The present invention relates to an operating system for a centrifugal separator of the kind with a rotor comprising 1) an axially movable annular primary slide member, which is arranged to close or open one or more peripheral outlet ports of the rotor separation chamber and which together with axially immovable parts of the rotor forms a closing chamber having inlet and outlet for a closing liquid, 2) a'n axially movable annular secondary slide member, which is arranged in open position to admit and in closed position to prevent closing liquid from flowing out through said outlet and which together with axially immovable parts of the rotor on one of its axially directed sides defines an opening chamber, having an inlet for an opening liquid and a throttled drainage outlet, and on its other axially directed side defines a closing chamber having a throttled drainage outlet, 3) a means for the supply of closing ^• liquid to the closing chamber of- the primary slide member, 4) a means for constant actuation during the operation of the rotor of the secondary slide member with a force in closing direction, and 5) a means for the supply of opening liquid to the opening chamber of the secondary slide member for initiation of an opening movement of the secondary slide member, the opening chamber of the secondary slide member further having an overflow outlet leading to the closing chamber of the secondary slide member and being arranged to receive and being dimensioned to be overfilled by closing liquid leaving the closing chamber of the primary slide member upon an opening movement of the secondary slide member.

An operating system of this kind, described for instance in the U.S. patent specification 3-550.843, is being used in practice since long and has proved superior to many previously proposed operating systems. In the operating system thus known - like in many other operating systems - it is aimed at as rapid movements

as possible of the primary slide member of the rotor. For the obtainment thereof it is required among other things an extremely rapid opening movement of the secondary slide member of the rotor and, therefore, the opening chamber of the secon- dary slide member is arranged to receive closing liquid from the closing chamber of the primary slide member as _. soon as the ope¬ ning movement of the secondary slide member has been initiated by means of a special opening liquid supplied to said opening chamber through a separate liquid inlet. As can be seen from said U.S. patent specification 3.550.843 the opening chamber of the secondary slide member there shown will be charged with clo¬ sing liquid from the closing chamber of the primary slide member through a number of openings distributed around the periphery of the latter as soon as these openings are beginning to be un- covered by the secondary slide member.

The object of the present invention is to improve the above known operating system such that the opening movement of the secondary slide member will be even faster, which would lead to a faster opening movement of the primary slide member, too.

This object is achieved according to the invention by having an axially immovable part of the rotor, situated radially outside said outlet from the closing chamber of the primary slide me - ber, to form a partition between the closing chamber of the primary slide member and the closing chamber of the secondary slide member, by having the closing chamber of the secondary slide member closed radially inwards by means of an annular sealing member arranged between the secondary slide member and a part of said partition, and by having the secondary slide member arranged at its axial opening movement to uncover an annular opening for passage of closing liquid from the closing chamber of the primary slide member to the opening chamber of the secon¬ dary slide member.

By this design of the centrifuge rotor it has been possible to obtain the largest possible flow of closing liquid out of the closing chamber of the primary slide member at the moment when the opening movement of the secondary slide member is started. This means that the opening chamber of the secondary slide member already at a very early stage is charged with a large amount of liquid evenly distributed around the whole of its circumference. The opening movement of the secondary slide member thereby will be very rapid. This also means that the free liquid surface that is present or will be formed in the closing chamber of the primary slide member, when the opening movement of the secondary slide member is started, moves very rapidly radially outward, which leads to a subsequent rapid opening movement of the primary slide member. When this rapid opening movement of the primary slide member is started, the secondary slide member has already substantially finished its opening movement and, thus, uncovered a maximum annular opening for outflow of closing, liquid. Therefore, all the closing liquid having been displaced by the primary slide member from the radially outermost part of the closing chamber of the primary slide member, may leave through the annular opening without influencing the above described rapid movement radially outwards of the free liquid surface in the radially innermost part of the same closing chamber.

In the operating system according to the invention, as in the operating system according to U.S. 3.550.843, the force which is constantly acting on the secondary slide member in its closing direction can be created by means of mechanical springs of one kind or another- However, according to a further develop¬ ment of the invention, this force instead may be created hydrau- lically by means of liquid supplied to the closing chamber of the primary slide member. This is made possible by arrangement of said annular sealing member for the secondary slide member

at a radial distance from the rotor axis which is larger than that of the radially innermost part of the secondary slide member, so that the secondary slide member exposes a surface with a certain radial extension towards a space communicating with the closing chamber of the primary slide member.

In a preferred embodiment the previously mentioned partition extends with one portion radially inwards past the annular sea¬ ling member, so that the just mentioned space is formed axially between this portion and said surface of the secondary slide member. Thereby it is avoided that the magnitude of the force constantly acting on the secondary slide member decreases in an undesired degree, when the primary slide member performs its closing movement. This closing movement, namely, may cause that the liquid surface in the closing chamber of the primary slide member moves radially outward past the level of the radially innermost part of the secondary slide member. Thanks to the described shape of said partition such a radial movement of the liquid surface in the closing chamber of the primary slide member can be allowed without loss of the liquid and therewith the liquid pressure in said space.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention said partition extends with a portion radially inwards past the annu- lar sealing member up to a level radially inside the radially innermost part of the secondary slide member. Further, in this embodiment the opening chamber and the closing chamber of the secondary slide member are large enough to allow an unobstructed outflow of closing liquid through the annular opening which is uncovered in connection with the opening movement of the secon¬ dary slide member. By this is achieved not only the already mentioned advantage, that the force constantly acting on the secondary slide member is maintained, but also that the point where the movement of the liquid surface radially outwards with- in the closing chamber of the primary slide member is inter-

rupted, becomes independent of the closing movement of the secondary slide member. This point instead is determined by the position of the radially innermost part of the partition.

The invention will be described more closely in the following with reference to the accompanying drawing. Therein is shown in section a part of the rotor of a centrifugal separator, comprising an operating system according to the invention.

The rotor in the drawing has a rotor body consisting of a bowl formed lower part 1 and a conical upper part 2. The rotor body parts 1 and 2 are axially held together by means of a lock ring 3. The rotor body is supported by a vertical drive spindle 4, which is connected with the lower rotor body part 1.

Within the rotor body there is an axially movable annular pri¬ mary slide member 5, which together with the upper rotor body part 2 forms a separating _, chamber 6. Within the separating chamber there is arranged a set of conical separating discs 7, which rest on a so called distributor 8 arranged to conduct liquid into the separating chamber 6 from an inlet 9.

The primary slide member 5 is arranged to move axially from its position shown in the drawing, in which its periphery portion abuts an annular gasket 10 in a groove in the rotor body part 2, to a position in which it uncovers a number of outlet ports 11 in the rotor body part 1, distributed around the rotor peri¬ phery. When the ports 11 are uncovered during the operation of the rotor, part of the separating chamber content will be thrown out therefrom.

Within the rotor body there are also two annular axially immov¬ able rotor parts 12 and 13. These form together with the primary slide member 5 a so called closing chamber 14, which has a cent- ral liquid inlet in the form of several holes 15 distributed

around the rotor axis, and a liquid outlet in the form of an annular slot 16 formed between the rotor parts 12 and 13.

The inlet holes 15 communicate through a chamber 17 and a number of channels 18 with a central channel 19 in the rotor drive spindle 4, through which a so called closing liquid is intended to be supplied to the rotor during operation by means of equip¬ ment not shown.

Within the rotor body there is also arranged an axially movable annular secondary slide member 20. Between the axially upwards directed side thereof and the rotor part 12 there is formed a further closing chamber 21, and between its axially downwards directed side and the lower rotor body part 1 there is formed a so called opening chamber 22. The rotor part 12 thus forms an axially immovable partition between the. closing chamber 14 of the primary slide member and the closing chamber 21 of the secondary slide member. The closing chamber 21 as well as the opening chamber 22 are closed radially outwards by means of an annular sealing member 23 arranged between the secondary slide member 20 and the rotor body part 1. Radially inwards the clo¬ sing chamber 21 is closed by means of an annular sealing member 24 arranged between the secondary slide member and the rotor part 12, whereas the opening chamber 22 is open radially inwards and arranged from this direction to receive a flow of so called opening liquid from an inlet in the form of a number of holes 25 through the rotor body part 1 distributed around the periphery of th ^' e rotor. The holes 25 start from an annular groove 26 which is open radially inwards and formed on the outside of the rotor body. A stationary supply pipe 27 is arranged for the supply of opening liquid to the groove 26 during the operation of the rotor.

The secondary slide member 20 is provided with a large number of through channels 28, which extend from the radially inner

part of the opening chamber 22 to the closing chamber 21. The secondary slide member forms at the edges of the openings of the channels 28 into the opening chamber an overflow outlet 29 from the opening chamber 22, which thus leads to the closing chamber 21. The closing chamber 21, which has substantially larger volume than the opening chamber 22, among other things as a consequence of a recess formed in the secondary slide member 20, has a throttled drainage outlet 30- The opening chamber 22 has a similar throttled drainage outlet 31.

The radially innermost part of the secondary slide member 20 is situated radially inside the sealing member 24 and is arranged to seal axially against a plate 32, which is squeezed between the rotor part 13 and the rotor body part 1. The said part of the secondary slide member exposes an annular surface with a certain radial extension towards a space 33 formed axially between said surface and a portion 12a of the rotor part 12. The portion 12a extends radially inwards longer than the secondary slide member 20.

As can be seen from the drawing the axial extension of the clo¬ sing chamber 14 of the primary slide member differs radially inside and radially outside, respectively, of the outlet 16. The reasons therefor are the following. The radially innermost part of the closing chamber 14 should have as small a volume as pos¬ sible in order to be drained rapidly, when the secondary slide member 20 is opened, and then to be rapidly refilled. At least in the area, closest to the outlet 16 radially outside thereof the closing chamber should have a large axial extension so that the displacement of the closing liquid, being a consequence of the primary slide member movements, shall cause as small a radial movement as possible of the free liquid surface in said area.

The above described operating system operates in the following manner.

Before the rotor inlet 9 can be opened for a liquid mixture of components to be separated, so called operating liquid is supp¬ lied through the channel 19 of the rotating drive spindle 4. Through the holes 18, the chamber 17 and the holes 15 the opera¬ ting liquid enters the closing chamber 14. This operating liquid works as a closing liquid for the primary slide member 5, which is brought to axial sealing against the gasket 10 as soon as a radially outer part of the closing chamber 14 has been filled with liquid.

When the liquid level has reached the outlet 16 of the closing chamber 14 closing liquid flows axially down therethrough and fills out the space 33. By the liquid pressure then created on the surface of the secondary slide member 20 exposed to the space 33 the secondary slide -member 20 is pressed to axial sea¬ ling against the plate 32.

After this the free liquid surface of the closing liquid conti¬ nues radially inwards, and at the end the whole closing chamber 14 is filled with liquid.

Now the rotor inlet 9 is opened and the separating operation can start. A separated light liquid component of the supplied mix¬ ture flows radially inwards through the disc stack 7 to a cent¬ ral outlet (not shown), while a separated heavy component of the mixture, for instance in the form of a sludge, is collected in the radially outermost part of the separating chamber 6.

After a certain time of operation of the rotor the peripheral outlets 11 have to be uncovered for discharge of the separated heavy component. Then, during a short period, operating liquid is supplied through the supply pipe 27 to the groove 26 at the

outside of the rotor body. Through the channels 25 this liquid flows into the opening chamber 22 of the secondary slide member, where it serves as a so called opening liquid.

When the free surface of the opening liquid has reached a cer¬ tain level in the opening chamber 22, the secondary slide member

20 starts to move axially, and it then uncovers a narrow annu¬ lar opening between itself and the plate 32. This causes closing liquid to flow out from the closing chamber 14 of the primary slide member through the uncovered'annular opening, rapidly filling the opening chamber 22. As a consequence of the movement of the secondary slide member 20 there will also be a displace¬ ment of liquid from the space 33 out through the formed annular opening. A large liquid pressure is thus rapidly built up within the opening chamber, which leads to a rapid movement of the secondary slide member 20 to its fully opened position.

As soon as the opening chamber 22 is full- further liquid supp¬ lied will flow from the closing chamber 14 of the primary slide member through the overflow outlet 29 into the closing chamber

21 of the secondary slide member, where a free liquid surface is formed and starts to move radially Inwards.

During the just described course there is formed a free liquid surface in the radially innermost part of the closing chamber 14 of the primary slide member. This liquid surface moves radially outwards so rapidly that the primary slide member owing to for¬ ces of inertia does not start its opening movement until the liquid surface has moved a distance towards the outlet 16. The radial extension of the separation chamber 6 and the closing chamber 14 is such, however, that pressures of the same magni¬ tude are exerted on the primary slide member 5 from the liquid mixture in the separation chamber 6 and the closing liquid in the closing chamber 14, already when the free liquid surface in the closing chamber 14 is situated very close to the inlet holes 15.

While the liquid surface in the closing chamber 14 moves towards the outlet 16, the primary slide member 5 is actuated by a sub¬ stantially larger force from the mixture in the separation cham¬ ber 6 than from the closing liquid in the closing chamber 14, why the primary slide member 5 will rapidly perform an opening movement. Already during the just mentioned course - but above all after the liquid surface in the closing chamber 14 has reached out to the outlet 16 and cannot move any more radially outwards - part of the closing liquid is displaced radially inwards from the radially outermost part of the closing chamber 14. This liquid flows through the outlet 16, the annular opening uncovered by the secondary slide member 20, and the channels 28 in the secondary slide member to the closing chamber 21 of the latter

In the closing chamber 21 a free liquid surface moves radially inwards to a predetermined level. After that - when no further liquid is supplied - the liquid surface in the closing chamber 21 instead moves radially outwards as a consequence of the drainage through the outlet 30. However, the opening chamber 22 is drained through the outlet 31 - owing to its small volume - substantially faster than the closing chamber 21, why the secon¬ dary slide member 20 now returns to its closing position. As can be seen from the drawing, the volume of the closing chamber 21 of the secondary slide member 20 has been increased in the radially inner part of the closing chamber due to the recess in the secondary slide member 20. Further, the opening chamber 22, as has been mentioned above, has a substantially smaller volume than the closing chamber 21, which ensures a rapid closing move- ment of the secondary slide member 20.

When the primary slide member 5 uncovers the outlet ports 11, the content of the separation ^' chamber 6 is thrown out, and the free liquid surface in the separation chamber moves radially outwards. In a certain position of this liquid surface pressure

balance will prevail across the primary slide member, and upon further movement of the liquid surface the pressure from the closing liquid maintained radially outside the outlet 16 in the closing chamber 14 will return the primary slide member to its closed position.

During the whole of the above described course further closing liquid is constantly supplied through the inlet 15. This does not prevent the formation and the described movement radially outwards of a liquid surface in the closing chamber 14, however. As soon as the primary slide member 5 has finished its closing movement, in which stage the secondary slide member 20 is already closed, the closing chamber 14 of the primary slide member is again filled with closing liquid.