Patent ID: 7141100
Filing Date: 2006-11-28
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
1. A rotary liquid/gas separator assembly for separating a low pressure liquid/gas mixture into liquid and gas components, said assembly comprising: a housing defining a separator chamber; a liquid/gas inlet; a shaft supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis within said separator chamber and having a hollow section in communication with a gas outlet; a drive to rotate said shaft; a plurality of disks attached to rotate with said shaft, said disks in frictional contact with said liquid such that rotation of said disks creates centrifugal force driving said liquid toward inner walls of said separator chamber; an outlet valve that opens in response to an increase in pressure above a predetermined level; a liquid feed passage communicating liquid from said separator chamber to a pump, said pump increasing liquid pressure above said predetermined level to open said outlet valve; and a level control valve that closes a bypass passage between the outlet valve and the separator chamber in response to a predetermined pressure differential between liquid increased in pressure by said pump and liquid within said separator chamber, wherein said pump includes a piston actuated within a pump chamber, said piston pumping liquid from said liquid feed passage out to said outlet valve and said level control valve.