Patent ID: 6971525

Claim:
A centrifuge for removing more dense material from a fluid medium, comprising: a fluid separation wall placed within a sleeve to form a containment zone therebetween, the fluid separation wall having a inner surface, a middle section and an outer surface; the containment zone operable to receive a portion of the fluid medium having a greater concentration of the more dense material; the fluid separation wall aligned generally parallel to an axis of rotation and operable to rotate relative to the axis of rotation; at least one receptacle operable to aid in separation of the more dense material from the fluid medium; the at least one receptacle defined in a part by a respective geometry operably formed on the inner surface and a respective shape operably formed in the middle section to form a void area between the inner and outer surface; at least one flow path extending through the fluid separation wall from the void area to the outer surface of the receptacle; the at least one opening operable to transport the more dense material to the containment zone; and an excitation apparatus associated with the receptacle, the excitation apparatus operable to create a vibration within the receptacle to cause the more dense fluid to move along the flow path towards the containment zone.