Apparatus for separating particles
AssigneeCobe Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsDennis Hlavinka, Robert Langley, Linda Taylor, John C. Walker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid chamber and method are disclosed for filtering or separating particles. The fluid chamber includes a wall extending between an inlet and outlet to form a fluid chamber interior. The interior converges from a position of maximum cross-sectional area toward the inlet. A groove or a step may be formed on an inner surface of the fluid chamber wall to improve particle separation within the fluid chamber.
Claims30
A fluid chamber for separating particle constituents from a liquid, said chamber having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about a rotation axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, the fluid chamber comprising:
- an inlet allowing flow of the liquid and the particle constituents into an interior of the fluid chamber;
- an outlet allowing flow of the liquid from the interior of the fluid chamber after separation of the particle constituents in the interior of the fluid chamber;
- a wall extending between the inlet and the outlet, the wall having an inner surface forming the interior of the fluid chamber along said longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber, the interior having a maximum cross sectional area at a position intermediate the inlet and outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross sectional area toward the inlet;
- and
- at least one groove formed on the inner surface of the wall, the groove at least partially surrounding the longitudinal axis and reducing Coriolis jetting of liquid flowing in the fluid chamber interior from the inlet to the outlet by channeling Coriolis letting flow in a circumferential direction at least partially around the longitudinal axis.
A fluid chamber for separating particle constituents from a liquid, said chamber having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about a rotation axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, the fluid chamber comprising:
- an inlet allowing flow of the liquid and the particle constituents into an interior of the fluid chamber;
- an outlet allowing flow of the liquid from the interior of the fluid chamber after separation of the particle constituents in the interior of the fluid chamber;
- a wall extending between the inlet and the outlet, the wall having an inner surface forming the interior of the fluid chamber along said longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber, the interior having a maximum cross sectional area at a position intermediate the inlet and outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross sectional area toward the inlet;
- and
- at least one step formed on the inner surface of the wall, the step at least partially surrounding the longitudinal axis and reducing Coriolis jetting of liquid flowing in the fluid chamber interior from the inlet to the outlet by channeling Coriolis jetting flow in a circumferential direction at least partially around the longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.