Centrifugal cleaner

An apparatus for separating undesired particles from liquids and liquid suspensions, the apparatus comprising a side wall disposed concentrically about a longitudinal axis, an inlet adjacent one end of said chamber, a first discharge outlet in an end wall adjacent said first end, a restricted outlet at the other end of said chamber, an inlet adjacent said first end for receiving a particle-laden fluid and imparting a vortical flow thereto, a reject control and enclosure means concentric with and into which the restricted outlet at the other end of said chamber opens, the entrance to said enclosure being formed by an annular slit-like passage for discharge of rejected material, size control means proximate said restricted outlet comprising a relatively blunt upright conical abrasive surface having an inverted conical area therein, the height of said slit-like passage being defined by the extension of said restricted lower end towards said surface such that the size of rejected material passing through said slit is controlled and the material held at the opening of said passage, while orbiting around said opening, is worn by said abrasive surface to a size which will allow the same to pass through said slit, and centrifugal throttling means at the lower outlet to reduce the fluid pressure of the rejected fluid, said throttling means being adapted to receive an inlet flow whose direction is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber.