Patent ID: 7305912

Claim:
An apparatus for generating high pressure comprising: a receiver having a combustion chamber for holding a propellant, which produces a gas component and a particle component when the propellant undergoes an exothermic chemical reaction, and a flow passageway positioned downstream of the combustion chamber; an ignition mechanism for causing the propellant in the chamber to undergo the exothermic chemical reaction; and a separator for substantially separating the particle component from the gas component in the flow passageway; wherein the separator includes at least a first set of spirally or cyclonically curved fins for swirling and applying a centrifugal force on the gas and particle components; wherein the separator further includes a plurality of annular pockets formed around the periphery of the flow passageway for trapping the particle component; and wherein the separator further includes a second set of spirally or cyclonically curved fins spaced from and positioned downstream of the first set of fins, and an intermediary planar member connecting the first and second sets of fins and substantially dividing the flow passageway extending between the first and second set of fins into two zones.