Patent ID: 8182674

Claim:
In a hydraulic energy installation where water flows through a turbine or turbine-pump, the improvement comprising: a device for separating solid particles from an influent water flow feeding said turbine or turbine-pump, the device having flow inlet and outlet zones for the water flow that are spaced apart along an advance axis of flow advance through the device, wherein the device comprises a plurality of ducts placed in parallel, each having a mouth and a downstream end between the inlet zone and an outlet zone, wherein, in section perpendicular to the advance axis, each duct presents a section of spiral shape with a radius of curvature increasing from the mouth towards the downstream end or from the downstream end towards the mouth, each duct presents a thickness measured in a direction that is generally radial relative to the advance axis that is less than 10% of the width of said duct, measured parallel to said axis, and wherein, at its outlet zone, each duct is fitted with a flow separator capable of separating a first portion of an elementary flow flowing in the duct from a second portion thereof, the first portion being heavily burdened with solid particles while the second portion has a lighter burden of solid particles, the first portion exiting the device through a drain, while the second portion continues flowing to the turbine or turbine-pump.