Zero gravity separator

Claim 1

A ZERO GRAVITY SEPARATOR COMPRISING HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING WITHIN THE UPPER REGIONS OF A TANK CONTAINING A FLUID IN DOUBLEPHASE LIQUID AND GAS CONDITION, SAID HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS HAVING LIQUID FLOW PASSAGES EXTENDING RADIALLY THERETHROUGH, SAID HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS HAVING GAS FLOW PASSAGES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION TO SAID LIQUID FLOW PASSAGES AND COMMUNICATING WITH A VENT FOR DISPOSITION EXTERIORLY OF SAID TANK; SEPARATOR MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST AT LEAST ONE SEPARATOR ELEMENT MOUNTD FOR ROTATION COAXIALLY WITHIN SAID HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS, EACH SEPARATOR ELEMENT BEING ADAPTED TO PROPEL LIQUID INTRODUCED FROM SAID TANK TO THE HOLLOW INTERIOR OF SAID HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS RADIALLY OUTWARD THROUGH SAID LIQUID FLOW PASSAGES IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF THE ELEMENT, EACH SEPARATOR ELEMENT HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DISPOSED GAS INLETS EXTENDING INWARDLY INTO COMMUNICATION WITH A COMMON GAS FLOW PATH FOR RECEIVING GAS INTRODUCED FROM SAID TANK TO THE HOLLOW INTERIOR OF SAID HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS; A TURBINE CONNECTED IN DRIVING RELATION TO EACH SEPARATOR ELEMENT TO EFFECT SAID ROTATION THEREOF; FLOW MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FLOW PATH OF EACH SEPARATOR ELEMENT FOR DIRECTING GAS THEREFROM INTO MOTIVATING RELATION TO SAID TURBINE CONNECTED THERETO, SAID GAS BEING EXPANDED AND COOLED IN MOTIVATING SAID TURBINE; VALVE MEANS IN OPERABLE RELATION TO SAID FLOW MEANS FOR PERMITTING FLOW THERETHROUGH IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE IN SAID TANK IN EXCESS OF A PREDERTERMINED PRESSURE AND BLOCKING FLOW THROUGH THE FLOW MEANS IN RESPONSE TO PRESSUDRE IN SAID TANK LESS THAN SAID PREDETERMINED PRESSURE; AND MEANS FOR CHANNELING EXPANDED GAS FROM SAID TURBINE TO SAID GAS PASSAGES OF SAID HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS, SAID GAS THEREBY COOLING SAID LIQUID RETURNED TO THE TANK THROUGH THE LIQUID PASSAGES OF SAID HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS PRIOR TO VENTING OF THE GAS EXTERIORLY OF THE TANK.