BigPatents India

The present invention provides a device (10) to be incorporated into a centrifugal pump (20) for processing and pumping a slurry containing solid and semi-solid scale and aggregate. The device (10) is located at the pump suction line (21) upstream of the impeller (22) and is adapted to minimise choking and/or clogging of the impeller. The device (10) includes a grading means (11) which prevents scale and aggregate of greater than a predetermined size from passing to the impeller, and attrition means (12) which reduces the oversized material which has been prevented from passing to the impeller (22) to a size less than or equal to the predetermined size.