Patent ID: 7757866

Claim:
An apparatus for continuous three way phrase separation of a fluid mixture, comprising: counter-rotatable approximately parallel centrifugal impellers, the impellers having a common axis of rotation at their center and defining between them a radial passage, the radial passage having a radial impedance for increasing residence time of fluid within the radial passage; at least one of said impellers comprising at least one annular high shear crossflow filter disposed approximately parallel to said radial passage and distal to said impeller axis of rotation; means connected to the impellers for causing counter-rotation about the axis of rotation at approximately equal but opposite angular velocity; an axial suction pump; an axial exhaust conduit communicating with the axial suction pump and with the radial passage at said impeller axis of rotation; and a feed conduit communicating with a fluid mixture feed source and with the radial passage at the axis of rotation.