Patent ID: 7407474

Claim:
Apparatus for cleaning oil, said apparatus comprising: an inlet connectable to a source of oil to be cleaned, a holding tank for oil, a heating unit for heating said oil, a first pump connectable to said inlet or said holding tank for pumping oil to said heating unit, a self powered centrifugal cleaner, said centrifugal cleaner having a rotor mounted for rotation about a rotation axis, a housing enclosing the rotor, a cleaner inlet connected to said heating unit for receiving oil from said heating unit and at least one rotor nozzle on the rotor whereby oil exiting in use through said at least one nozzle causes rotation of said rotor about said rotation axis, and a rotatable impeller positioned below the rotor to exert pressure on the oil in said cleaner, a vacuum dehydration unit connected to said centrifugal cleaner for receiving oil from said centrifugal cleaner, said dehydration unit comprising a vacuum chamber, and means for connecting said vacuum chamber to a vacuum source for removal of moisture from oil in said vacuum chamber, a vacuum chamber oil outlet, a second pump connected to said vacuum chamber oil outlet for pumping oil from said vacuum chamber, and first connecting means for selectively connecting said vacuum chamber oil outlet either to an outlet for cleaned oil or to said holding tank for recirculation of cleaned oil back through said apparatus.