Patent ID: 7934606

Claim:
An induced vortex particle separator, comprising: a housing having a substantially cylindrical sidewall and closed upper and lower ends, the housing having an upper region, a central region and a lower region; an inlet port formed through the upper region of the housing; an outlet port formed through the lower region of the housing; an inner cylindrical shell having a diameter less than a diameter of the substantially cylindrical sidewall of the housing, the inner cylindrical shell being mounted to the closed upper end of the housing and being positioned coaxially therewith, the inner cylindrical shell extending between the closed upper end and the central region of the housing; a helical vane mounted to an outer surface of the inner cylindrical shell and an inner surface of the substantially cylindrical sidewall, the helical vane extending therebetween; an annular stator mounted to the inner surface of the substantially cylindrical sidewall within the central region of the housing, the annular stator defining a central opening, the annular stator having at least one flow passage defined therethrough; an inverted diffuser cone mounted within the central opening of the annular stator and extending upwardly therefrom, the inverted diffuser cone having a central passage formed therethrough; a siphon nozzle having an open upper end, an open lower end, and a central portion, the central portion being received within the central passage of the inverted diffuser cone so that the open upper end of the siphon nozzle is positioned within a lower end of the inner cylindrical shell, the open lower end being joined to the outlet port of the housing; and a collector ring having a central passage formed therethrough, the collector ring being mounted to the siphon nozzle with the siphon nozzle projecting through the central passage, the collector ring being mounted above the inverted diffuser cone, the collector ring having an upper surface adapted for receiving fine particulate matter separated from a liquid containing particulate matter.