Separating device and use of the device for separating and collecting brake dust

A separation device for separating and collecting dust and particles produced by one or more pads of a brake assembly, the separation device comprising:

• a casing having an inlet for admitting a flow of air laden with brake dust and particles, and an outlet for discharging purified air, the casing comprising a tubular lateral wall extending around a longitudinal axis and an end wall;
• separation means, spaced axially away from the end wall to retain at least some of the brake dust and particles admitted via the inlet;
• a trapping zone for trapping the dust and particles separated by the separation means;
• and
• a downstream zone delimited by the separation means in the casing, the downstream zone being situated, at least in part, axially at an opposite end from the inlet and/or from the trapping zone,
• wherein the separation means comprise a group of cyclones, housed in the casing and configured to separate dust and particles, as well as water droplets present in the flow of air admitted via the inlet,
• wherein in the group of cyclones, each of the cyclones comprises a body that tapers in downward direction, having a lower end opening via a gravity discharge orifice into the trapping zone, the body delimiting a separation chamber,
• wherein the group of cyclones comprises:
• an axial supply inlet common to the cyclones of the group of cyclones, and provided with a connector for an axial duct allowing the flow of air admitted via the inlet to circulate as far as the group of cyclones from beneath;
• a plurality of exhaust stacks each discharging air from a separation chamber and opening into the downstream zone inside the casing;
• and
• an intake manifold having a plurality of tubular branches to distribute the flow of air laden with dust and particles, extending between the axial supply inlet and each respective separation chamber of said cyclones , each of the tubular branches opening radially into a corresponding separation chamber, all the bodies of the cyclones being placed radially distant from the longitudinal axis, between the longitudinal axis and the lateral wall,
• and wherein the group of cyclones forms a transverse barrier connected in a fluidtight manner to the axial duct, the transverse barrier and the axial duct preventing a heterogeneous liquid-solid mixture from traveling back up toward the downstream zone during operation of the separation device.