Multistage liquid and gas separator

Claim 1

A liquid and gas separating device comprising: a. a housing defining a chamber for receiving a liquid and gas mixture and having an end member including a gas discharge port; b. a primary separator mounted to the end member within the chamber and having a mixture inlet, a liquid outlet, and a mixture outlet; and c. a secondary separating and discharging means including: 1. a conduit connected with the mixture outlet of the primary separator; 2. a centrifugal separator interposed in the conduit and including a hollow, aerodynamically smooth center body having a closed end facing upstream toward the primary separator and an open end facing downstream from the primary separator and a plurality of swirl vanes extending from the center body toward the inner surface of the conduit; 3. a gas discharge tube having a first end operatively connected with the gas discharge port in the end member of the housing and a seCond end extending into the conduit at least to a position adjacent to and axially aligned with the open end of the center body, the second end having cross-sectional dimensions smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the open end of the center body; and 4. sealing means closing the conduit about the gas discharge tube.