Patent ID: 7618471

Claim:
A device for recovering liquid droplets from a fluid flow stream containing liquid droplets entrained therein comprising; a rotatable element comprising wall elements configured to partially enclose a fluid volume with an annular perimeter wall that includes an inside surface radially offset from and facing an axial center; a fixed base wall configured to support the rotatable element for rotation with respect to the fixed base wall and about the axial center; an input fluid conduit including an exit aperture disposed to deliver the fluid flow stream into the fluid volume; means for rotating the rotatable element about the axial center for generating a centrifugal force capable of moving liquid droplets to the inside surface and forming a layer of liquid held by the centrifugal force against the inside surface; and, an output liquid conduit including a collection aperture disposed to collect liquid from the layer of liquid, wherein the layer of liquid rotates with the inside surface with a tangential velocity vector and the collection aperture is fixed in position opposed to the tangential velocity vector such that liquid in the layer of liquid enters the collection aperture.