Patent ID: 8790455

Claim:
A supersonic vortex-chamber separator arrangement comprising: an inlet; an outlet a vortex chamber positioned between the inlet and outlet and having a chamber axis, the chamber including a spiral inlet portion in direct fluid communication with the inlet at an intake end peripherally spaced from the chamber axis, a converging-diverging nozzle positioned downstream of the first spiral inlet portion and having a nozzle throat positioned centrally about the chamber axis, and a spiral outlet portion positioned downstream of the nozzle and in direct fluid communication with the outlet at an exhaust end peripherally spaced from the chamber axis; and wherein the vortex chamber further includes a first disc shaped part positioned about a first axial position on the chamber axis and a second disc shaped part positioned about a second axial position on the chamber axis, the first and second axial positions being spaced apart and the converging-diverging nozzle being positioned therebetween; wherein the spiral inlet portion is included in the first disc shaped part and is positioned about the first axial position and shaped to spirally converge gas flow about the second axial position and from the inlet toward the chamber axis and the spiral outlet portion is included in the second disc shaped part and is positioned about the first axial position shaped to spirally diverge gas flow about the second axial position outward to the outlet; and wherein the first disc-shaped portion is further configured such that spiral flow in the spiral inlet portion is maintained about the first axial position until a turn shaped in the first disc shaped portion directs flow away from the first axial position, toward the nozzle and along the direction of the chamber axis to directly communicate fluid flow from the spiral inlet portion to the nozzle.