Patent ID: 7637699

Claim:
A cyclone separator for separating steam from water in a steam/water mixture, comprising: a separator housing having a conical portion with an axial length, an upper edge and a lower edge, an upper cylindrical steam outlet portion connected to the upper edge of the conical portion and having a central opening for discharging steam from the housing; a lower cylindrical water outlet portion having a bottom water outlet ring for discharging water from the housing; and an axially elongated steam/water mixture inlet connected tangentially to the housing, the inlet having a width to height ratio of approximately 1:4, an axial length amounting to approximately 50% of the axial length of the housing, the inlet includes an outer tangential wall and an inner wall having an inner edge, the inlet having a upper width between the outer wall and the inner edge of approximately 2 11/16 inches and a lower width greater in width than the upper width, and wherein the inlet extends the full axial length of the conical portion ending at the lower cylindrical portion.