A centrifugal extractor capable of in-situ cleaning and a method of in-situ cleaning thereof

Abstract

This application relates to the field of centrifugal extractor technology and discloses a centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability and its in-situ cleaning method. The centrifugal extractor includes a shell, a top cover, a rotating drum, and a phase separator. A first operating window is provided on the top cover, and a second operating window is provided on the light phase discharge cover of the phase separator. The first and second operating windows are vertically aligned. The phase separator has multiple cleaning ports that correspond one-to-one with the liquid flow channels inside the rotating drum. During cleaning, the operator manually rotates the rotating drum to align the cleaning port above the flow channel to be cleaned with the second operating window. A high-pressure water gun is then inserted sequentially through the first operating window, the second operating window, and the cleaning port into the flow channel for rinsing. This application achieves precise and comprehensive cleaning of all flow channels inside the rotating drum without disassembly, significantly reducing downtime, improving cleaning efficiency and effectiveness, and meeting the needs of rapid deep cleaning and convenient maintenance in continuous production scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of centrifugal extraction technology, and in particular to a centrifugal extractor that can be cleaned in place and a method for cleaning it in place. Background Technology

[0002] Centrifugal extraction is a highly efficient separation technology that utilizes centrifugal force to achieve rapid contact mass transfer and separation between liquid and liquid phases. It separates two liquid phases of different densities through a high-speed rotating drum inside the centrifugal extractor and has been widely used in hydrometallurgy, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. However, during long-term operation, solid impurities entrained in the raw materials will continuously precipitate and accumulate on the inner wall of the drum, in the gaps between the web plates, and at the corners of the liquid outlet channel. If not cleaned in time, this will not only disrupt the dynamic balance of the drum and cause abnormal equipment vibration, but also cross-contaminate subsequent batches of materials, directly reducing product purity and affecting product quality stability. Therefore, regular deep rinsing is a necessary process to ensure stable production.

[0003] However, the structural differences between drums result in varying cleaning difficulties and applicable cleaning methods. For traditional integrated drum structures, the integral construction creates numerous cleaning dead zones at the inner wall joints. Currently, manual rinsing after disassembly is the primary method, but this is labor-intensive, involves prolonged equipment downtime, and requires specialized equipment for dynamic balancing tests. Repeated disassembly and reassembly not only significantly impact equipment stability but may also shorten its lifespan. While detachable drum structures allow for individual component cleaning after disassembly, the complex disassembly and assembly process requires specialized personnel and tools, significantly increasing maintenance and time costs, making them unsuitable for the rapid cleaning needs of continuous production scenarios. In addition, there are a few drum structures in the industry that are equipped with built-in rinsing nozzles. For example, Chinese utility model patent with publication number CN214808599U proposes a centrifugal extractor with a rinsing device. This solution sets the rotating shaft as a hollow shaft and installs nozzles on the outside of the hollow shaft. During cleaning, the cleaning liquid hose is connected to the hollow shaft, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed out from the nozzle through the hollow shaft at a certain pressure to rinse the inner wall of the drum in place. The cleaning can be completed without disassembling the machine.

[0004] However, the aforementioned existing technologies still have significant shortcomings. First, for the built-in nozzle structure, since the nozzles are fixedly mounted on the hollow rotating shaft, their spray position and spray range are also fixed, resulting in a limited rinsing range. Hidden areas such as the back of the drum web and the seams between components inside the extractor cannot be rinsed, leaving cleaning blind spots. Second, the hollow rotating shaft is generally small in diameter due to load-bearing and material flow space requirements, which limits the flow rate of cleaning fluid through the hollow rotating shaft, resulting in low cleaning efficiency, long cleaning time, and impacting production efficiency. Third, neither traditional integrated drums nor detachable drums can simultaneously meet the dual requirements of "no disassembly required" and "comprehensive cleaning." Either disassembly of the equipment is necessary, disrupting the dynamic balance, or while disassembly is possible, the cleaning coverage is incomplete. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings of existing rotary drum cleaning methods, such as complex disassembly and assembly, numerous cleaning blind spots, and incomplete rinsing coverage by built-in nozzles, and to meet the actual needs of rapid deep cleaning and convenient maintenance in continuous production scenarios, this application provides a centrifugal extractor that can be cleaned in place and its in-place cleaning method.

[0006] On the one hand, the centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: A centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability includes a housing with a feed inlet on its peripheral sidewall and a top cover with a first operating window at the top opening. A central rotating shaft is coaxially arranged inside the housing, and a drum and a phase separator are coaxially fixedly mounted on the central rotating shaft. A feed channel is provided on the bottom surface of the drum, and the phase separator is fixedly connected to the top opening of the drum. The central rotating shaft drives the drum and phase separator to rotate for two-phase separation of the mixture. Multiple web plates are installed inside the drum, with a liquid flow channel formed between adjacent web plates. Multiple cleaning ports are provided on the phase separator, communicating with the liquid flow channel inside the drum. A drain port is provided at the bottom of the housing.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, during normal separation operation, the mixture enters the inner cavity of the shell through the feed port at the bottom of the shell. As the central rotating shaft drives the drum and the phase separator to rotate at high speed, the mixture is sucked into the inside of the drum through the feed channel on the bottom surface of the drum. Under the action of centrifugal force, the light and heavy phases are quickly separated in the liquid flow channel between adjacent webs.

[0008] When cleaning and maintenance are required, operators do not need to disassemble the top cover, drum, or phase separator. They only need to open the first operating window to obtain access to the inside of the housing for maintenance operations. At the same time, since the cleaning port on the phase separator is directly connected to the liquid flow channel inside the drum, the cleaning tools can pass through the first operating window and the cleaning port and extend directly into the corresponding liquid flow channel to perform targeted rinsing of areas such as the side of the web plate and the inner wall of the drum. The waste liquid generated during rinsing is discharged through the drain port at the bottom of the housing.

[0009] The spatial correspondence between the first operating window and the cleaning port allows operators to clean each liquid flow channel individually simply by opening a partial opening in the top cover. This completely eliminates the tedious operation of repeatedly disassembling and reassembling the drum, as well as the extra step of rebalancing the equipment after restoration, required by traditional disassembly and cleaning methods. This effectively avoids the adverse effects of disassembly and reassembly on equipment stability, significantly shortens downtime, reduces maintenance costs, and meets the actual needs of rapid deep cleaning and convenient maintenance in continuous production scenarios. At the same time, because the cleaning tool can freely adjust the spray angle and insertion depth after passing through the cleaning port, it can perform targeted rinsing of hidden areas such as the back of the web plate, the inner wall of the drum, and the joints between various components. This overcomes the shortcomings of built-in fixed nozzles, which have incomplete cleaning coverage and blind spots due to the fixed spray range, and achieves comprehensive deep cleaning of each liquid flow channel inside the drum.

[0010] Optionally, the phase separator includes a phase separator plate, on which light phase flow holes and heavy phase flow holes are radially spaced from the inside to the outside. A light phase weir is fixedly connected to the phase separator plate, and the light phase weir is located between the light phase flow holes and the heavy phase flow holes. Multiple baffles are fixedly fixed circumferentially on the inner wall of the light phase weir, and each baffle is located between two adjacent light phase flow holes, and the number of baffles corresponds to the number of light phase flow holes. The cleaning port is opened on the phase separator plate and is located radially outside the heavy phase flow holes.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the light phase flow holes and heavy phase flow holes on the phase separation plate are arranged radially from the inside to the outside at intervals, and the light phase weir is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the phase separation plate between them. During normal separation operation, the light and heavy phases after centrifugal separation by the drum are distributed in a concentric ring shape radially inside the drum: the light phase liquid, due to its lower density, accumulates in the inner area near the central rotating shaft, passes through the light phase flow holes and enters the inner side of the light phase weir, and then overflows from the top of the light phase weir; the heavy phase liquid, due to its higher density, is thrown to the outer area of ​​the inner wall of the drum, flows out through the heavy phase flow holes and is discharged outward along the upper surface of the phase separation plate. The light phase weir acts as a ring barrier to separate the light phase flow holes from the heavy phase flow holes, effectively preventing the two phases from remixing during the discharge process; in addition, the baffles set on the inner wall of the light phase weir correspond one-to-one with the light phase flow holes and are staggered, which can effectively reduce swirling turbulence before the light phase is discharged, ensure smooth overflow, and further improve the stability of the purity of the two phases separation.

[0012] The cleaning port is located radially outside the heavy phase flow hole. On the one hand, this avoids the material flow areas of the light phase flow hole and the heavy phase flow hole, ensuring that the cleaning port does not affect the material flow path during normal separation operations. On the other hand, this position corresponds to the upper part of the liquid flow channel inside the drum, allowing the cleaning tool to directly reach into the liquid flow channel after passing through the cleaning port to perform targeted rinsing on the back of the web plate and the inner wall of the drum.

[0013] Optionally, a light phase cylinder is coaxially fixedly connected to the inner wall of the shell, and a light phase discharge cover plate is fixedly connected to the top of the light phase cylinder. The light phase discharge cover plate is sleeved on the outer periphery of the light phase weir. A light phase storage cavity is formed between the light phase cylinder, the light phase discharge cover plate, and the inner wall of the shell for containing light phase liquid. A light phase discharge port is provided on the shell, and the light phase discharge port communicates with the interior of the light phase storage cavity. A second operating window is provided on the light phase discharge cover plate, and the second operating window is located directly below the first operating window. A heavy phase cylinder is coaxially fixedly connected to the inner wall of the shell. The heavy phase cylinder is located below the light phase cylinder and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the drum. A heavy phase storage cavity is formed between the heavy phase cylinder, the outer wall of the drum, and the light phase cylinder for containing heavy phase liquid. A heavy phase discharge port is provided on the shell, and the heavy phase discharge port communicates with the interior of the heavy phase storage cavity.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, an independent light phase storage cavity is formed between the light phase cylinder, the light phase discharge cover plate and the inner wall of the shell, and an independent heavy phase storage cavity is formed between the heavy phase cylinder, the outer wall of the drum and the light phase cylinder. The two chambers are spatially isolated from each other and directly connected to the light phase discharge port and the heavy phase discharge port respectively, providing independent collection and discharge channels for the light and heavy phases, and ensuring the stability of the purity of the two phases after separation.

[0015] Meanwhile, a second operating window is provided on the light phase discharge cover, which is vertically aligned with the first operating window on the top cover. When cleaning and maintenance are required, both windows can be opened simultaneously to create a vertical, unobstructed operating channel that runs from the outside of the casing, through the top cover, the top of the light phase storage chamber, and directly to the cleaning port of the phase separation plate. Cleaning tools can smoothly pass through the light phase storage chamber area to reach the phase separation plate without interfering with the normal function of the light and heavy phase storage chambers. Thus, while ensuring the independent and smooth discharge of both phases, spatial compatibility between the cleaning channel and the separation structure is achieved, providing a direct pathway to the inside of the drum for in-situ cleaning.

[0016] Optionally, the phase separation plate is configured as an annular shape, and a plurality of cleaning ports are evenly spaced along the circumference of the phase separation plate. The number of cleaning ports corresponds one-to-one with the number of liquid flow channels inside the drum, and each cleaning port is located above the corresponding liquid flow channel.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the cleaning port and the liquid flow channel are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. After the operator rotates the drum to align the cleaning port above the liquid flow channel to be cleaned with the second operating window, the flow channel can be precisely rinsed, and all flow channels can be thoroughly cleaned one by one, thus achieving comprehensive deep cleaning of all flow channels inside the drum.

[0018] Optionally, both the first and second operating windows are equipped with removable sealing covers, and an oil-resistant seal is provided between the sealing cover and the mounting surface of the corresponding window; each cleaning port is bolted to a sealing end cap, and a cleaning port seal is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the sealing end cap.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the first and second operating windows are reliably sealed by the sealing cover plate and oil-resistant seal during normal operation of the equipment, and the cleaning port is sealed by the sealing end cover and the cleaning port seal, which ensures the airtightness and pressure resistance of the centrifugal extractor during operation and prevents leakage of the liquid. The sealing end cover is connected by bolts, which allows the operator to quickly disassemble and assemble it with only standard tools, without the need for special tools, thus reducing the complexity of the cleaning operation.

[0020] Optionally, both the first and second operation windows are fan-shaped, and their dimensions are adapted to each other.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the fan-shaped structure can achieve a larger operating coverage area without increasing the total opening area or damaging the overall structural strength of the top cover and the light phase discharge cover, making it easier for operators to reach in with their arms and cleaning tools for cleaning operations.

[0022] Optionally, multiple light phase flow holes and multiple heavy phase flow holes are provided, and each is evenly arranged along the circumference; the cleaning port and the heavy phase flow holes are staggered along the circumference.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the cleaning port and the heavy phase flow hole are staggered, which avoids the weakening of the local structural strength of the phase separation plate by the opening of the cleaning port, and at the same time ensures that the two types of holes do not interfere with each other. This ensures that the drainage capacity of the heavy phase flow hole is not affected during normal separation operation, and provides sufficient operating space for cleaning operation.

[0024] On the other hand, this application also provides an in-situ cleaning method for a centrifugal extractor employing the above-mentioned in-situ cleanable method, comprising the following steps: S1, stop the centrifugal extractor and drain the residual material; S2, open the first operation window and the second operation window; S3, the operator puts his hand into the first and second operating windows and manually rotates the drum to rotate the cleaning port above the liquid flow channel to the position facing the second operating window. S4, Remove the sealing end cap at the cleaning port that is aligned with the second operation window; S5, the high-pressure water gun is passed through the first operating window, the second operating window and the cleaning port in sequence and inserted into the material flow channel for rinsing; S6. After rinsing, open the drain port at the bottom of the housing to discharge the waste liquid.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution and utilizing the direct alignment of the first and second operating windows, operators can manually rotate the drum to align the corresponding cleaning ports above each liquid flow channel with the operating windows without disassembling the entire machine. High-pressure water guns can then be used to specifically flush the inside of the liquid flow channels through the windows and cleaning ports. The process is simple and can be completed independently by ordinary operators. The entire process does not require disassembling the drum or phase separator, avoiding damage to the dynamic balance of the equipment caused by disassembly and significantly reducing downtime and maintenance costs.

[0026] Optionally, after the flushing fluid is drained, a flexible endoscope with a searchlight is inserted into the flushed material flow channel through the first operating window, the second operating window, and the cleaning port in sequence to visually inspect the flushing effect.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the endoscope can perform real-time visual inspection of the inside of the material flow channel after rinsing, enabling operators to intuitively confirm whether there are still residual impurities on the back of the web, the inner wall of the drum, and the seams. This solves the problem of blind spots caused by the "judgment based on experience" in traditional cleaning methods and achieves an objective and accurate evaluation of the cleaning effect.

[0028] Optionally, if endoscopic examination reveals residual impurities in the liquid flow channel, step S5 is repeated for a second wash; if no residue is found, the sealing end cap is reinstalled to the cleaning port, and the sealing cover is reinstalled back into the first and second operating windows respectively.

[0029] By adopting the above technical solution, visual inspection provides a clear basis for whether a secondary cleaning is required, avoiding the risk of cross-contamination caused by incomplete rinsing; after confirming that the cleaning is qualified, production can be resumed by resetting each sealing structure. The whole process is controllable and traceable, ensuring the reliability of equipment maintenance and the safety of production operation.

[0030] This application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. By establishing the spatial correspondence between the first operating window on the top cover, the second operating window on the light phase discharge cover, and the cleaning port on the phase separation plate, an unobstructed cleaning channel is constructed that leads directly from the outside of the shell to the internal material flow channel of the drum. Operators can complete targeted rinsing of each material flow channel inside the drum without disassembling the drum or phase separator. This effectively overcomes the shortcomings of existing drum cleaning, such as complex disassembly and assembly, numerous blind spots in cleaning, and incomplete rinsing coverage by the built-in nozzle structure. It can meet the actual needs of rapid deep cleaning and convenient maintenance in continuous production scenarios. 2. The cleaning ports are arranged one-to-one with the liquid flow channels inside the drum. Operators only need to manually rotate the drum to align each cleaning port with the second operating window to achieve comprehensive cleaning of the hidden areas such as the back of the web plate inside each liquid flow channel, the inner wall of the drum, and the splicing gaps. This effectively solves the problem of fixed cleaning range in traditional built-in nozzle structures. 3. The sealing end cap is installed at the cleaning port by bolt connection. Operators can quickly complete the disassembly and assembly using standard tools without special tools. The sealing cover on the operating window, together with oil-resistant seals, ensures the airtightness of the equipment during normal operation. The entire cleaning operation process is simple and quick, and can be completed independently by ordinary operators. 4. By introducing a bendable endoscope with a searchlight, the interior of the material flow channel after rinsing can be visually inspected, making the cleaning effect directly verifiable. Based on the inspection results, it can be determined whether to perform a second rinse, avoiding cross-contamination caused by incomplete rinsing and improving the reliability and traceability of cleaning and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this patent, the drawings used in the description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this patent. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 These are front sectional views of the overall structure of Embodiments 1 and 2 of this application; Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of parts of embodiments 1 and 2 of this application, mainly used to illustrate the phase splitter; Figure 3 These are partial top views of embodiments 1 and 2 of this application, mainly used to illustrate the phase splitter; Figure 4 These are schematic diagrams of parts of embodiments 1 and 2 of this application, mainly used to illustrate the heavy phase guide plate; Figure 5 for Figure 1 The enlarged view of part A in the middle is mainly used to show the discharge hole; Figure 6 This is a front sectional view of part of the structure in Embodiment 2 of this application, mainly used to show the first operation window, the second operation window, and the cleaning port; Figure 7 This is a top sectional view of part of the structure in Embodiment 2 of this application, mainly used to show the sealing cover and sealing end cap.

[0033] Key reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Shell; 11. Inlet; 12. Light phase outlet; 13. Heavy phase outlet; 14. Drain; 2. Top cover; 21. First operating window; 3. Drum; 31. Web plate; 32. Feed channel; 33. Inlet channel; 4. Phase separator; 41. Phase separator plate; 42. Light phase weir; 43. Heavy phase weir plate; 44. Light phase flow hole; 45. Heavy phase flow hole; 46. Baffle plate; 47. Heavy phase guide plate; 48. Sealing ring; 49. Cleaning port; 5. Central rotating shaft; 61. Light phase discharge cover plate; 611. Second operating window; 62. Light phase cylinder; 63. Light phase storage cavity; 64. Storage cavity seal; 71. Heavy phase cylinder; 711. Heavy phase cylinder section; 712. Heavy phase ring section; 72. Heavy phase storage cavity; 81. Feed cylinder; 811. Feed cylinder section; 812. Feed ring section; 82. Feed storage cavity; 83. Discharge hole; 91. Sealing cover plate; 92. Oil-resistant seal; 93. Sealing end cover; 94. Cleaning port seal. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this patent more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions of this patent will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the specific embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described below are only some embodiments of this patent, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this patent, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this patent.

[0035] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-7 This application will be described in further detail.

[0036] Example 1 Embodiment 1 of this application discloses a centrifugal extractor that can be cleaned in place.

[0037] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 A centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability includes a housing 1, a top cover 2, a drum 3, a phase separator 4, and a central rotating shaft 5. The top cover 2 is installed at the top opening of the housing 1 to seal the housing 1. The central rotating shaft 5 is coaxially mounted inside the housing 1 and is rotatably supported by bearings arranged at the upper and lower ends of the housing 1. A drive motor is externally connected to the bottom of the housing 1 to drive the central rotating shaft 5 to rotate. The drum 3, as the core separation component, is built into the cavity of the housing 1 and coaxially mounted with the housing 1. The top of the drum 3 is open, and the bottom is fixed to the central rotating shaft 5 by bearings. Multiple web plates 31 are arranged inside the drum 3. These web plates 31 are radially and fixedly connected between the central rotating shaft 5 and the inner wall of the drum 3. The web plates 31 are evenly arranged circumferentially, forming a material flow channel 32 between adjacent web plates 31 for material flow. The bottom surface of the drum 3 is provided with a feed channel 33 for connecting the inner cavity of the drum 3 with the inside of the housing 1, and a feed impeller is provided. When the drum 3 rotates, the mixed liquid at the bottom of the housing 1 can be drawn into the drum 3 through the feed channel 33 via the feed impeller. The feed impeller is prior art and will not be described in detail here. The phase separator 4 is fixedly installed at the top opening of the drum 3 and is used to cooperate with the drum 3 to separate the light and heavy phase liquids.

[0038] Reference Figure 1 Two feed inlets 11 are provided on the outer peripheral wall of the shell 1 for introducing materials. Both feed inlets 11 are located at the lower part of the shell 1 and are symmetrically arranged 180° around the circumference of the shell 1. A heavy phase outlet 13 and a light phase outlet 12 are also provided on the outer peripheral wall of the shell 1. Both are located at the upper part of the shell 1 and are arranged 180° around the circumference of the shell 1. Vertically, the light phase outlet 12 is located above the heavy phase outlet 13. A drain outlet 14 is provided at the bottom of the shell 1 for discharging residual or rinsing liquid from the drum 3 and the shell 1.

[0039] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3The phase separator 4 includes a phase separator plate 41, a light phase weir 42, and a heavy phase weir plate 43. The phase separator plate 41 is annular and coaxially fixed to the central rotating shaft 5, and is bolted to the opening on the top surface of the rotating drum 3. Light phase flow holes 44 and heavy phase flow holes 45 are radially spaced from the inside to the outside on the phase separator plate 41. Multiple light phase flow holes 44 and heavy phase flow holes 45 are provided, and they are evenly arranged along the circumference. The light phase weir 42 is cylindrical and coaxially fixed to the upper surface of the phase separator plate 41. The light phase flow holes 44 are located in the inner area of ​​the light phase weir 42, and the heavy phase flow holes 45 are located in the outer area of ​​the light phase weir 42, so as to form an annular barrier above the phase separator plate 41 to isolate the discharge areas of the light and heavy phases. The heavy phase weir plate 43 is annular and is bolted to the top surface of the phase separation plate 41 and coaxially arranged with the phase separation plate 41. The light phase weir plate 42 is located inside the heavy phase weir plate 43. The heavy phase weir plate 43 is located above the heavy phase flow hole 45 and partially covers the hole. By replacing the heavy phase weir plate 43 with different inner diameter specifications, the covering area can be adjusted, thereby changing the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the heavy phase flow hole 45, and thus adjusting the heavy phase discharge back pressure to control the radial position of the separation interface, ensuring that the light and heavy phases are discharged stably in a predetermined ratio, avoiding mutual entrainment, and ensuring the consistency of separation effect and the purity of the two phases.

[0040] Furthermore, refer to Figure 3 Both the heavy phase flow holes 45 and the light phase flow holes 44 are fan-shaped and have the same number. The corresponding heavy phase flow holes 45 and light phase flow holes 44 are arranged radially aligned along the phase separation plate 41.

[0041] Furthermore, refer to Figure 2 Multiple baffles 46 are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the light phase weir 42. The multiple baffles 46 are evenly arranged around the circumference of the light phase weir 42. The number of baffles 46 corresponds to the number of light phase flow holes 44, and each baffle 46 is located between two adjacent light phase flow holes 44. It is used to suppress the turbulence when the liquid rotates and flows, so as to achieve the function of stabilizing the flow.

[0042] Furthermore, refer to Figure 4 Multiple heavy phase guide plates 47 are fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the phase separation plate 41 along its circumference. Each heavy phase guide plate 47 corresponds to a heavy phase flow hole 45, and the heavy phase guide plate 47 is located below the corresponding heavy phase flow hole 45. The cross-section of the heavy phase guide plate 47 is U-shaped, forming a channel for the flow of heavy phase liquid inside. The length of the heavy phase guide plate 47 is radially along the phase separation plate 41, and both ends are open. A sealing ring 48 is coaxially fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the phase separation plate 41. The sealing ring 48 is located between the light phase flow hole 44 and the heavy phase flow hole 45. The end of the heavy phase guide plate 47 closest to the sealing ring 48 is fixedly connected to it to close the opening of the heavy phase guide plate 47 facing the central rotating shaft 5. The end of the heavy phase guide plate 47 away from the sealing ring 48 is spaced apart from the inner wall of the rotating drum 3.

[0043] Reference Figure 1 A light phase discharge cover plate 61 is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the light phase weir 42. The light phase discharge cover plate 61 is annular and located above the phase separation plate 41. A light phase cylinder 62 is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the light phase discharge cover plate 61. The light phase cylinder 62 is a frustum-shaped cylinder. The top of the light phase cylinder 62 is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the light phase discharge cover plate 61, and the bottom of the light phase cylinder 62 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the shell 1. A light phase storage cavity 63 is formed between the light phase cylinder 62, the light phase discharge cover plate 61, and the inner wall of the shell 1 to contain the light phase liquid. The light phase discharge port 12 communicates with the interior of the light phase storage cavity 63.

[0044] Reference Figure 1 A heavy phase cylinder 71 is disposed below the light phase cylinder 62. The heavy phase cylinder 71 includes a heavy phase cylinder section 711 and a heavy phase ring section 712. The heavy phase cylinder section 711 is a frustum-shaped cylinder and is coaxially sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotating drum 3. The heavy phase ring section 712 is coaxially and fixedly connected to the bottom of the heavy phase cylinder section 711 and is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing 1. A heavy phase storage cavity 72 is formed between the heavy phase cylinder 71, the outer wall of the rotating drum 3, and the light phase cylinder 62 to contain the heavy phase liquid. The heavy phase outlet 13 communicates with the interior of the heavy phase storage cavity 72.

[0045] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 5 Below the heavy phase cylinder 71, a feed cylinder 81 is provided. The feed cylinder 81 includes a feed cylinder section 811 and a feed ring section 812. The feed cylinder section 811 is a frustum-shaped cylinder and is coaxially sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotating drum 3. The feed ring section 812 is coaxially and fixedly connected to the bottom of the feed cylinder section 811 and is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing 1. A feed storage cavity 82 is formed between the feed cylinder 81, the outer wall of the rotating drum 3, and the heavy phase cylinder 71. Both feed inlets 11 are connected to the inside of the feed storage cavity 82. Multiple discharge holes 83 are evenly opened on the feed ring section 812, so that the mixed liquid can flow from the discharge holes 83 to the bottom of the housing 1 after entering the feed storage cavity 82.

[0046] Furthermore, refer to Figure 6 A storage cavity seal 64 is provided between the outer wall of the light phase weir 42 and the inner mating surface of the light phase discharge cover plate 61. In this embodiment, the storage cavity seal 64 is an O-ring seal, which can effectively realize the isolation between the light phase storage cavity 63 and the heavy phase storage cavity 72 after phase separation, and avoid the two phases from mixing.

[0047] The implementation principle of Embodiment 1 of this application is as follows: During the separation operation, the mixed material is pressurized by an external feed pump and then synchronously and radially injected into the feed storage chamber 82 through two feed ports 11 on the housing 1. After being buffered and stabilized in the feed storage chamber 82, the material flows to the bottom of the housing 1 through the discharge hole 83 of the feed ring 812. An external drive motor drives the drum 3 to rotate at high speed in a set direction through the central rotating shaft 5. Under the action of the feed impeller at the bottom of the drum 3, the mixed liquid at the bottom of the housing 1 is sucked into the liquid flow channel 32 between the web plates 31 inside the drum 3 from the feed channel 33 at the bottom of the drum 3.

[0048] The mixture in the feed channel 32 undergoes rapid phase separation under centrifugal force: the less dense light phase liquid gathers towards the central rotating shaft 5 and moves upward, flowing through the light phase flow hole 44 into the interior of the light phase weir 42. When the light phase liquid passes through the baffle plate 46 on the inner wall of the light phase weir 42, the turbulent rotation is effectively suppressed, and then it smoothly overflows from the top of the light phase weir 42, enters the light phase storage cavity 63, and is finally discharged from the light phase outlet 12. At the same time, the more dense heavy phase liquid is thrown towards the inner wall of the drum 3 under centrifugal force, moves upward along the inner wall of the drum 3, and enters the channel in the heavy phase guide plate 47 through the gap between the heavy phase guide plate 47 and the inner wall of the drum 3. Then it overflows from the heavy phase flow hole 45, flows over the upper surface of the phase separation plate 41, enters the heavy phase storage cavity 72, and is finally discharged from the heavy phase outlet 13.

[0049] During this separation process, the heavy phase weir plate 43 is located above and partially covers the heavy phase flow hole 45, physically limiting the heavy phase flow area to form a stable heavy phase discharge back pressure above the phase separator 4. This back pressure, along with centrifugal force and light phase liquid level, dynamically maintains the precise position of the interface between the light and heavy phases, ensuring the extraction and separation process is under optimal conditions, effectively preventing the two phases from entraining each other, and guaranteeing separation purity and product quality. Simultaneously, the storage cavity seal 64, located between the outer wall of the light phase weir 42 and the light phase discharge cover plate 61, physically isolates the light phase storage cavity 63 from the heavy phase storage cavity 72, preventing cross-flow and mixing of the two phases during the discharge stage, further ensuring the separation effect.

[0050] Example 2 Embodiment 2 of this application discloses a centrifugal extractor that can be cleaned in place.

[0051] The difference from Example 1 is that, referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7The top cover 2 has a first operating window 21, and the light phase discharge cover 61 has a second operating window 611. The second operating window 611 and the first operating window 21 are vertically aligned and their dimensions are compatible. Both the first operating window 21 and the second operating window 611 are fan-shaped, which allows for a larger operating coverage area without increasing the total opening area or compromising the overall structural strength of the top cover 2 and the light phase discharge cover 61. Both the first operating window 21 and the second operating window 611 are equipped with a removable sealing cover 91, which is fixed to the corresponding window position by fasteners such as bolts. An oil-resistant seal 92 is provided between the sealing cover 91 and the window mounting surface. In this embodiment, the oil-resistant seal 92 is a sealing gasket used to ensure pressure isolation between the inside and outside of the centrifuge during equipment operation and to prevent liquid leakage.

[0052] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 6 The phase separation plate 41 is also provided with multiple cleaning ports 49, which are evenly spaced along the circumference of the phase separation plate 41. The cleaning ports 49 are located radially outside the heavy phase flow holes 45 and are staggered with the heavy phase flow holes 45 along the circumference. The number of cleaning ports 49 corresponds one-to-one with the liquid flow channels 32 between the web plates 31, and the cleaning ports 49 are located above the corresponding liquid flow channels 32. The cleaning ports 49 are circular holes. In this embodiment, the diameter of the cleaning ports 49 is 20~120mm, and the number of cleaning ports 49 is set to 4~36. When cleaning the inside of the drum 3, the operator can reach in through the first operating window 21 and the second operating window 611 and manually rotate the drum 3 to align any cleaning port 49 with the second operating window 611, so that the cleaning tool can be inserted to rinse the liquid flow channel 32 below it.

[0053] Furthermore, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 To ensure reliable sealing of the cleaning ports 49 during normal equipment operation, each cleaning port 49 is equipped with a corresponding sealing end cap 93. The sealing end cap 93 is bolted to the phase separation plate 41 and can be easily installed and removed using a standard Allen wrench without the need for special tools. A cleaning port seal 94 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the sealing end cap 93. In this embodiment, the cleaning port seal 94 is an O-ring, which improves the sealing degree of the cleaning port 49 and prevents leakage of liquid from the cleaning port 49.

[0054] The implementation principle of Embodiment 2 of this application is as follows: During routine separation operations in the centrifugal extractor, the sealing cover 91 of the operating window is locked and fixed, and each cleaning port 49 is sealed by the corresponding sealing end cover 93 to ensure the airtightness and pressure resistance of the upper structure of the phase separator 4.

[0055] When regular in-situ cleaning and maintenance is required, there is no need to disassemble the drum 3 or the phase separator 4. The operator first stops the machine and opens the sealing cover 91 at the first operating window 21 of the top cover 2 and the second operating window 611 of the light phase discharge cover 61. Then, the operator inserts their hand into the housing 1 through the first operating window 21 and the second operating window 611, directly rotating the drum 3 to align the cleaning port 49 above the material flow channel 32 with the second operating window 611. After alignment, a standard Allen wrench is used to directly pass through the operating window to remove the sealing end cap 93 on the cleaning port 49. At this point, the operator can insert a high-pressure water gun sequentially through the first operating window 21, the second operating window 611, and the corresponding cleaning port 49 directly into the material flow channel 32 below to specifically clean the inner wall of the drum 3, the back of the support web 31, and hidden corners such as seams. Since the cleaning ports 49 are arranged one-to-one with the liquid flow channels 32, operators only need to align and open each cleaning port 49 to complete the deep cleaning of all liquid flow channels 32. After cleaning, the sealing end cap 93 and sealing cover plate 91 can be reset by reversing the operation to resume production. The entire cleaning operation process is simple and can be completed independently by ordinary operators, taking only about 30 minutes to complete the deep cleaning.

[0056] Example 3 A method using the in-situ washable centrifugal extractor described in Example 2 includes the following steps: S1, stop the operation of the centrifugal extractor and drain the residual material at the bottom of the drum 3 and the shell 1; S2, respectively remove the sealing cover plate 91 at the first operating window 21 on the top cover 2 and the sealing cover plate 91 at the second operating window 611 on the light phase discharge cover plate 61; S3, the operator puts his hand into the first operating window 21 and the second operating window 611 and manually rotates the drum 3 to rotate the cleaning port 49 directly above the liquid flow channel 32 to be cleaned to the position facing the second operating window 611. S4, through the first operation window 21 and the second operation window 611, a standard disassembly tool is inserted to remove the sealing end cap 93 at the cleaning port 49 facing the second operation window 611. S5, the high-pressure water gun is passed through the first operating window 21, the second operating window 611 and the cleaning port 49 in sequence, and inserted into the material flow channel 32 corresponding to the drum 3 to thoroughly rinse the hidden areas such as the back of the support plate 31, the inner wall of the drum 3 and the component splicing gaps. S6. After rinsing, open the drain port 14 below the housing 1 so that the waste liquid containing impurities that was rinsed down from inside the drum 3 will naturally settle and be discharged outside the housing 1 under the action of gravity. S7. After the rinsing fluid is drained, insert the flexible endoscope with a searchlight into the flushed material flow channel 32 by passing it through the first operating window 21, the second operating window 611 and the cleaning port 49. The endoscope is connected to an electronic display device, which allows the operator to check in real time whether there are any residual impurities or sludge on the back of the web 31, the inner wall of the drum 3 and the seams. If there are no residues, proceed to the next step. If there are residues, repeat step S5 for a second wash. S8, remove the high-pressure water gun and endoscope, reinstall the sealing end cap 93 to the cleaning port 49, and reinstall the sealing cover plate 91 back onto the first operating window 21 and the second operating window 611 respectively. After locking the seal, restore the production state of the centrifugal extractor.

[0057] The implementation principle of Embodiment 3 of this application is as follows: This method, through the vertical overlapping structure of the first operation window 21 and the second operation window 611, transforms the conventional whole-machine disassembly and cleaning into an operation that only requires opening the top cover 2 and the partial opening of the light phase discharge cover 61, significantly reducing maintenance difficulty and downtime. Combined with the one-to-one correspondence between the cleaning port 49 on the phase separation plate 41 and the internal material flow channel 32, it ensures that the rinsing water flow can specifically target the dead-angle areas within each material flow channel 32. After rinsing, a flexible endoscope with a searchlight is used for visual inspection, effectively solving the problem of blind spot residue caused by the "experience-based judgment" of traditional high-pressure rinsing, and achieving intuitive verification of the cleaning effect. This process ensures thorough cleaning of the inside of the drum 3, greatly reducing the possibility of cross-contamination of subsequent batches of materials due to incomplete rinsing, and significantly improving the maintenance reliability and production operation safety of the equipment.

[0058] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to implement or use this patent. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this patent. Therefore, this patent is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A centrifugal extractor that can be cleaned in place, comprising a housing (1), wherein a feed inlet (11) is provided on the peripheral sidewall of the housing (1), characterized in that: A top cover (2) is installed at the top opening of the housing (1), and a first operating window (21) is provided on the top cover (2); a central rotating shaft (5) is coaxially arranged inside the housing (1), and a rotating drum (3) and a phase separator (4) are coaxially fixedly installed on the central rotating shaft (5). A feed channel (33) is provided on the bottom surface of the rotating drum (3), and the phase separator (4) is fixedly connected to the top opening of the rotating drum (3). The central rotating shaft (5) is used to drive the rotating drum (3) and the phase separator (4) to rotate to separate the two phases of the mixture; multiple web plates (31) are installed inside the rotating drum (3), and a liquid flow channel (32) is formed between two adjacent web plates (31); multiple cleaning ports (49) are provided on the phase separator (4), and the cleaning ports (49) are connected to the liquid flow channel (32) inside the rotating drum (3); a drain port (14) is provided at the bottom of the housing (1).

2. The centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability according to claim 1, characterized in that: The phase separator (4) includes a phase separator plate (41). Light phase flow holes (44) and heavy phase flow holes (45) are radially spaced from the inside to the outside on the phase separator plate (41). A light phase weir (42) is fixedly connected to the phase separator plate (41). The light phase weir (42) is located between the light phase flow holes (44) and the heavy phase flow holes (45). Multiple baffles (46) are fixedly fixed circumferentially on the inner wall of the light phase weir (42). Each baffle (46) is located between two adjacent light phase flow holes (44), and the number of baffles (46) corresponds to the number of light phase flow holes (44). A cleaning port (49) is opened on the phase separator plate (41) and is located radially outside the heavy phase flow hole (45).

3. A centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability according to claim 2, characterized in that: A light phase cylinder (62) is coaxially fixedly connected to the inner wall of the shell (1). A light phase discharge cover plate (61) is fixedly connected to the top of the light phase cylinder (62). The light phase discharge cover plate (61) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the light phase weir (42). A light phase storage cavity (63) is formed between the light phase cylinder (62), the light phase discharge cover plate (61), and the inner wall of the shell (1) to contain the light phase liquid. A light phase discharge port (12) is provided on the shell (1). The light phase discharge port (12) is connected to the interior of the light phase storage cavity (63). A second operating window is provided on the light phase discharge cover plate (61). The second operation window (611) is located directly below the first operation window (21); a heavy phase cylinder (71) is coaxially fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing (1), the heavy phase cylinder (71) is located below the light phase cylinder (62), the heavy phase cylinder (71) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the drum (3), and a heavy phase storage cavity (72) is formed between the heavy phase cylinder (71), the outer wall of the drum (3), and the light phase cylinder (62) to contain heavy phase liquid; a heavy phase outlet (13) is opened on the housing (1), and the heavy phase outlet (13) is connected to the inside of the heavy phase storage cavity (72).

4. A centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability according to claim 2, characterized in that: The phase separation plate (41) is arranged in a ring shape, and a plurality of cleaning ports (49) are evenly spaced along the circumference of the phase separation plate (41). The number of cleaning ports (49) corresponds one-to-one with the number of liquid flow channels (32) inside the drum (3), and each cleaning port (49) is located above the corresponding liquid flow channel (32).

5. A centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability according to claim 3, characterized in that: Both the first operating window (21) and the second operating window (611) are equipped with a detachable sealing cover (91), and an oil-resistant seal (92) is provided between the sealing cover (91) and the mounting surface of the corresponding window; each of the cleaning ports (49) is connected to a sealing end cap (93) by bolts, and a cleaning port seal (94) is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the sealing end cap (93).

6. A centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first operation window (21) and the second operation window (611) are both fan-shaped, and their external dimensions are compatible with each other.

7. A centrifugal extractor with in-situ cleaning capability according to claim 4, characterized in that: Multiple light phase flow holes (44) and heavy phase flow holes (45) are provided, and each is evenly arranged along the circumferential direction; the cleaning port (49) and the heavy phase flow holes (45) are staggered along the circumferential direction.

8. An in-situ cleaning method for a centrifugal extractor capable of in-situ cleaning as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1, stop the centrifugal extractor and drain the residual material; S2, open the first operation window (21) and the second operation window (611). S3, the operator puts his hand into the first operating window (21) and the second operating window (611) and manually rotates the drum (3) so that the cleaning port (49) above the liquid flow channel (32) to be cleaned is rotated to the position facing the second operating window (611); S4, remove the sealing end cap (93) at the cleaning port (49) that is aligned with the second operation window (611). S5, the high-pressure water gun is passed through the first operating window (21), the second operating window (611) and the cleaning port (49) in sequence, and inserted into the liquid flow channel (32) for rinsing; S6. After rinsing, open the drain port (14) below the housing (1) to discharge the waste liquid.

9. The in-situ cleaning method for a centrifugal extractor that can be cleaned in place according to claim 8, characterized in that: After the flushing fluid is drained, a flexible endoscope with a searchlight is inserted into the flushed material flow channel (32) through the first operating window (21), the second operating window (611) and the cleaning port (49) in sequence to visually inspect the flushing effect.

10. The in-situ cleaning method for a centrifugal extractor that can be cleaned in place according to claim 9, characterized in that: If the endoscope examination finds that there are still residual impurities in the liquid flow channel (32), repeat step S5 for a second wash; if it is confirmed that there are no residues, reinstall the sealing end cap (93) to the cleaning port (49), and reinstall the sealing cover plate (91) back into the first operating window (21) and the second operating window (611) respectively.

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