Rotating hydrocyclone separator with turbulence shield

The hydrocyclone for separating immiscible fluids of different specific gravities:

• a base, a pair of bearing blocks mounted on the base, an elongated cylinder rotatively mounted in the bearing blocks ad having a separation chamber formed therein with no housing or other supporting structure surrounding the cylinder, a stationary inlet head and a stationary outlet head mounted on the base in axial alignment with the cylinder and in fluid communication with the chamber at opposite ends of the cylinder, and a drive motor mounted on the base and connected to the cylinder between the inlet head and the outlet head for rotating the cylinder about its axis to produce a centrifugal force for separating fluids in the chamber in accordance with their specific gravities.

In a hydrocyclone for separating immiscible fluids of different specific gravities:

• an elongated cylinder having a side wall defining a separation chamber, an inlet with means for introducing a mixture of immiscible fluids into the chamber at high velocity in a tangential direction so that the mixture rotates about the axis of the chamber and produces a centrifugal force which tends to separate the fluids in accordance with their specific gravities, means for rotating the cylinder about its axis to increase the centrifugal force, a first outlet comprising a vortex finder tube aligned with the axis of the cylinder for removing a fluid of lesser specific gravity from the chamber, a second outlet aligned tangentially with the cylinder for removing a fluid of greater specific gravity from the chamber, and a tubular turbulence shield positioned coaxially of the cylinder between the inlet and the vortex finder tube and extending from the inlet past the vortex finder tube for isolating the vortex finder tube from the effects of turbulence produced by fluids entering the chamber.

In a hydrocyclone for separating immiscible fluids of different specific gravities:

• a base, a pair of bearing blocks mounted on the base, an elongated cylinder rotatively mounted in the bearing blocks and having a separation chamber formed therein, a stationary inlet head and a stationary outlet head mounted on the base in axial alignment with the cylinder and in fluid communication with the chamber at opposite ends of the cylinder, a drive motor mounted on the base and connected to the cylinder for rotating the cylinder about its axis to produce a centrifugal force for separating fluids in the chamber in accordance with their specific gravities, and a plurality of tapered impeller vanes which increase in radial extent away from the inlet for gradually accelerating rotation of the fluids as they move away from the inlet.

In a hydrocyclone for separating immiscible fluids of different specific gravities:

• a base, a pair of bearing blocks mounted on the base, an elongated cylinder rotatively mounted in the bearing blocks and having a separation chamber formed therein a stationary inlet head and a stationary outlet head mounted on the base in axial alignment with the cylinder and in fluid communication with the chamber at opposite ends of the cylinder, a drive motor mounted on the base and connected to the cylinder for rotating the cylinder about its axis to produce a centrifugal force for separating fluids in the chamber in accordance with their specific gravities, a tubular turbulence shield disposed coaxially of the cylinder within the chamber near the inlet head for isolating fluid concentrated near the axis from turbulence produced by fluid entering the chamber, and a vortex finder tube which extends axially for a limited distance within the tubular shield for removing fluids of lesser specific gravity from the chamber.