Rotary multi-compartment distillation drum having radially adjustable outlet to varythickness of liquid layer

Claim 1

A DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF A LIQUID COMPRISING A DRUM MOUNTED FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, MEANS FOR RAPIDLY ROTATING THE DRUM ABOUT ITS AXIS AT A RATE SUFFICIENT TO GENERATE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE GREATER THAN THAT OF GRAVITY, A PAIR OF AXIALLY SPACED RADIALLY EXTENDING PARTITIONING MEMBERS SECURED FOR ROTATION WITH SAID DRUM AND SUBDIVIDING THE DRUM INTO A CENTRAL COMPARTMENT AND OUTER COMPARTMENTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE CENTRAL COMPARTMENT AND OPENINGS IN THE PARTITIONING MEMBERS ADJACENT THE PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF THE DRUM WHEREBY THE CENTRAL COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATES WITH EACH OF THE OUTER COMPARTMENTS, A STATIONARY INLET EXTENDING INTO ONE OF THE OUTER COMPARTMENTS FOR INTRODUCTION OF LIQUID TO BE TREATED, A STATINARY OUTLET EXTENDING INTO THE OTHER OF THE OUTER COMPARTMENTS WITH MEANS FOR RADIAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE OUTLET FOR ADJUSTING THE THICKNESS OF THE LAYER OF LIQUID RETAINED ON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACES ON THE COMPARTMENTS DURING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE DRUM, VAPOR OUTLET CONDUIT MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE CENTRAL COMPARTMENT INWARDLY OF THE LIQUID LEVEL DRUING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE DRUM AND EXTENDING AXIALLY WITHIN THE COMPARTMENTS FOR DRAWING OFF VAPORS GIVEN OFF BY THE LIQUID IN THE DRUM, AND MEANS FOR HEATING THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE CENTRAL COMPARTMENT WHEREBY, DURING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE DRUM, THE LAYER OF THE LIQUID ON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE DRUM HAVING A THICKNESS AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THE RADIAL HEIGHT OF THE OPENINGS COMMUNICATING THE DRUMS WILL SEPARATE IN RESPONSE TO GRAVITY WITH THE HEAVIER AND COLDER LIQUID ADJACENT THE OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF THE DRUM AND THE LIGHTER AND HOTTER LIQUID AT THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF THE LIQUID LAYER FOR RELEASE OF VAPORS AT THE INTERIOR OF THE DRUM TO BE TAKEN OFF THROUGH SAID OUTLET MENAS.

Claim 2

A DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF A LIQUID COMPRISING A DRUM MOUNTED FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, MEANS FOR RAPIDLY ROTATING THE DRUM ABOUT ITS AXIS AT A RATE SUFFICIENT TO GENERATE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE GREATER THAN THAT OF GRAVITY, A PAIR OF AXIALLY SPACED RADIALLY EXTENDING PARTITIONING MEMBERS SECURED FOR ROTATION WITH SAID DRUM AND SUBDIVIDING THE DRUM INTO A CENTRAL COMPARTMENT AND OUTER COMPARTMENTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE CENTRAL COMPARTMENT AND OPENINGS IN THE PARTITIONING MEMBERS ADJACENT THE PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF THE DRUM WHEREBY THE CENTRAL COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATES WITH EACH OF THE OUTER COMPARTMENTS, A STATIONARY INLET EXTENDING INTO ONE OF THE OUTER COMPARTMENTS FOR INTRODUCTION OF LIQUID TO BE TREATED, A STATINARY OUTLET EXTENDING INTO THE OTHER OF THE OUTER COMPARTMENTS WITH MEANS FOR RADIAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE OUTLET FOR ADJUSTING THE THICKNESS OF THE LAYER OF LIQUID RETAINED ON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACES ON THE COMPARTMENTS DURING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE DRUM, VAPOR OUTLET CONDUIT MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE CENTRAL COMPARTMENT INWARDLY OF THE LIQUID LEVEL DRUING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE DRUM AND EXTENDING AXIALLY WITHIN THE COMPARTMENTS FOR DRAWING OFF VAPORS GIVEN OFF BY THE LIQUID IN THE DRUM, AND MEANS FOR HEATING THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE CENTRAL COMPARTMENT WHEREBY, DURING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE DRUM, THE LAYER OF THE LIQUID ON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE DRUM HAVING A THICKNESS AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THE RADIAL HEIGHT OF THE OPENINGS COMMUNICATING THE DRUMS WILL SEPARATE IN RESPONSE TO GRAVITY WITH THE HEAVIER AND COLDER LIQUID ADJACENT THE OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF THE DRUM AND THE LIGHTER AND HOTTER LIQUID AT THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF THE LIQUID LAYER FOR RELEASE OF VAPORS AT THE INTERIOR OF THE DRUM TO BE TAKEN OFF THROUGH SAID OUTLET MENAS.