Patent ID: 6997973

Claim:
A cyclone separator for separating wood pieces and gas, comprising: a cyclone housing defining an interior space and having an inlet for receiving a mixture of wood pieces and gas, and a first outlet for exhausting gas and a second outlet from which wood pieces exit the cyclone housing, a vortex breaker in communication with the second outlet of the cyclone housing operable to separate the wood pieces from gas received from the cyclone housing, a wood piece discharge device connected to a side of the vortex breaker opposite to the second outlet of the cyclone housing, and a deagglomerator positioned within the vortex breaker comprising at least two rotary members positioned in a spaced apart relationship within the vortex breaker, a plurality of integral rigid fingers extend from each rotary member along a longitudinal length of each rotary member, and the rotary members are operably positioned for rotation wherein fingers of each rotary member pass through spaces provided between fingers on the other rotary member with clearance from the other rotary member, wherein the deagglomerator is operable to break up wood piece masses entering the vortex breaker into smaller wood piece masses or individual wood pieces or both before reaching the wood piece discharge device.