comprises blades which may extend radially outward from the axial axis of the carrier to a lesser extent than the plates of the fine separation section. For example, the blades of the impeller may not reach the housing while the plates of a plate pack may be configured to contact the housing. The shape of the blades may be straight or curved.

A length of the acceleration impeller in the axial direction of the axial axis of the carrier may range from 0.1 to 1 times, preferably from 0.2 to 0.7 times, more preferably about 0.5 times, that of the combined coarse and fine separation sections. For example, the acceleration impeller, the coarse fine section and the fine separation section may each span roughly the same axial length along the carrier. Additionally or alternatively to the acceleration impeller, the centrifugal separator may further comprise a deceleration impeller configured to extract rotating kinetic energy from the fluid inside the housing. Preferably, the deceleration impeller is arranged between the fine separation section and the fluid outlet.

Blades of the deceleration impeller may be configured as those described for the acceleration impeller but may also differ. For example, the deceleration impeller may comprise blades extending radially outward from the axial axis of the carrier to a lesser extent than the plates of the fine separation section. However, a curvature of the blades of the deceleration impeller may be different from and even opposite to that of the blades of the acceleration impeller.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, the coarse separation section comprises a first brush pack and a second brush pack arranged downstream of the first brush pack, wherein the first brush pack and the second brush pack define subsections of the coarse separation section, preferably subsequent subsections of the coarse separation section. The first and second brush packs are understood to be part of the one or more than one brush pack previously defined.

The first and second brush packs may be adjacent to one another. A gap may be provided between adjacent brush packs, for example to accommodate a flow homogeniser (as described below).

Though it is preferred that the bristles of the brush pack extend radially outward from the carrier, these need not be straight in the sense that a tangential component may in fact be present in the direction into which the bristles extend. This also holds for the plates of the plate pack, which may also involve a tangential component relative to the axial axis of the carrier.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, the first brush pack and the second brush pack differ from one another with respect to at least one of a number of bristles, a density of the bristles and a thickness of the bristles.

Preferably, the plurality of bristles of the first brush pack is configured to allow larger particles to pass through than the plurality of bristles of the second brush pack. The first brush pack may thus serve for coarser separation by allowing more coarse or larger particles to pass through its brush and/or between its bristles, e.g. by having a lower number of bristles, a lower density of bristles and/or thicker bristles. The second brush pack may correspondingly allow finer particles to pass through, e.g. by having a higher number of bristles, a higher density of bristle and/or thinner bristles.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, the fine separation section comprises a first plate pack and a second plate pack arranged downstream of the first plate pack, wherein the first plate pack and the one or more than one further plate pack define subsections of the fine separation section, preferably subsequent subsections of the fine separation section. The first and second plate packs are understood to be part of the one or more than one plate pack previously defined.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, the first plate pack and the second plate pack differ from one another with respect to at least one of a number of plates and a curvature of the plates. Curvature of plates can be expressed in a radius of curvature. Plates with a larger radius of curvature (corresponding to a flatter shape and lower curvature) make longer and more closely packed plates possible which may then result in a fine separation process. Preferably, the plurality of plates of the first plate pack is configured to allow larger particles to pass through than the plurality of plates of the second plate pack. For example, the first plate pack may comprise a lower number of plates and/or plates having a stronger curvature than the second plate pack.

Though the reference is made to first and second brush or packs, respectively, more than two brush and/or plate packs are contemplated. Each of the multiple brush or plate packs may then differ according to the characteristics described above and in the following.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, the centrifugal separator further comprises one or more than one flow homogeniser arranged in the housing and configured to guide fluid in an outward radial direction relative to the carrier within the housing while said fluid flows from the fluid inlet towards the fluid outlet.

More in particular, the flow homogeniser can be configured to guide fluid in an outward radial direction relative to the carrier toward an inner wall of the housing, while said fluid flows from the fluid inlet towards the fluid outlet.

The or each flow homogeniser may comprise a plate extending radially outward relative to the carrier, said plate having an outer edge arranged at a radial offset relative to the inner wall of the housing.

A flow homogeniser can be arranged at various positions with the centrifugal separator. The following indicate more general arrangements.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, at least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser is arranged adjacent to at least one of the coarse separation section and the fine separation section.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, at least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser is arranged downstream of said at least one of the coarse separation section and the fine separation section.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, at least one of the coarse separation section and the fine separation section comprises at least one subsection, and at least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser is arranged adjacent to said at least one subsection. Preferably, at least one flow homogeniser is then arranged downstream of said subsection. More particular arrangements or positions of a flow homogeniser in the centrifugal separator are also considered as follows.

At least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser may be arranged between the coarse separation section and the fine separation section.

At least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser may be arranged between the fine separation section and the fluid outlet. In other words, a flow homogeniser can advantageously be arranged downstream of the fine separation section or all plate packs in the centrifugal separator.

At least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser may be arranged adjacent to and/or downstream of the coarse separation section.

At least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser may be arranged adjacent to and/or downstream of the fine separation section.

When the centrifugal separator comprises the first and second brush packs, at least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser may be arranged between the first and second brush pack of the coarse separation section.

When the centrifugal separator comprises the first and second plate packs, at least one of the one or more than one flow homogeniser may be arranged between the first and second plate pack of the fine separation section.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator, wherein the at least one flow homogeniser comprises a plurality of perforations.

The one or more than one perforations in the flow homogeniser(s) ensure a substantially continuous fluid flow along the entire cross-section of the separator, and in particular avoids the formation of so-called “dead zones” (i.e. areas adjacent to the flow homogenisers where the longitudinal fluid flow is minimal or absent). Moreover, the perforations may also serve as a degassing means allowing gas dissolved in the fluid to escape from the interior of the centrifugal separator; thereby preventing gas accumulations from forming within the interior of the centrifugal separator.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator according to the present disclosure, each plate of the plurality of plates comprises at least one support extending transverse to a surface of the plate and in a circumferential direction relative to the axial axis of the carrier, to thereby provide circumferential support for said plate when the support of said plate is supported on an adjacent plate of the plurality of plates during rotation of the carrier, wherein the plurality of plates comprises at least plates of a first type and plates of a second type and the plates of the first type have their respective at least one support arranged at a first radial distance relative to the carrier and the plates of the second type have their respective at least one support arranged at a second radial distance relative to the carrier, said second radial distance being different from the first radial distance.

In a further preferred embodiment of the centrifugal separator according to the present disclosure, each plate of the plurality of plates comprises at least one support extending transverse to a surface of the plate and in a circumferential direction relative to the axial axis of the carrier, to thereby provide circumferential support for said plate when the support of said plate is supported on an adjacent plate of the plurality of plates during rotation of the carrier, wherein the supports are disposed on their respective plates, approximately one behind the other in an at least partially circumferential direction relative to the axial axis of the carrier, to thereby form at least one array of supports non-concentric with the rotatable carrier and at least partially extending outward relative thereto.

The hereabove stated objective is the present disclosure is moreover achieved with a method for separating one or more particulate components suspended in a fluid, comprising usage of a centrifugal separator in accordance with the present disclosure.

The centrifugal separator according to the present disclosure will be elucidated here below with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a cutaway perspective view of a centrifugal separator according to a main embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the centrifugal separator of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 depicts a deposit of precipitated particulate components within the centrifugal separator of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the centrifugal separator according to a further embodiment.

Fig. 5 illustrates deposition of precipitated particulate components within the centrifugal separator of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 depicts an example of a configuration of a plurality of plates comprised by the centrifugal separator according to the present disclosure; and

Fig. 7 depicts a further example of configuration of a plurality of plates comprised by the centrifugal separator according to the present disclosure.

The following reference signs are used throughout:

1 centrifugal separator

3 carrier

4 drive

5 housing

6A first impeller 6B second impeller

7 fluid inlet

9 fluid outlet

11 brush pack

11 ’ further brush pack

13 bristle

13’ bristle

15 coarse separation section

15’ subsection

15” subsection

17 plate pack

17’ further plate pack

19 plate

19’ plate

19a plate of first type

19b plate of second type

21 fine separation section

21’ subsection

21” subsection

23 flow homogeniser

23’ flow homogeniser

24 edge

27 support

28 pivoting connector

29 formation or array

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is depicted a centrifugal separator 1 for separating one or more suspended particulate components from a fluid.

The centrifugal separator 1 comprises a substantially cylindrical housing 5 having a fluid inlet 7 and a fluid outlet 9. In the depicted exemplary embodiment of the centrifugal separator 1, the fluid outlet 9 surrounds the fluid inlet 7 and rotates around this fluid inlet 7 during operation of the centrifugal separator 1, while the fluid inlet 7 maintains a substantially stationary position.

Fluid having one or more than one suspended particulate component (e.g. solid matter, algae or the like) to be separated therefrom is introduced into the housing 5 via fluid inlet 7. Inside the housing 5, this fluid and the particulate component(s) suspended therein are induced to perform a rotation motion by a first impeller 6A, before said fluid flows onward to one or more brush packs 11 and one or more plate packs 17. Before exiting the housing via fluid outlet 9, the rotating fluid is deaccelerated by a second impeller 6B, which extract the rotating kinetic energy from the fluid. It is noted that first and second impellers 6A, 6B do not necessarily separate particulate components from the fluid, but primarily serve to respectively accelerate and deaccelerate the fluid, which enhances the overall efficiency of the centrifugal separator 1.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, the first or acceleration impeller 6A is preferably arranged between the fluid inlet 7 and the brush pack 11 (which here defines the coarse separation section 15). The second or deceleration impeller 6B is preferably arranged between the plate pack 17 (which here defines the fine separation section 21) and the fluid outlet 9. The impellers 6A, 6B have blades to contact and interact with the fluid in the housing 5 of the centrifugal separator 1. The blades are illustrated as curved.

The centrifugal separator 1 moreover comprises a carrier 3 concentrically arranged within the housing 5 and rotatable around a central axis thereof. The hereabove described first impeller 6 A and second impeller 6B may be connected to the carrier 3. A drive 4 may be provided for driving the carrier 3. The brush pack 11 and the plate pack 17 are arranged within the housing 5 along a length of the carrier 3.

The brush pack 11 is preferably arranged downstream of the fluid inlet 7 and comprises a plurality of bristles 13. Each bristle 13 is preferably flexible and extends radially outward from the carrier 3 towards the inner wall of housing 5. During operation of the centrifugal separator 1 the rotating fluid flows in between the bristles 13 and particles suspended in this fluid are caught by these bristles 13, where they remain. As such, these (typically relatively heavy) particles are separated from the fluid in which they were suspended.

Downstream of the brush pack 11, there is arranged a plate pack 17. The plate pack 17 comprises a plurality of plates 19 that extend in an axial direction of, and in a radial outward direction relative to, the axial axis of the carrier 3, preferably to the inner wall of housing 5. Like the hereabove described bristles 13, the plurality of plates 19 of the plate pack 17 rotate along with the carrier 3 during operation of the centrifugal separator 1.

The resultant centrifugal force acting on the suspended particulate components causes the particles of said suspended particulate components to drift towards a side of the housing 5. Here, and in between the plates 19 of the plate pack 17, these particulate components accumulate and are therefore separated from the fluid. Lastly, the fluid - which is now substantially free of particulate components - exits the housing via fluid outlet 9 after having been deaccelerated by the second impeller 6B.

The basic operation of the centrifugal separator 1 according to the embodiment of Fig. 1 will be described here below.

Fluid comprising one or more than one particulate component to be separated therefrom enters the interior of the housing 5 via the fluid inlet 7. Here, the fluid is accelerated and subjected to a centrifugal force by first impeller 6A and flows onward towards the brush pack 11. As the fluid flows transversely to the bristles 13 of the brush pack 11 along the length of the carrier 3, particles that are suspended in this fluid drift in a direction away from the carrier 3 in dependency of their specific weight.

A substantial portion of these particles - in particular relatively heavy particles - remain in between the bristles 13 while the fluid flows onwards in the direction of the plate pack 17. Upon arrival at the plate pack 17, remaining particles suspended in the fluid are still subject to the centrifugal force and therefore drift towards or away from the carrier 3. These remaining particles come into contact with either one of the plates 19 or an interior surface of the housing 5, where they settle and are thus separated from the liquid. In particles having a relatively low specific mass, which were previously not separated from the fluid by the brush pack 11, may be separated from the fluid here by the plate pack 17.

The hereabove described configuration and operation of the centrifugal separator 1 constitutes several advantages relative to comparable devices known from the prior-art. Firstly, centrifugal separator 1 can separate both relatively heavy particles and relatively light particles from a fluid in a single run through the centrifugal separator 1. The centrifugal separator 1 is therefore particularly well suited for separating mixtures of both heaving and light suspended particulate components from a fluid. Secondly, because relatively heavy particles are predominantly separated from the fluid in the coarse separation section 15 of the centrifugal separator 1 whereas relatively light particles are predominantly separated from the fluid in the fine separation section 21, the separated particles are deposited substantially along the entire length of the housing 5 of the centrifugal separator 1 ; with no excessive locally concentrated accumulation of separated material being formed. Examples of such depositions of separated particles are depicted in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 for further embodiments of the centrifugal separator 1. Consequently, the capacity of centrifugal separator 1 is utilized to an improved degree.

Fig. 2 shows a more preferred embodiment of a centrifugal separator 1. This embodiment of the centrifugal separator 1 differs from the embodiment depicted in Fig. 1 at least by the centrifugal separator 1 additionally comprising two flow homogenisers 23, 23’. Each flow homogeniser 23, 23’ is arranged within the housing 5 downstream of respectively the coarse separation section 15 and the fine separation section 21. While Fig. 2 does not depict the hereabove described first impeller 6A and second impeller 6B, these first and second impellers 6A, 6B are preferably nevertheless present in the embodiments of the centrifugal separator 1 according to Fig. 2 and all subsequent figures.

In the embodiment of the centrifugal separator 1 according to Fig. 2, fluid having one or more than one particulate components first enters the housing 5 of the centrifugal separator 1 via fluid inlet 7. As said fluid flows through the coarse separation section 15 having the brush pack 11, particles are removed from said fluid as described hereabove with reference to Fig. 1. The fluid flow having at least some remaining particulate components suspended therein then flows towards the flow homogeniser 23, which is arranged directly downstream of the coarse separation section 15. The flow homogeniser 23 forcefully guides the fluid to flow around the flow homogeniser 23 at an increased velocity and distance relative to axial axis of the carrier 3, in the space between the interior of the housing 5 and an edge 24 of the flow homogeniser 23.

Here, remaining particulate components that were thus far not separated from the fluid are engaged to a greater extent by the centrifugal force generated by centrifugal separator 1, which causes their precipitation rate (i.e. their outward drift speed) to increase after having passed the flow homogeniser 23. The flow homogeniser 23 thus forces the fluid into areas of higher centrifugal force. A distance between the edge 24 of the flow homogeniser 23 and the interior wall of the housing 5 may be selected in consideration of, for example, the relative mass of the particles to be separated from the fluid or the viscosity of said fluid.

As the fluid flows onward along the plurality of plates 19 comprised by the fine separation section 21, more particles are separated from the fluid as described hereabove with reference to Fig. 1. The flow homogeniser 23’ that is arranged directly downstream of the fine separation section 21 then likewise forces the fluid flow around the flow homogeniser 23’ at an increased radius relative to the axial axis of the carrier 3. As is described hereabove with reference to the flow homogeniser 23, the few remaining particles that are still suspended in the fluid - in particular particles having a density that is close to the density of the fluid in which they are suspended - experience an increased precipitation rate in the vicinity of the flow homogeniser 23’ before leaving the housing 5 via the fluid outlet 9.

As can be discerned from Fig. 2, the flow homogenisers 23 and 23’ each comprise a plate extending radially outward relative to the carrier 3 up to an intermediate distance from an interior surface of the housing 5. Within the context of the present disclosure, the term “plate” should be interpreted broadly: while the appended figures depict these plates as being substantially flat, it is entirely conceivable that alternative shapes are selected in consideration of, for example, optimising a fluid flow throughput of the centrifugal separator 1.

In other words, the flow homogenisers 23, 23’ ensure that the longitudinal fluid flow is (more) homogenised across the entire cross-section of the of the centrifugal separator 1, because the flow homogenisers 23, 23’ counteract the tendency of the fluid to drift towards the carrier 3 due to the fluid’s low specific mass relative to the particulate components, and to instead flow longitudinally along the carrier 3.

Though two flow homogenisers 23, 23’ are shown, a centrifugal separator 1 having only one of these two flow homogenisers 23, 23’ is also considered. For example, the centrifugal separator 1 may be equipped with the flow homogeniser 23 arranged between the coarse separation section 15 and the fine separation section 21 while omitting the flow homogeniser 23’ arranged downstream of the fine separation section 21 (or more in particular arranged between the fine separation section 21 and the fluid outlet 9).

Each or one of the flow homogenisers 23, 23’ moreover preferably comprises one or more than one perforation 8. The purpose of these perforations 8 is twofold.

Firstly, these perforations 8 facilitate at least some of the fluid to flow closer to the carrier 3 in the longitudinal, in addition to flowing between the edges 24 of each of the flow homogenisers 23, 23’ and the inner wall of the housing 5 as described hereabove.

While the flow homogenisers 23, 23’ induce the fluid to flow longitudinally at an increased distance relative to the carrier 3, this tends to result in the formation of so-called “dead zones” within the centrifugal separator 1 with poor longitudinal fluid flow. The perforations 8 prevent these “dead zones” by allowing at least some fluid flow to flow through the flow homogenisers 23, 23’, which further improves the functioning of the centrifugal separator 1.

Secondly, the perforations 8 provide a means to vent gasses from the housing 5 when the fluid is a liquid. Such gasses may be dissolved in the liquid flowing into the centrifugal separator 1 and, due to their relatively low mass, drift toward the carrier 3 in between the flow homogenisers 23, 23’ where they accumulate. The perforations 8 provide an outlet for these accumulating gasses, allowing them to flow onward in the direction of the outlet 9 and thereby prevent these accumulations of gasses from becoming excessive.

Like the embodiment of the centrifugal separator 1 depicted in Fig. 1, the separator 1 according to the embodiment of Fig. 2 is particularly suitable for ridding the fluid of mixtures of particular components with varying specific masses. Particles having a relatively high specific mass are predominantly separated from the fluid in the coarse separation section 15, whereas particles having a relatively low specific mass are predominantly separated from the fluid in fine separation section 21. The flow homogenisers 23 and 23’ arranged downstream of, respectively, the coarse separation section 15 and the fine separation section 21 to further increased the precipitation rate of particles, as described hereabove. As a result, the particles precipitate along substantially the entire length of the housing 5 with an increased degree of homogeneity as depicted in Fig. 3. Consequently, usage of the capacity of the housing 5 is improved relative to prior-art centrifugal separators and the centrifugal separator 1 according to the present disclosure requires emptying on a less frequent basis.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there is depicted a further embodiment of the centrifugal separator 1 according to the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the centrifugal separator 1 comprises a further brush pack 11 ’ arranged downstream of the brush pack 11. Here, the brush pack 11 and the one or more than one further brush pack 11’ define subsections 15’ and 15” of the overall coarse separation section 15. A flow homogeniser 23 is disposed in between the aforementioned subsections 15’, 15” and a further flow homogeniser 23 is arranged downstream of subsection 15” of the coarse separation section 15.

The subsection 15’ of the coarse separation section 15 having the brush pack 11 may be configured to predominantly separate particular components from the fluid having a specific mass different from less coarse particles that are separated from the fluid in the further subsection 15’ ’ having the additional brush 11’. Consequently, the particulate components that are separated from the fluid are disposed along substantially the entire length of the separation section 15.

The brush pack 11 and the further brush pack 11’ of the two subsections 15’, 15” may differ from one another with respect to a total number of bristles 13, 13’ comprised by each brush pack 11, 11’. Moreover, they may differ from one another with respect to a bristle density (i.e. number of bristles per unit of surface area) comprised by each respective one of the brush pack 11 and the further brush pack 11’. The brush pack 11 and the further brush pack 11 ’ may additionally differ from one another with respect to a thickness of the (individual) bristles 13, 13’.

The centrifugal separator 1 depicted in Fig. 4 moreover comprises a further plate pack 17’ arranged downstream of the plate pack 17. The plate pack 17 and the further plate pack 17’ respectively comprise pluralities of plates 19, 19’ and define distinct subsections 21’, 21” of the overall fine separation section 21 of the centrifugal separator 1.

The plate packs 17, 17’ may likewise differ from one another with respect to their capacity of separating particular components from the fluid. For example, fine particles having a relatively high specific mass may be predominantly precipitate in the subsection 21 having the brush pack 11, whereas fine particles having a relatively low specific mass may predominantly precipitate in the subsection 21” having the further plate pack 17’.

The plate pack 17 and the further plate pack 17’ may differ from one another with respect to one or more of a number and a curvature of the plates 19, 19’ comprised by the respective plate packs 17, 17’.

Fig. 5 shows an example of a deposition of separated material (i.e. particulate components) within the housing 5, when the centrifugal separator 1 is substantially full and ready to be emptied. As can be discerned from this figure, the above described features of the centrifugal separator 1 result in this material being precipitated along substantially the entire length of the housing 5. While local accumulations of precipitated material are formed on either side of each of the of the flow homogenisers 23, 23’, precipitation of separated material is still relatively homogenous; with no excessive accumulation of precipitated material that would inhibit operation of the centrifugal separator 1 being present. As such, the capacity of the centrifugal separator 1 is optimised and requires emptying on a less frequent basis in comparison to known prior-art centrifugal separators.

Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 respectively depict alternative configurations of the plurality of plates 19 comprised by the plate pack 17 and/or the further plate pack 17’ of the foregoing figures. Fig. 6 depict a configuration of a plurality of plates 19 according to a first embodiment. As can be discerned from this figure, the plates 19 extend from the carrier 3 towards an inner surface of the housing 5 and may be connected to the carrier 3 by means of a pivoting connector 28. The plates 19 furthermore comprise a curvature with a plurality of supports 27 arranged on respective concave surfaces of the plates 19. Each support 27 extends transverse to said surface of the plates 19 and in a circumferential direction relative to the axial axis of the carrier 3. As such, the supports 27 provide circumferential support for said plate 19 when the support 27 of said plate 19 is supported on an adjacent plate 19 of the plurality of plates 19 during rotation of the carrier 3. The supports 27 on each plate 19 maintain intermittent distances between consecutive plates 19 and prevent deformation of the plates 19 during operation of the centrifugal separator 1.

In Fig. 6, each of the plurality of plates 19 is substantially identical with respect to at least the curvature and the arrangement of the supports. Consequently, the respective supports 27 of consecutive plates 19 form circular formations 29 concentric with the carrier 3, which absorb the significant centrifugal forces that are generated during operation of the centrifugal separator 1.

It is emphasised here that each of the plurality of plates 19 may exhibit a curvature in either one or both of two different directions, these directions being substantially parallel to a rotational direction of the carrier 3 and substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the carrier 3. As such, the scope of the present disclosure with respect to the curvature of the plurality of plates 19 is not limited to the exemplary embodiments of the appended figures. Indeed, it is entirely conceivable that the each of the plurality of plates 19 in addition or alternatively exhibits a curvature substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the carrier 3, to thereby define for example a corkscrew-like shape of the plates 19.

Fig. 7 depicts a further configuration of a plurality of plates 19 according to a second embodiment. In this embodiment, the plurality of plates 19 comprises at least plates of a first type 19a and plates of a second type 19b.

The plates 19a of the first type have their respective at least one support 27 arranged at a first radial distance relative to the carrier 3 and the plates 19b of the second type have their respective at least one support 27 arranged at a second radial distance relative to the carrier 3, said second radial distance being different from the first radial distance. Other than the respective arrangements of the supports 27, the plates 19a of the first type and the plates 19b of the second type may be substantially identical to one another.

Consequently, in this embodiment the respective supports 27 of consecutive plates 19a, 19b form formations or arrays 29 that are not concentric with the axial axis of the carrier 3, but instead extend at least partially outward from the carrier 3 in the direction of the housing 5. These formations 29 of the respective supports 27 of consecutive plates 19a, 19b have been determined to more capable of absorbing the - often very significant - centrifugal forces that are generated during operation of the centrifugal separator 1. As a result thereof, deformation of the plates 19a, 19b is less likely to occur and the centrifugal separator 1 may operate at a higher rotation speed. Moreover, the (plurality of plates 19a, 19b of the) centrifugal separator 1 may be scaled up to increased physical dimensions or be constructed using less stiff materials while maintaining the mechanical rigidity of plates 19a, 19b.

The supports 27 disposed on their respective plates 19a, 19b may alternatively be considered to be arranged approximately one behind the other in an at least partially circumferential direction relative to the axial axis of the carrier 3, to thereby form at least one formation or array 29 of supports 27 non-concentric with the rotatable carrier 3 and at least partially extending outward relative thereto.

The present disclosure has thus far been elucidated with reference to the centrifugal separator 1 according to various embodiments. Nevertheless, the present disclosure moreover relates to a method for separating one or more particulate components suspended in a fluid, said method comprising usage of a centrifugal separator 1 according to any one or more of the embodiments described hereabove.

The present disclosure proposes various improvements with which centrifugal separators may be improved with respect to their capacity of separating particulate components from fluid and their capacity of retaining these particulate components before needing to be emptied. While these improvements have been elucidated hereabove with reference to the various embodiments depicted in the appended drawing, the skilled person will acknowledge that the features of these different embodiments can be combined with one another. For example, the embodiments of the centrifugal separator according to Fig. 2 and 4 may also comprise the drive 4 and/or first and second impellers 6A, 6B of the embodiment of the centrifugal separator depicted in Fig. 1. Likewise, the embodiment of the centrifugal separator 1 according to Fig. 1 may also comprise e.g. the flow homogenisers 23, 23’ described in conjunction with Fig. 3 and Fig. 5.

The scope of protection for the present disclosure therefore is by no means limited to the actually disclosed and potentially preferred embodiments as depicted in the appended drawing. Many alternative and additional features and aspects are possible within the framework of the present disclosure and of the appended independent and dependent claims. The scope of protection should therefore not be construed as being limited to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure as described hereabove or as depicted in the appended drawing, but is instead defined solely by the features of the appended claims and, at least in certain jurisdictions, their equivalents.