Method for extracting particulates from a continuous flow of fluid
AssigneeFram Group IP LLC
InventorsVipul P. Patel, Allen K. MacKnight
Life of this patent
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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 large diesel engines. The fluid in introduced into the centrifuge through an inducer so that vortexes are not propagated in the fluid. Flow constrainers and flow straighteners maintain laminar flow of the fluid as it passes axially through the centrifuge. An exducer decelerates the fluid prior to its exit from the centrifuge. The exducer thus contributes to maintaining laminar flow conditions. Laminar flow may contribute to the soot-removal effectiveness of the centrifuge.
Claims5
A method for removing particulates from a fluid comprising the steps of:
- introducing the fluid into a centrifuge;
- gradually changing the flow direction of the fluid from a radial flow direction to a tangential flow direction;
- producing a laminar flow of the fluid through a single passageway defined by a rotor of the centrifuge;
- and
- imparting a centrifugal force on the fluid in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the flow of the fluid to capture the particulates from the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.