Patent ID: 7297098

Claim:
A rotor for a fluid driven centrifugal separator having a housing comprising a base and a cover and within the housing spindle extending from the base to support for rotation a said rotor and having a through duct to communicate fluid at elevated pressure from the base to the rotor; the rotor comprising a contaminant separation and containment vessel having a rotation axis and, extending axially between first and second ends, an annular chamber defined by an axially extending inner tubular wall surrounding and radially spaced from the rotation axis, an axially extending outer tubular wall arranged to surround the inner tubular wall spaced radially therefrom, a first end wall extending between the inner and outer tubular walls, and a second end wall extending between the inner and outer tubular walls at the end of the chamber opposite said first end wall; the inner tubular wall having a liquid transfer passage extending therethrough, displaced from the first end, and the first end wall having vessel outlet passage therethrough, displaced radially from the outer tubular wall, capable of passing liquid at a greater rate than the transfer passage; the rotor also comprising a liquid inlet region defined by, and disposed radially inwardly of, the inner tubular wall, a bearing for supporting the rotor with respect to the housing and liquid powered turbine; wherein the turbine comprises a liquid reaction drive having a drive member, secured with respect to the vessel, including a collar at said first end of the inlet region, arranged to fit in substantially liquid tight manner about the spindle in use, and at least one arm extending radially from the collar overlying the first end wall of the vessel, each arm carrying remotely of the collar a substantially tangentially directed reaction jet nozzle and defining a drive liquid conduit between the inlet region and nozzle; said vessel outlet passage comprising at least one passage having a discharged liquid guide extending away from the first end wall arranged to discharge liquid expelled from the chamber axially further from the first end wall than each nozzle of the drive; and an inlet region closure co-operable with the spindle in use to permit liquid supplied by the spindle to the inlet region at elevated pressure from leaving other than through the transfer passage and the liquid reaction drive, and wherein the first end wall of the vessel has therein a recess corresponding to each radially extending arm of the drive member, each arm overlying and closing a respective radially extending recess and defining at least partly within said recess a drive liquid conduit.