Versatile compact air precleaner, air cleaning method and disposable air filter cartridge for air precleaner

A versatile compact air precleaner for separating heavier-than-air particulate debris from debris laden air to provide a clean airflow, the air precleaner comprising:

• a flow path extending through the air precleaner from an inlet to an outlet,
• a motor-driven fan with a fan blade to draw particulate debris laden air into the inlet and flow the debris laden air along the flow path,
• air flow management structure positioned along the flow path to rotate debris laden air drawn into the inlet about an axis to form a rotating flow that stratifies the debris laden air with the heaviest particles in the outermost orbits of the rotating flow,
• a separator chamber in the flow path for centrifugally separating and removing debris laden air from the rotating flow,
• at least one ejector port through which particulate debris laden air is ejected from the rotating flow in the separator chamber,
• wherein the flow path for air passing through the separator chamber is retroflexed en route to the outlet.