Integral air/oil coalescer for a centrifuge

In combination:

• a centrifuge for separating particulate matter from a circulating liquid, said centrifuge including a base defining a blowby gas inlet, an outer housing assembled to the base and defining a blowby gas outlet, said base and said outer housing cooperating to define a hollow interior, a rotor positioned in said hollow interior and being constructed and arranged to receive said circulating liquid and drive means for rotating said rotor;
• said rotor including a rotor housing and a centertube, said centertube including an end portion that is exterior to said rotor housing;
• and
• a coalescing filter assembly attached to said centertube end portion, said coalescing filter assembly being constructed and arranged for removing oil aerosol from a blowby gas entering said centrifuge via said blowby gas inlet and flowing toward said blowby gas outlet external to said rotor, said coalescing filter assembly being assembled to said rotor at a location between said rotor and said blowby gas outlet wherein said coalescing filter assembly rotates with said rotor, wherein said drive means comprises a Hero turbine arrangement, and said coalescing filter assembly includes a filter carrier having a threaded wall, and wherein said centertube end portion is threaded and constructed and arranged for threaded engagement with said threaded wall.

In combination:

• a centrifuge for separating particulate matter from a circulating liquid, said centrifuge including a base defining a blowby gas inlet, an outer housing assembled to the base and defining a blowby gas outlet, said base and said outer housing cooperating to define a hollow interior, a rotor positioned in said hollow interior and being constructed and arranged to receive said circulating liquid and drive means for rotating said rotor;
• said rotor including a rotor housing and a centertube, said centertube including an end portion that is exterior to said rotor housing;
• and
• a coalescing filter assembly attached to said centertube end portion, said coalescing filter assembly being constructed and arranged for removing oil aerosol from a blowby gas entering said centrifuge via said blowby gas inlet and flowing toward said blowby gas outlet external to said rotor, said coalescing filter assembly being assembled to said rotor at a location between said rotor and said blowby gas outlet wherein said coalescing filter assembly rotates with said rotor, wherein said drive means comprises an impulse turbine arrangement, and said coalescing filter assembly includes a filter carrier having a threaded wall, and wherein said centertube end portion is threaded and constructed and arranged for threaded engagement with said threaded wall.

In combination:

• a centrifuge for separating particulate matter from a circulating liquid, said centrifuge including a base defining a blowby gas inlet, an outer housing assembled to the base and defining a blowby gas outlet, said base and said outer housing cooperating to define a hollow interior, a rotor positioned in said hollow interior and being constructed and arranged to receive said circulating liquid and drive means for rotating said rotor;
• said rotor including a rotor housing and a centertube, said centertube including an end portion that is exterior to said rotor housing;
• and
• a coalescing filter assembly attached to said centertube end portion, said coalescing filter assembly being constructed and arranged for removing oil aerosol from a blowby gas entering said centrifuge via said blowby gas inlet and flowing toward said blowby gas outlet eternal to said rotor, said coalescing filter assembly being assembled to said rotor at a location between said rotor and said blowby gas outlet wherein said coalescing filter assembly rotates with said rotor, wherein said rotor has an axis of rotation and said coalescing filter assembly includes a filter element having a radial centerline that is substantially perpendicular to said axis of rotation, and said coalescing filter assembly includes a filter carrier having a threaded wall, and wherein said centertube end portion is threaded and constructed and arranged for threaded engagement with said threaded wall.

In combination:

• a centrifuge for separating particulate matter from a circulating liquid, said centrifuge including a base defining a blowby gas inlet, an outer housing assembled to the base and defining a blowby gas outlet, said base and said outer housing cooperating to define a hollow interior, a rotor positioned in said hollow interior and being constructed and arranged to receive said circulating liquid and drive means for rotating said rotor;
• said rotor including a rotor housing and a centertube, said centertube including an end portion that is exterior to said rotor housing;
• and
• a coalescing filter assembly attached to said centertube end portion, said coalescing filter assembly being constructed and arranged for removing oil aerosol from a blowby gas entering said centrifuge via said blowby gas inlet and flowing toward said blowby gas outlet eternal to said rotor, said coalescing filter assembly being assembled to said rotor at a location between said rotor and said blowby gas outlet wherein said coalescing filter assembly rotates with said rotor, wherein said rotor has an axis of rotation and said coalescing filter assembly includes a filter element having a flow through centerline that is inclined relative to said axis of rotation, and said coalescing filter assembly includes a filter carrier having a threaded wall, and wherein said centertube end portion is threaded and constructed and arranged for threaded engagement with said threaded wall.

In combination:

• a centrifuge for separating particulate matter from a circulating liquid, said centrifuge including a base defining a blowby gas inlet, an outer housing assembled to the base and defining a blowby gas outlet, said base and said outer housing cooperating to define a hollow interior, a rotor positioned in said hollow interior and being constructed and arranged to receive said circulating liquid and drive means for rotating said rotor;
• said rotor including a rotor housing that is constructed and arranged to define an exterior annular recess;
• and
• a coalescing filter assembly adhesively bonded into said exterior annular recess, said coalescing filter assembly being constructed and arranged for removing oil aerosol from a blowby gas entering said centrifuge via said blowby gas inlet and flowing toward said blowby gas outlet external to said rotor, said coalescing filter assembly being assembled to said rotor at a location between said rotor and said blowby gas outlet wherein said coalescing filter assembly rotates with said rotor.