Centrifugal lyophobic separator

Claim 2

The centrifugal separator of claim 2 wHerein said deflector means includes drain means for providing one way flow of liquid from within said deflector means outward by centrifugal action to said rotating member.

Claim 3

The centrifugal separator of claim 3 wherein said drain means are capillary channels.

Claim 4

The centrifugal separator of claim 3 wherein said deflector means includes an inner surface and said inner surface includes guide means for channeling liquid over said inner surface.

Claim 5

The centrifugal separator of claim 1 including cap means attached to said nonwettable porous means, said cap means blocking an area of said nonwettable porous means near said axis of rotation.

Claim 6

The centrifugal separator of claim 6 including deflector means attached to said rotating member and spaced from and partially surrounding said nonwettable porous means, said deflector means for shielding said nonwettable porous means from direct contact with the mixture of liquid and gas entering said rotating member and wherein said cap means includes a cavity partly enclosing an edge of said deflector means and cusp means projecting into said cavity, said cusp means for directing the flow of the mixture circulating between said deflector means and said nonwettable porous means, whereby the liquid droplets entering the cavity are directed against the inside of the deflector means.

Claim 7

The centrifugal separator of claim 1 wherein the housing surrounding said rotating member does not rotate; a space between said housing and said rotating member; seal means located between said housing and said rotating member for preventing the passage of fluid between said rotating member and said space; gas outlet means attached to said housing for removing gas passing through said nonwettable means; and pressure seal line means connecting said space and said gas outlet means, said pressure seal line means for pressurizing said space and for preventing the passage of fluid from said rotating member into said space.

Claim 8

The centrifugal separator of claim 1 including liquid pitot collector means disposed within said rotating member and for removing liquid from said rotating member, said liquid pitot collector means including means for creating a backpressure, whereby a positive liquid pressure is required for liquid exit from said rotating member and gas may not escape said rotating member through said liquid pitot collector means.

Claim 9

The separator of claim 1 wherein said nonwettable porous means includes a surface, said surface being three-dimensionally shaped.

Claim 10

The separator of claim 10 wherein said surface comprises a body of revolution having an axis along said axis of rotation.

Claim 11

The separator of claim 10 wherein said surface forms a truncated cone.

Claim 12

The separator of claim 10 including deflector means attached to said rotating member and for shielding said nonwettable porous means from direct contact with the mixture of gas and liquid entering said rotating member.

Claim 13

The centrifugal separator of claim 13 wherein said deflector means includes drain means for providing one way flow of liquid from within said deflector means to said rotating member.

Claim 14

The centrifugal separator of claim 14 wherein said deflector means includes an inner surface and said inner surface includes guide means attached to said inner surface for channeling liquid over said inner surface whereby the liquid passes through said drain means into said rotating member.

Claim 15

The centrifugal separator of claim 15 including cap means attached to said nonwettable porous means, said cap means for blocking an area of said nonwettable porous means near said axis of rotation, said cap means including a cavity partly enclosing an edge of said deflector means and cusp means projecting into said cavity, said cusp means for directing the flow of the mixture circulating between said deflector means and said nonwettable porous means, whereby the liquid droplets entering the cavity are directed against said inner surface.

Claim 16

The centrifugal separatoR of claim 16 wherein said housing does not rotate and surrounds said rotating member; a space between said housing and said rotating member; seal means located between said housing and said rotating member for preventing the passage of fluid between said rotating member and said space; gas outlet means attached to said housing for removing gas passing through said nonwettable porous means; pressure seal line means connecting said space and said gas outlet means, said pressure seal line means for pressurizing said space and for preventing the passage of fluid from said container member into said space; liquid pitot collector means disposed within said rotating member and for removing liquid from said rotating member, said liquid pitot collector means including means for creating a backpressure, whereby a positive liquid pressure is required for liquid exit from said rotating member and gas may not escape said rotating member through said liquid pitot collector means.

Claim 17

The centrifugal separator of claim 17 wherein said surface forms a truncated cone, said drain means are capillary channels and said guide means are vanes projecting from said inner surface.

Claim 19

The method of claim 19 including the further step of inclining the surface of the lyophobic filter such that the surface is approximately perpendicular to the flow direction.

Claim 20

The method of claim 19 including the further step of inclining the surface of said lyophobic filter such that the surface and the flow direction form an acute angle.

Claim 21

The method of claim 19 including the further step of blocking the surface of said rotating lyophobic filter near said axis of rotation to prevent areas of the filter surface experiencing low centrifugal force from filtering the mixture.

Claim 22

The method of claim 21 including the further step of blocking the surface of said rotating lyophobic filter near said axis of rotation to prevent an area of the filter surface experiencing low centrifugal force from filtering the mixture.

Claim 24

The method of claim 24 including the further step of inclining the surface of the lyophobic filter approximately perpendicular to the flow direction.

Claim 25

The method of claim 24 including the further step of inclining the surface of the lyophobic filter at an acute angle to the flow direction.

Claim 26

The method of claim 24 including the further step of blocking the surface of said lyophobic filter near said axis of rotation to prevent an area of the filter experiencing low centrifugal force from filtering the mixture.

Claim 27

The method of claim 24 including the further steps of shielding the lyophobic filter with a deflector from direct contact by the flow; and circulating the mixture after said mixture has struck the deflector, through a space between the deflector and the filter.

Claim 28

The method of claim 28 including the further step of depositing the flow of the mixture against said deflector in such a manner as to minimize splatter.

Claim 29

The method of claim 28 including the further step of rotating the deflector to provide gross separation of liquid, whereby the heavier liquid droplets entering the separator are made to flow outward by contact with the outer surface of the deflector and recovered in a container.

Claim 30

The method of claim 30 including the Further steps of depositing the flow of the mixture against said deflector in such a manner as to minimize splatter, trapping the liquid thrown outward by the rotating lyophobic filter against the inner surface of said deflector and channeling the liquid within said deflector into a container.

Claim 31

The method of claim 31 including the further step of blocking the surface of said lyophobic filter near said axis of rotation to prevent an area of the filter experiencing low centrifugal force from filtering the mixture.

Claim 32

The method of claim 32 including the steps of providing a rotating container, a fixed housing surrounding said container, and a seal between said container and said housing; pressurizing said seal to prevent the mixture or any ingredient from escaping said container; providing a liquid exit; and restricting the recovery of separated liquid through said liquid exit so that a positive pressure is required for recovery of the liquid whereby gas cannot escape through the liquid exit.