Centrifugal separator and rotor therefor

A rotor for a self driven centrifugal separator, the separator being of the type having a housing comprising a base structure and a removable cover defining an enclosure in which the rotor is able to rotate about an axis extending between the base structure and cover by way of rotor mounting bearing parts located in the base structure and cover,

• said rotor comprising:
• (i) an outer side wall, surrounding and spaced from a central rotation axis,
• (ii) axially spaced first and second annular end walls spaced apart along the rotation axis, each end wall extending radially inwardly from said outer side wall and terminating at a boundary of an opening centered on the rotation axis, and
• (iii) a unitary tubular tension member having a member wall surrounding the rotation axis, axially extending between and through said first and second end wall openings, said member wall having first and second ends respectively securing said first and second end walls against separation during rotor operation,
• said tubular tension member wall defining a boundary of an inlet region within the member and an inner side wall of an annular separation and containment region between said side and end walls, said tubular tension member wall also having at least one transfer aperture therethrough, and at least one of the outer side wall and first and second end walls having at least one substantially tangentially directed reaction jet nozzle;
• the tubular tension member carrying therein:
• (a) in the vicinity of a first end thereof a first-end closure plug operable to inhibit the passage of liquid through said first end of the tubular tension member, and
• (b) in the vicinity of the second end a second-end closure plug operable to inhibit passage of liquid through said second end of the member other than through a passage extending axially through the plug to the inlet region;
• wherein
• the first-end closure plug and the second-end closure plug are formed as a one-piece member, the one-piece member having a reduced diameter axial region with an outer diameter which is smaller than an outer diameter of the first end closure plug such than an open annular region is formed between the reduced diameter axial region and the tubular tension member wall, and
• both of said closure plugs having a portion thereof centered on the rotation axis defining a mounting pin extending axially beyond the respective end of the tubular tension member and dimensioned to locate in, and support the rotor with respect to, a respective separator mounting bearing part.