The invention provides an apparatus for separating components of a fluid stream, the apparatus comprising: • (a) a support structure on which is mounted a rotatable centrifugal separator chamber (102) in which separation of the components of the fluid stream occurs; • (b) a fluid inlet (104a) for introducing a pressurised source of the fluid stream to be separated into the centrifugal separator chamber (102); • (c) a fluid outlet (106a) for collecting one or more separated components of the fluid stream; • (d) a vortex-creating device (126) which rotates in order to introduce a vortex to the fluid stream in the centrifugal separation chamber (102) thereby to bring about centrifugal separation of the components of the fluid stream; and wherein the centrifugal separator chamber (102) and vortex- creating device (126) are configured to rotate independently of each other. The invention also provides a method for separating components of a suspension, the method comprising passing the suspension through an apparatus as described herein.