Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor module for a vehicle, the sensor module comprising at least one housing which houses at least one first detection device that is adapted to collect information about the vehicle's environment; the housing comprising one base adapted to be fixed to the vehicle, at least one cover joined to the base and at least one optical face joined to both the cover and the base; characterized in that the first detection device comprises at least one sensor, a casing which receives the sensor and an electric motor adapted to rotate the casing at sufficiently high-speeds.

Abstract: Centrifugal separator devices, systems and to related methods are described. More particularly, fluid transfer connections for a centrifugal separator system having support assemblies with a movable member coupled to a connection tube and coupled to a fixed member, such that the movable member is constrained to movement along a fixed path relative to the fixed member are described. Also, centrifugal separator systems including such fluid transfer connections are described. Additionally, methods of installing, removing and/or replacing centrifugal separators from centrifugal separator systems are described.

Abstract: A separator includes a rotatable centrifugal drum having a vertical axis of rotation. The separator includes a rotatable drive spindle to drive the drum, an hydraulic system located in an interior of the drum and at least one feed line to feed a control fluid to the drum, the at least one feed line having an outlet region. Further included is a ring non-rotatably connected to the drum, a gap located between one of the drive spindle and the drum and the drive spindle and the ring. The feed line leads out radially in front of the drive spindle in the outlet region. The outlet region is oriented and configured such that emerging control fluid is spread directly against the drive spindle, and a portion of the control fluid enters through the gap into the hydraulic system.

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.

Abstract: A filtering system (10) is provided for filtering working fluid from a machine (12) and includes a cleanable filter (16) and a centrifuge (82) where filter capacity is too low for a permanent filter yet flow rate is too high for a centrifuge. The system transfers the contaminant storage function from the cleanable filter to the centrifuge. A simple effective centrifuge is provided.

Abstract: A centrifuge filter for removing soot from engine oil. The centrifuge filter includes a rotor adapted to be rotated inside a centrifuge housing by an electric motor or other means. The rotor preferably includes a reusable aluminum support casing and a disposable plastic cartridge. The plastic cartridge includes a trap with partition walls to prevent wave formation in the rotating liquid contained in the trap. The cartridge includes an annular inlet through its top end, a winding flow path through the cartridge and an outlet at the bottom enc. The centrifuge housing includes an isolated sealed rotor chamber. Using the venturi effect, air is evacuated from the rotor chamber to provide a partial vacuum to reduce air drag on the rotor. Resilient rubber vibration isolators are used to reduce vibrations and engine induced shock loads from reaching the rotating element. A side oil inlet is provided in the cartridge to receive unfiltered oil at a location offset from the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A centrifuge filter for removing soot from engine oil. The centrifuge filter includes a rotor adapted to be rotated inside a centrifuge housing by an electric motor or other means. The rotor preferably includes a reusable aluminum support casing and a disposable plastic cartridge. The plastic cartridge includes a trap with partition walls to prevent wave formation in the rotating liquid contained in the trap. The cartridge includes an annular inlet through its top end, a winding flow path through the cartridge and an outlet at the bottom enc. The centrifuge housing includes an isolated sealed rotor chamber. Using the venturi effect, air is evacuated from the rotor chamber to provide a partial vacuum to reduce air drag on the rotor. Resilient rubber vibration isolators are used to reduce vibrations and engine induced shock loads from reaching the rotating element. A side oil inlet is provided in the cartridge to receive unfiltered oil at a location offset from the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A centrifuge filter for removing soot from engine oil. The centrifuge filter includes a rotor adapted to be rotated inside a centrifuge housing by an electric motor or other means. The rotor preferably includes a reusable aluminum support casing and a disposable plastic cartridge. The plastic cartridge includes a trap with partition walls to prevent wave formation in the rotating liquid contained in the trap. The cartridge includes an annular inlet through its top end, a winding flow path through the cartridge and an outlet at the bottom. The centrifuge housing includes an isolated sealed rotor chamber. Using the venturi effect, air is evacuated from the rotor chamber to provide a partial vacuum to reduce air drag on the rotor. Resilient rubber vibration isolators are used to reduce vibrations and engine induced shock loads from reaching the rotating element. A side oil inlet is provided in the cartridge to receive unfiltered oil at a location offset from the axis of rotation.

Abstract: This centrifuge includes a chamber (5), a rotor (6) arranged therein, a device (8) for driving the rotation of the rotor, and a device (11) for cooling the atmosphere of the chamber. The device for cooling the atmosphere of the chamber includes a Ranque vortex tube (30), a cold outlet (33) which is connected to one inlet (66) of the chamber. The centrifuge includes a pressurized-gas supply circuit which is connected to an inlet (32) of the Ranque vortex tube and which is intended to be connected to a source (49) of pressurized gas. Application is to the centrifuging of biological products.

Abstract: A centrifugal filter assembly for filtering particulates from a fluid medium includes a non-rotating filter housing. A filter is disposed within the housing. The filter is rotatable relative to the housing about an axis of rotation. The filter has an inlet and an outlet for the fluid medium. A filter medium is disposed within the filter. A drive mechanism rotates the filter.

Abstract: This centrifuge includes a chamber (5), a rotor (6) arranged therein, and a device (8) for driving the rotation of the rotor. The device (8) for driving the rotation of the rotor is a pneumatic drive device. The centrifuge includes a circuit for supplying the pneumatic drive device with pressurized gas intended to be connected to a source (49) of pressurized gas. The centrifuge further includes a gas-purification unit (10), one inlet of this unit being connected to an outlet (64) for drawing gas from the chamber and one outlet of this unit being connected to a suction device (21) controlled by the pressurized gas supplied to the pneumatic device (8) for driving the rotor. Application is to the centrifuging of products liable to release dangerous substances, for example toxic or explosive substances.

Abstract: A flow-through microcentrifuge comprising a container in which a sample is placed, and a power source capable of rotating the container around an axis. High speed rotation causes the components of the sample to separate according to their respective densities. Pressurized gas, a flowing liquid, electromagnetism, or an engine can power rotation of the container. Due to the small size of the flow-through microcentrifuge, speeds can reach up to 600,000 rpm, with a corresponding increase in centrifugal acceleration up to 1,500,000 g. In addition to separation, the flow-through microcentrifuge can resuspend pelleted material in a liquid by rotating in one direction and then in the opposite direction, repeatedly. The flow-through microcentrifuge is also able to mix two or more reagents using this method. The flow-through microcentrifuge is modular in nature, meaning two or more can be placed together in any configuration and run by the same power source.

Abstract: A centrifugal filter assembly for filtering particulates from engine oil includes a housing with a threaded connector. A filter disposed within the housing is rotatable relative to the housing about an axis of rotation. The filter has an inlet and an outlet for the oil. A filter head includes a mating threaded connector configured to mate with the housing threaded connector. The filter head includes a venturi section in communication with the outlet. The venturi section is configured to create a vacuum within the housing for drawing oil through the outlet. A brushless direct current motor carried by the filter head has a rotatable output shaft coupled with the filter for rotating the filter about the axis of rotation. A controller carried by the filter head controls operation of the motor. The controller includes a printed circuit board disposed within the filter head which carries the motor.

Abstract: A centrifugal filter assembly for filtering particulates from a fluid includes a rotating filter disposed within a housing and rotatable relative to the housing about an axis of rotation. A turbine is attached to the filter and includes a plurality of turbine blades extending generally radially relative to the axis of rotation. A nozzle having an outlet is aligned relative to the turbine, whereby a pressurized fluid which is jetted from the nozzle impinges upon the turbine and causes the filter to rotate about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A centrifuge including a non-rotatable containment vessel, a rotatable centrifuge tube within said vessel, an inlet assembly for dirty gas, an outlet assembly for clean gas, and an outlet assembly for dirty gas, said inlet assembly for the dirty gas and said outlet assembly for the dirty gas being located in close mutual proximity and at or towards one end of the centrifuge tube, the outlet for the clean gas being located at the opposite end of the centrufuge tube, the flow of gas entering the centrifuge tube being reversed within the centrifuge tube so as to increase the residence time of the dirty gas within said centrifuge tube. The centrifuge tube is supported on spaced foil bearings located at predetermined spacings relative to each other and to the ends and center of the centfrifuge tube.

Abstract: A liquid cleaning system, which includes a barrier type filter having a back-flush arrangement for recovering filter contaminants from the back-flushed liquid which is available only at a low, not necessarily consistent, rate, includes a fluid-powered centrifugal cleaner which, in addition to the normal shaft-mounted rotor through which liquid is passed to separate contaminants centrifugally due to rotor speed, includes fluid drive means in the form of fluid reaction drive nozzles supplied with pumped liquid from the system as a drive fluid to rotate the rotor at a speed above the minimum to effect centrifugal separation of the contaminants from the back-flushed liquid in the rotor and accumulation of the outlet of the rotor. The spent drive fluid mixes with the cleaned back-flushed liquid in a discharge region and both may be re-used in the system.

Abstract: A centrifugal separating filter, which can efficiently separate dirt particles in liquid and keep the liquid clean, includes a turbine driving device (20), which is provided for rotating a rotating member (11) included inside the filter, and the turbine driving device (20) is driven by air pressure or exhaust gas pressure from an internal combustion engine (1) to separate foreign materials in a fluid. A control device (25) is provided for outputting an open/close command signal to a valve (26) provided at a turbine inlet of the turbine driving device (20), based on an output signal from at least one sensor (28) for detecting pressure or rotational speed of the internal combustion engine (1), and an output signal from an oil deterioration sensor (28).

Abstract: A plasma separator for receiving a blood sample includes a central chamber of inverted conical shape and an outer annular chamber connected to the central chamber by a downwardly inclined passageway. The separator is designed to be rotated at high speed about a vertical axis so that red blood cells in the sample migrate down the passageway and into the outer chamber, leaving clear plasma in the central chamber that can then be removed by pipette.

Abstract: A centrifugal oil cleaner assembly adapted to be mounted on a support at its upper end and to depend from the support, the assembly comprising a first housing member, a second housing member sealingly engageable with the upper end of the first housing member to form a chamber, a substantially vertical shaft mounted in the chamber, a rotor carried by the shaft and within the chamber, the shaft serving to releasably secure the first housing member to the second housing member by means of a screwthread connection and to carry the weight of the first housing member and the rotor, means for supplying oil to be cleaned under pressure through the second housing member to the interior of the rotor, said means including a passageway in the upper end of the shaft, jets to discharge oil from the rotor into the chamber and by reaction cause the rotor to rotate, and an oil outlet for removing oil from the chamber.