Apparatus and method for separating particles from a flow of fluid

Claim 1

A device for separating a substance of greater density from a flow of another substance of lesser density comprising: a. a plurality of separator elements each including i. a nozzle member having a curved wall portion forming a longitudinal cross-section of the interior thereof which converges from the inlet to the throat portion of said nozzle member, when a flow of the substances passes through said device, said nozzle member being adapted to cause the flow thereof to move along a curvilinear path extending substantially parallel to said curved wall portion from adjacent the inlet to adjacent the throat portion of said nozzle member, the flow having a predetermined stream portion therein which adjacent the throat portion of said nozzle member extends substantially adjacent to a line extending from the inlet to the throat portion of said nozzle member and adjacent the central portion of the longitudinal cross-section thereof, the substances of greater density in response to the flow along the curvilinear path moving relative to the other substance of lesser density in a direction extending away from the cEnter of curvature of the curvilinear path and into the predetermined stream portion; ii. a diffuser member for inducing a deceleration of the flow of the substances therethrough, said diffuser member having an inlet connected to the throat portion of said nozzle member, the longitudinal cross-section of the interior of said diffuser member diverging from the inlet to the outlet thereof, a line extending from the inlet to the outlet of said diffuser member and adjacent the center portion of the longitudinal cross-section thereof being substantially in line and parallel to a corresponding line extending in said nozzle member, said diffuser member when a flow of the substances passes through said device being adapted to receive the predetermined stream portion from said nozzle member along the line extending from the inlet to the outlet of said diffuser member; b. means for supporting said plurality of separator elements spaced apart and in a nested relationship with respect to one another along the length of said separating device, the inlet of said nozzle member of the inner separator element of any adjacent pair of said separator elements being disposed within the interior of the diffuser member of the outer separator element of said adjacent pair of separator elements and having an opening therein substantially corresponding to and being substantially in alignment with the opening of the throat portion of said nozzle member of the outer separator element of said adjacent pair of separator elements; and c. structure forming a tubular passage having an inlet disposed within the interior of said diffuser member of the innermost separator element of said plurality thereof and facing the throat of said nozzle member of said innermost separator element, the inlet of said tubular passage intersecting the line extending from the inlet to the outlet of said diffuser member of said innermost separator element and when a flow of the substances passes through said device receiving and permanently segregating the predetermined stream portion of the flow containing the substance of greater density from the remaining portion of the flow in said diffuser member of said innermost separator element.