I can't speak to performance of them yet, but Bob and a few others who own one could attest to that. Yes, it is essentially the same wash system, just slightly updated. The first gen CleanWater pump assembly was retrofit to the GlobalWash tub/sump cutout, where now the new platform is a lower floor tub with the pump assembly offset to the right. But the procedure of the design is still largely the same.
You are correct, large chunks of food, such as large noodles or lettuce leaves, are caught in the course grate over the inlet. After that, the water pulls through a spinning laser-etched micro filter, and because of the winged baffles that surround it, tiny food particles up to larger chunks are continually sucked against and then lifted off that filter, which causes a spinning effect where the particles are suspended around the pump inlet. This allows 100% of the water to be filtered through the fine micro filter, as opposed to a more passive approach that the GlobalWash used, which allowed particles small enough to fit through the crescent shaped coarse upper filter to recirculate, but a large portion of the water passed into the fine cup for particles to be trapped until drain. That method was assisted by jets on the lower arm to help sweep particles towards the cup, but bits could still pass through that crescent shaped filter to the pump until they eventually got caught. The CleanWater design eliminates that entirely because the spinning filter cylinder has the same type of laser cut holes as Dyson's filter shrouds for their newer Cinetic and V8/V10/V11 vacuums.
Now, there's a slight variance in models so to answer your question about the chopper blade; yes and no. On both Maytag and KitchenAid models, the pump assemblies and method of operation is identical. However on the Maytag versions, there is a bladed attachment on the drain pump impeller. On both brand machines, the drain pump is mounted right on the side of that pump chamber where the particles are held in spinning suspension, so everything is pulled right out and sent down the drain, but for marketing purposes, the Maytag side claims that the drain impeller blades will help pulverize foods smaller for draining purposes. In my opinion, this is a bit of a gimmick, because the GlobalWash has been perfectly capable of draining out bits of rice or hamburger meat or noodles or corn without needing a blade or causing any clogging.
