Patent ID: 7727386

Claim:
A system for separating flowable composite media into its components, said system comprising: pump means delivering a flowing stream of composite media, said composite media including at least a first component medium and a second component medium; a separation tube through which the flowing stream of composite media is passed; means for spinning the stream of flowable composite media about the axis of said separation tube at sufficient rotational speed that centrifugal force within the stream causes the components to separate into component radial layers; extraction conduit means for selectively extracting one or more of the radial layers from said separation tube; and at least one auxiliary filter in direct fluid communication with said separation tube by a further conduit extending from an outlet of said separation tube, said at least one auxiliary filter having a generally cylindrical housing with a cylindrical housing longitudinal axis and two opposing housing longitudinal ends containing a generally cylindrical filter defining a filter interior, a filter inward surface and a filter outward surface, said cylindrical housing having an inlet disposed upstream of said filter and opening into said cylindrical housing outside said cylindrical filter, a filtered outlet disposed downstream of said filter and opening out of said cylindrical housing from said filter interior, and a bypass outlet opening out of one of said housing longitudinal ends along said housing longitudinal axis, such that the flowing media enters said cylindrical housing outside said cylindrical filter, passes through said cylindrical filter and exits said cylindrical housing from within said filter interior and filtered material collects on the filter outward surface, said auxiliary filter including a rotatable self-cleaning means for cleaning said auxiliary filter, said rotatable self cleaning means including an elongate spray tube disposed within said cylindrical filter, said spray tube in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source and having a plurality of apertures oriented so as to direct pressurized fluid from said fluid source onto the filter inward surface such that the fluid passes through said filter and dislodges material collected on the filter outward surface which flows between the filter and the housing and directly exits said cylindrical housing through said bypass outlet.