Device and method for cleaning a centrifugal separator

1. Centrifugal separator device for concurrent separation of solid and/or liquid particles suspended in gaseous media, comprising a rotor ( 12 ) which is provided with a multiplicity of sedimentation members ( 14 ) and which is mounted rotatably in a surrounding housing ( 20 ), an intake provided for the gaseous medium to be cleaned and leading to a central inlet shaft ( 26 ) of the rotor ( 12 ), the housing ( 20 ) having, on the one hand, an outlet ( 32 ) for cleaned gas which has been freed of solid and/or liquid particles on passage through the sedimentation members ( 14 ) in the rotor ( 12 ), and, on the other hand, an outlet ( 34 ) for the solid and/or liquid particles which have deposited on the sedimentation members and are then transferred to a side wall ( 28 ) of the housing ( 20 ) by a centrifugal force, wherein a nozzle ( 36 ; 38 ) is arranged upstream of the sedimentation members ( 14 ) in order to supply a liquid to the sedimentation members and other internal rotating and fixed elements of the separator.

2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle ( 36 ) is arranged in the intake, upstream of the central inlet shaft ( 26 ) in the rotor ( 12 ).

3. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle ( 38 ) is composed of an elongate pipe element which extends axially through the central inlet shaft ( 26 ) of the rotor and has a multiplicity of outlet openings distributed in the longitudinal direction for liquid.

4. Centrifugal separator device for countercurrent separation of solid and/or liquid particles suspended in gaseous media, comprising a rotor ( 12 ) which is provided with a multiplicity of sedimentation members ( 14 ) and which is mounted rotatably in a surrounding housing ( 20 ) which has, on the one hand, an inlet for the gaseous medium to be cleaned, and, on the other hand, an outlet ( 34 ) for solid and/or liquid particles which have deposited on the sedimentation members and are then transferred to a side wall ( 28 ) of the housing ( 20 ) by centrifugal forces, the rotor having an outlet ( 32 ) which leads from a central outlet shaft ( 26 ) of the rotor ( 12 ) and is provided for the gaseous medium which has been cleaned on passage through the sedimentation members ( 14 ), wherein a nozzle ( 38 ) is arranged downstream of the sedimentation members ( 14 ) in order to supply from inside a liquid to the sedimentation members and other internal rotating and fixed elements of the separator.

5. Device according to claim 4 , wherein the nozzle ( 38 ) is composed of an elongate pipe element which extends axially through the central outlet shaft ( 26 ) of the rotor and has a multiplicity of outlet openings distributed in the longitudinal direction for liquid.

6. Centrifugal separator device for countercurrent separation of solid and/or liquid particles suspended in gaseous media, comprising a rotor ( 42 ) which is provided with a multiplicity of sedimentation members and which is mounted rotatably in a surrounding housing ( 40 ) which has, on the one hand, an inlet ( 46 ) for the gaseous medium to be cleaned, and, on the other hand, an outlet for solid and/or liquid particles which have deposited on the sedimentation members and are then transferred to a side wall of the housing ( 40 ) by centrifugal forces, the rotor having an outlet ( 48 ) which leads from a central outlet shaft ( 50 ) of the rotor ( 42 ) and is provided for the gaseous medium which has been cleaned on passage through the sedimentation members, wherein at least one nozzle ( 52 ) is arranged upstream of the sedimentation members in order to supply from outside of the rotor a liquid to the sedimentation members and other internal rotating and fixed elements of the separator.

7. Device according to claim 6 , wherein the nozzle ( 52 ) is rotatable and comprises a hub ( 54 ) arranged in the housing ( 40 ), and at least one arm ( 56 ) which projects radially from the hub and which is provided with at least one nozzle orifice ( 58 ) directed towards the rotor ( 42 ) and designed to sweep across the whole peripheral surface of the rotor during rotation.

8. Method for cleaning internal rotating and fixed elements of a centrifugal separator for concurrent separation of solid and/or liquid particles suspended in gaseous media, which separator comprises a rotor ( 12 ) provided with a multiplicity of sedimentation members ( 14 ) and mounted rotatably in a surrounding housing ( 20 ), an intake provided for the gaseous medium to be cleaned and leading to a central inlet shaft ( 26 ) of the rotor ( 12 ), the housing ( 20 ) having, on the one hand, an outlet ( 32 ) for cleaned gas and, on the other hand, an outlet ( 34 ) for solid and/or liquid particles separated from the sedimentation members, wherein a liquid is supplied to the gaseous medium upstream of the sedimentation members ( 14 ).

9. Method according to claim 8 , wherein the liquid is supplied briefly and intermittently in a large flow, in order to intensively flush the rotating and fixed elements of the centrifugal separator from inside.

10. Method according to claim 8 , wherein the liquid is supplied continuously in a reduced flow to the stream of gas, in order to achieve improved transport characteristics for separated particles on the sedimentation members.

11. Method for cleaning internal rotating and fixed elements of a centrifugal separator for countercurrent separation of solid and/or liquid particles suspended in gaseous media, which separator comprises a rotor ( 12 ) provided with a multiplicity of sedimentation members ( 14 ) and mounted rotatably in a surrounding housing ( 20 ) which has, on the one hand, an outlet ( 32 ) for the gaseous medium to be cleaned, and, on the other hand, an outlet ( 34 ) for solid and/or liquid particles which have deposited on the sedimentation members and are then transferred to a side wall ( 28 ) of the housing ( 20 ) by centrifugal forces, the rotor having an outlet which leads from a central outlet shaft ( 26 ) of the rotor ( 12 ) and which is provided for the gaseous medium which has been cleaned on its passage through the sedimentation members ( 14 ), wherein a liquid is sprayed onto the sedimentation members of the rotor from the downstream side of the latter.

12. Method according to claim 11 , wherein the stream of gas through the separator is interrupted or at least substantially reduced, and wherein liquid is supplied briefly in a large flow, in order to intensively flush the rotating and fixed elements of the centrifugal separator.

13. Method for cleaning internal rotating and fixed elements of a centrifugal separator for countercurrent separation of solid and/or liquid particles suspended in gaseous media, which separator comprises a rotor ( 42 ) provided with a multiplicity of sedimentation members and mounted rotatably in a surrounding housing ( 40 ) which has, on the one hand, an inlet ( 46 ) for the gaseous medium to be cleaned, and, on the other hand, an outlet for solid and/or liquid particles which have deposited on the sedimentation members and are then transferred to a side wall of the housing ( 40 ) by centrifugal forces, the rotor ( 42 ) having an outlet ( 48 ) which leads from a central outlet shaft ( 50 ) of the rotor and which is provided for the gaseous medium which has been cleaned on passage through the sedimentation members, wherein, a liquid is added to the gaseous medium upstream of the sedimentation members of the rotor ( 42 ).