Patent ID: 6966874

Claim:
A centrifuge for accepting an input mixture and for separating a light material that is within the mixture from a heavy material that is within the mixture, comprising: a housing having a central member rotatable on an axis of rotation and at least one arm assembly, said at least one arm assembly having, an outer tube having a first end operably connected to said central member, and a closed second end extending away from said central member; an intermediate tube operably connected to said central member, said intermediate tube located within said outer tube defining a first annular flow path between said outer tube and said intermediate tube; and an inner tube operably connected to said central member, said inner tube located within said intermediate tube defining a second annular flow path between said intermediate tube and said inner tube and a tubular flow path within said inner tube; an input mixture flow path for receiving said input mixture, said input mixture flow path formed in said housing and communicating with one of said first and second annular flow paths; a light material flow path communicating with the other of said first and second annular flow paths; and a heavy material flow path communicating with said tubular flow path.