Rotary screening machine for pulp suspensions

摘要

The disclosure concerns a rotary screening machine for moving pulp suspension through a screening slot and for separating impurities from the pulp suspension. An annular rotatable drum is surrounded by an annular porous screen basket that is spaced away to define a screening slot. Pulp suspension is delivered to one axial end of the slot and is discharged from the other axial end of the slot. Generally wedged shaped vanes, widening in the axial direction between the leading and trailing ends of the vane, are provided around the drum. The wedge defining surfaces may also be inclined with respect to a respective plane perpendicular to the axis. The space between the wedge surfaces is an open volume. A wall in that space is oriented to help create appropriate vacuum and eddy conditions behind the vane. The drum may have different zones, with the lower zone being provided with vanes and the upper zone being generally smooth. Other types of vanes or projections may be provided in the intermediate zone. Water sprayed into the slot dilutes the suspension. The configuration of the vane causes conveyance of the pulp suspension generally toward the impurities outlet and conveys the impurities to that outlet. The configuration of the vanes also causes the suspension to pulsate across the screen basket which dislodges pulp suspension fibers that otherwise might become matted on the screen.