Centrifugal filtration device

A method of filtering fluids comprising:

• providing a radial inflow centrifugal filtration device, the device comprising a bulkhead abutting a chamber and having a filtered fluid outlet,
• a filter element within the chamber rotatably coupled at the filtered fluid outlet to the bulkhead by a seal, wherein the filter element comprises filter media, and
• a boundary layer momentum transfer device comprising a plurality of stacked annular disks having central openings, each disk separated from adjacent disks by a desired gap, wherein the central openings define a cavity in which the filter element is mounted;
• flowing a particle-laden fluid from the chamber, between the stacked annular disks, through the filter media, and out of said filtered fluid outlet;
• and
• collecting particles from the particle-laden fluid on the filter media;
• and
• rotating said filter element and the boundary layer momentum transfer device at sufficient speed to eject particles in the particle-laden fluid from the filter media and the boundary layer momentum transfer device.

A radial inflow centrifugal filtration device comprising:

• a bulkhead abutting a chamber and having a filtered fluid outlet;
• and
• a filter element within the chamber rotatably coupled at the filtered fluid outlet to the bulkhead by a seal, wherein the filter element comprises a microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane, and
• wherein the radial inflow centrifugal filtration device is adapted to separate particles from a particle-laden gas flowing radially into the filter element and to centrifugally eject particles from the membrane.

A radial inflow centrifugal filtration device comprising:

• a bulkhead abutting a chamber and having a filtered fluid outlet;
• a filter element within the chamber, wherein the filter element includes filter media and is rotatably coupled at the filtered fluid outlet to the bulkhead by a seal;
• and
• a boundary layer momentum transfer device comprising a plurality of stacked annular disks having central openings, each disk separated from adjacent disks by a desired gap, wherein the central openings define a cavity in which the filter element is mounted, and
• wherein the radial inflow centrifugal filtration device is adapted to separate particles from a particle-laden fluid flowing radially into the filtration device and to centrifugally eject particles from the filter media.