Apparatus for separating particulates from a fluid stream

Claim 1

A radial inflow centrifugal filter device for separating particulates from a flow of fluid, comprising: (a) a rotatable plurality of disks having an inlet end and an exit end, and each disk having a hollow center and a perimeter and two sides, the centers defining an interior hollow plenum that is continuous and of uniform diameter, and the disks being mounted to spacers in spaced apart parallel relationship defining spaces between the disks and wherein the hollow plenum communicates with the spaces between the disks; (b) an end cap attached at the disk inlet end; and (c) a hollow rotatable tube attached at the exit end and in communication with the hollow plenum of the disks to provide, during operation of said filter device, clean filtered fluid passage via a lower pressure existing in the hollow plenum than in the spaces between the disks due to the communication through the hollow tube to the hollow plenum of the disks such that rotating the hollow tube and the disks while a flow of particulate laden fluid is introduced to the inlet end of the disks from outside the disks produces a sufficient boundary layer of fluid on each of the two sides of each disk wherein the boundary layer of fluid on the side of a disk touches or overlaps with the adjacent boundary layer of fluid on the side of the adjacent disk, and the boundary layers of fluid impart angular momentum to particulates entrapped in the fluid flow, thereby preventing their entering the spaces between the disks, so that clean filtered fluid passes through the plenum and out the exit end and the particulates are ejected and pass outside the perimeters of the disks.