Patent ID: 7775963
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: B04B,F01M

Abstract:
1. A centrifugal separation rotor for centrifugal separation apparatus for separating solid contaminants from liquid, the rotor comprising: a walled contaminant separation and containment vessel having a longitudinally extending rotation axis, an impervious outer side wall extending about and along the rotation axis spaced radially therefrom and at least one end wall extending from the side wall towards the rotation axis, an outlet passage, leading externally of the vessel, disposed radially inwardly with respect to the outer side wall, said walls defining radially inwardly from the outer side wall an annular contaminant separation and containment zone and the outlet passage defining the radial boundary of the zone, an inlet, arranged to receive liquid to be cleaned and convey it to the contaminant separation and containment zone at a rate less than liquid can be passed by the outlet passage, a mounting arrangement for mounting the rotor for rotation of the vessel about the longitudinal rotation axis, and a fluid motor impeller disposed to receive a jet of drive fluid thereagainst and responsive to drive fluid impingement to rotate the rotor about said longitudinal rotation axis, said inlet further comprising wherein the inlet includes a collection impeller comprising wherein the fluid motor impeller comprises a plurality of motor impeller vanes disposed at or adjacent the inlet end of the inlet, each upstanding with respect to said dividing wall collection face, wherein the motor impeller vanes extend about the rotation axis and along the divider wall from said inlet end towards said transfer passage in the same directional sense as the collection impeller vanes, wherein the motor impeller vanes each have a primary face facing in a direction towards the transfer passage and are arranged to receive drive fluid injected into the inlet region on said primary face and deflect spent fluid in a direction between said collection impeller vanes towards the transfer passage, wherein the helix pitch angle of each collection impeller vane is substantially equal to 45 degrees, and wherein the impeller comprises an assembly of three integral moldings of plastics material, a first moldings comprising one end wall, the inner side wall and at least one collection impeller vane, a second moldings comprising an end wall and divider wall dimensioned to receive at least some of the impeller vanes in contact with the collection face thereof, at least one of said first and second moldings including at least part of the outer side wall, and a third moldings comprising a mounting hub dimensioned to receive the inner side wall therearound, the centrifugal separation rotor further comprising at least one end wall thereof, extending from the outer peripheral wall towards the rotation axis, including an outlet passage and, between the outer peripheral wall and the outlet passage of at least one end wall, and a discharged liquid guide extending longitudinally with respect to a said end wall operable to inhibit contact between liquid discharged from the rotor vessel by way of the outlet passage and the external surface of the rotor vessel radially outwardly of the discharged liquid guide.