Help ID'ing some hardware...

I am assisting a friend who got hold of an abandoned storage unit from what looks like a fish and reptile breeder. Lots of aquatic hardware and tanks. We found one bit of equipment that has us shaking our heads and acting confused.

I will attempt to describe it as best I can, and post pics I took the other night. Let me know if any questions, ideas or if I goobered the image uploads. :-)

Thanks in advance!!!


One picture shows it with the top removed and the 'disk' (which is free
floating) in place.

The other shows the bottom with the disk removed.


The top has two external fittings, one in the very top that is just a hole
into the in device, while the side fitting looks like it should send a
high pressure stream against the 'disk' at an angle to spin it.

The top hose fitting is a straight through to the top of the 'textured disk'. The upper side fitting looks to direct an angled stream (of air, water, whatever?) against the outer edge of the disk (about where song2 would start on an old LP). The bottom fitting opens into that oddly machined maze looking part of the bottom half (which is just under that disk).

Really weird! Also, it can't be just aluminum...weighs WAY too much for that.

Looks like a mold plate to me... But you kinda lost me in the explanation. hahaha

Waddi said:

Looks like a mold plate to me... But you kinda lost me in the explanation. hahaha

Click to expand...

Yeah, it does look like a mold plate. If my memory for physics is any good (and that is always up for debate) it looks like it could operate as follows:

Via side fitting, high pressure liquid is injected, entering the chamber at an angle to cause the disk to rotate. The top fitting would be a supply line, feeding liquid to the center of the disk where is it pushed to the edges of the disk by centrifugal force. Somehow, the liquid is able to get around the disk (very little gap between disk edges and walls of chamber) and forced out the bottom fitting.

Why? I have no idea! :-)

Actually. Looking at it, it looks like the cover fitting on a fan so you aren't able to touch the blades. You know?

how big is it? IMO, it isnt anything that would be used for an aquarium. Unless it is a mold for a part for a piece of equipment. Such as a strainer.

Are there any distinguishing marks on it anywhere? Such as a part number?

No marks or markings. about 6-8" square and 2-3" tall, when the two halves are together. Weighs A LOT!

Is it actually located in or around the other aquarium equipment?
It could be unrelated to the aquarium stuff.

I doubt that it is a heatsink for lights if it is heavy.