Centrifugal separator with rotatable phase flow splitter - located adjacent a vortex tube inlet and heavy phase outlet

摘要

A centrifugal separator comprises a housing having a spiral flow inducing inlet, a central vortex tube and a rotatable flow splitter located adjacent the inlet of the vortex tube and a central discharge port in the housing bottom. Grooves in the flow splitter may form vanes which cause the splitter to be rotated by the feed. Alternatively, the splitter may be motor drive. The separator is esp. used for separating heavy minerals from mine mill tailings. The rotation of the flow splitter allows the heavy and light fractions to be separated without clogging.