Conoco Specialty Products Inc.

Pete A Thompson

Stephen T McCoy

Kevin J O'Brien

The present invention relates to a hydrocyclone apparatus which is simple in design, more space efficient, and easier to maintain than prior art designs. The invention comprises a three chamber vessel wherein the inlet chamber is between the outlet and overflow chambers. Therefore, the inlets to the liners are between the plates dividing the vessel into separate chambers and the outlets from the liners extend directly into the end chambers the labyrinth of passages and conduits for the overflow liquid. The present invention includes a no bolt securing arrangement for securing the liners in the vessel. In particular, the liner includes a shoulder portion which abuts one of the dividing plates and an end cap which closes the open end of the vessel being in close proximity to the ends of the liners thereby securing the liners in the opening in the dividing plates. The shoulder further includes lobes to limit rotation of the shoulders. The present invention further includes a new arrangement for providing an inlet for the liner. The inlet is formed into an inlet block which is made out of a different material than the rest of the liner for abrasion resistance and is inserted into the liner through a breech opening in the side of thereof. The breech loaded inlet block is secured by a overflow plug which screws into the header end of the liner.

Three chamber vessel for hydrocyclone separator

The invention provides a highly space efficient solution to designing hydrocyclone vessels and the liners that are used therein. Moreover, the invention reduces the maintenance requirements for the vessels by providing the liners as units which are preassembled outside the vessel and installed in and out of the vessel without bolts or other minimally detailed process. The invention primarily includes a three chamber vessel wherein the inlet chamber is between the outlet and reject chambers. Therefore the inlet to the liners is between the plates dividing the chamber into separate chambers and the outlets from the liners extend straight into the end chambers. This avoids having to provide conduits from the reject end of the liner to a reject gallery in the plate or outside the vessel. Secondly, the design incorporated a no bolt design to secure the involute inlet into the liner and secure the liner into the opening in the plate. The reject plug at the reject end of the liner includes a shoulder portion which is particularly designed to stop the rotation of the liner by contacting the wall of the vessel and by contacting one another.

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Gloucester, United Kingdom

Pete A Thompson