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US 8,021,290 B2Granted
Oil centrifuge for extracting particulates from a fluid using centrifugal force
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsVipul P. Patel, Allen K. MacKnight, Steven R. Eccles, Leonard Walitt
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Abstract
A centrifuge is employed to continuously remove particulates from a fluid. In one embodiment, the centrifuge removes small particles of soot from lubricating oil of diesel engines. The fluid is introduced into the centrifuge through a distribution rotor so that vortexes are not propagated in the fluid. Laminar flow of the fluid down the sides of the outer rotor may contribute to the soot-removal effectiveness of the centrifuge.
Claims13
An apparatus for extracting particulates from a fluid, comprising:
- a distribution rotor configured to rotate with rotation of a spindle;
- a spindle passageway, inside the spindle, disposed for delivering the fluid to the distribution rotor;
- a plurality of distribution rotor channels in the distribution rotor positioned on the upper end of the spindle, the distribution rotor channels disposed to communicate the fluid from the spindle passageway inside the spindle and expel the fluid orthogonally from ends of the rotor channels to the outer rotor;
- and
- an outer rotor, disposed for receiving the fluid expelled from the distribution rotor through centrifugal force, and configured to rotate with rotation of the spindle such that during operation of the apparatus the centrifugal force holds at least a portion of the particulates in the fluid to the outer rotor while the fluid may flow down an interior surface of the outer rotor.
2 more elements
A centrifuge for extracting particulates from a fluid, comprising:
- a spindle, having a spindle passageway therewithin;
- a distribution rotor coupled to the spindle and having distribution rotor channels projecting orthogonally from the spindle, the distribution rotor channels including exit ports positioned distally from the spindle, the distribution rotor channels configured to fluidly communicate with the spindle passageway;
- and
- an outer rotor coupled to the spindle and positioned to receive fluid expelled orthogonally from the distribution rotor channels through centrifugal force during rotation of the spindle, distribution rotor and outer rotor, wherein
- the centrifugal force holds at least a portion of the particulates in the fluid to the outer rotor while the fluid may flow down an interior surface of the outer rotor, and
- the portion of the particulates held to the outer rotor includes particulates having a size less than 2 microns.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.