GB2193955A

GB2193955A - Liquid separator

Info

Publication number: GB2193955A
Application number: GB08620032A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Walter Mansel James
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-08-18
Filing date: 1986-08-18
Publication date: 1988-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 2006-08-18
Also published as: GB2193955B; GB8620032D0

Abstract

A device having two compartments to enable the separation of a substance floating on a liquid body using a system of overshot and undershot weirs. The separated materials are delivered into individual containers. Provision is made for a number of embodiments to enable the separator to operate under various adverse conditions which may be encountered at sea. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Separator This invention relates to the separation of materials floating on the surface of a liquid body.

One particular application of the separator would be as a means of recovering oil from the- surface of sea water, thus facilitating protection of the environment, as well as permitting recovery and possible re-use of the floating materials. Many different types and methods of separation exist but the applicant believes that the present invention provides a novel separating device which will have useful advantages.

According to the present invention such a device includes a first compartment adapted to receive liquid containing a floating fraction to be separated therefrom, a second compartment to receive the liquid following separation in whole or in part of the fraction, means situated at relatively low level to allow liquid flow from the first to the second compartment, an inlet for the untreated liquid to enter the first compartment at high level relative to the means and a zone at highlevel in the first compartment for the accumulation of the fraction subsequent to its removal from the first - compartment. Further according to the invention the first compartment is a sleeve or jacket surrounding a central tank constituting the second compartment.

-Also according to the invention the inlet for the untreated liquid is one or more# gutters spiralling down the side wall of the central tank and located within the sleeve.

According also to the invention the space between the sleeve and the central tank is provided with a frusto-conical top and the communication means between the space and the central tank is located low down in the tank to limit in-rush of liquid from the space to the tank when the tank is tilted.

Provision is also made for suspending the separator in a suitable gimbal arrangement.

Provision is also made for a suitable cowl over the tank or central compartment to prevent water from falling into the separated material should the device be tilted.

The above and other aspects of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show some embodiments of the invention designed principally to separate oil from water.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line A-A of Fig. 2; Figure 2 is a plan of the line of B-B of figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary section of the collecting gutter zone; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic vertical view of a separator suspended from a gimbal; Figure 5 is a vertical section of a second form of separator in accordance with the invention; Figure 6 is a vertical section of-a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a plan view or the arrangement of Fig. 6; Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the sep- arator of the third embodiment; Figure 9 is a cross-section of the inlet to the separator of Figs. 6-8.

Referring to the separator shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the separator 5 is formed as.a double walled tank providing a central or inner tank 6 and an outer sleeve or jacket 7, Communi-.

cation between the central tank 6 and the outer sleeve 7 is provided at low level so that sea water may pass from the sleeve to the, central tank in the direction of arrows 8. A; roofing 9 is provided for the top of the separator and sea water enters the sleeve of the separator in the direction of arrows 10 through suitable hoses connected to spiraled guttering 11. Roofing 9 insofar as: it covers the top of tank 6 is perforated suitably to allow normal atmospheric pressure to be maintained above the water level in the tank.

The separator is equipped with a peripheral gutter 12 which acts as an oil collector for.oil escaping from the top zone of the sleeve.7 in the direction of arrows 13. Sea water is intended to be removed from the central tank 6 through ducts 14 in the direction of arrows 15.

In the example under consideration the separator may be housed in a suitable---vessel? through gimbal arrangements 16. Where-a- stretch of sea water has been polluted with oil a special skimmer device may be towed behind towing vessels and the skimmed ma- terial is then fed into the separatqr along hoses shown by reference 17.

Immediately the skimmed material enters the sleeve or jacket 7 the light material, e.g. oit, starts accumulating in the zone 18--and ultimately starts over-flowing in the -direction iof arrows 13 into the gutter 12. Meanwhile'the water, substantially freed of its ojl -content, is allowed to move progressively into the central tank from whence it is withdrawn-as prevj-.

ously described. The oil fractionin the-gutter 12 may be carried away in hoses linked to suitable exhaust ports 19.

The nature and disposition of the #apertures through which sea water may pass from the sleeve 7 to the central tank 6 will doubtless be factors depending on the anticipated wave motion which could be encountered and this will also apply to the side walls of the peripheral gutter 12. Reference 20 indi.eates web-members used for reinforcing purposes where the tank is apertured to provide communication with the interior of the jacket 7.

In the second example as shown in Fig. 5 a central tank 21 is surrounded by an inverted frusto-conical sleeve 22 and a large gutter 23 surrounding the sleeve 22. This arrangement could be preferred where operations in. heavy swells may be anticipated. Fig. 5 also shows the cowling to inhibit- water splashing into the separated oil when the invention is tilted to not more than 30 degrees.

The separator of the invention is of simple construction but seemingly suitable for the re moval of oil from sea water even in relatively rough weather conditions. Its use in other separating activities is not precluded.

In some sea water areas the specific gravity of the water and oil thereon are so matched that the oil might have a.tendency to sink to a small extent. This situation could adversely affect the operation of the separator of the invention and in order to avoid this happening the invention allows for the use of an evapo rator. The evaporator would serve to provide a heavy residue -which could be added to the inflow to the separator to ensure that the oil is maintained on the surface of the water. Ob viously the evaporator could also be used to provide fresh water.

In the example shown in Figs; 6 to 9 a separator is illustrated which is substantially different to the arrangement involved in the first embodiment. In this latter case, there is a general housing 24 which is provided with a suitable roof and within this housing there are chambers 25- and 26 separated by down~ wardly depending baffles 27. Gutters 28.per- mit any oil polluted water to pass into cham ber 26 from a collecting point and in chamber 26 the oil tends to rise. -The hatched areas in these chambers is intended to indicate the se parated oil and this oil decants into the central tank 30. Meanwhile the cleansed water flows in the direction of arrows 31 into chambe#rs 25 and from thence in the direction of arrows 32 into a sump 33. This water will then be removed from-the sump by# a pump or the like.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the separator shown in Fig. 6.'Reference 34 indicates cross baffles to limit the effect of wave action.

In the longitudinal section shown in Fig. 8 the openings 35 indicate the path #by which the polluted liquid passes from the gutters 28 into the chambers 26. Fig. 9 gives clarity to this scheme.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 9 could form the structure of a boat or the like used to clear up dispersed oil on a water body-. In such a case Figs. 6 and 7 preferably indicate beam sections while Fig. 8 would be a fore and aft section.

Many more exam#ples of the invention exist each differing from the other in matters of - -detail only..

Claims

1. A separator including a first compart ment adapted to receive liquid containing a floating fraction to be separated therefrom, a second compartment to receive the liquid following separation in whole or in part of the fraction means situated at relatively low level to allow liquid flow from the first to the second compartment, an inlet for the untreated liquid to enter the first compartment at high level relative to the means and a zone at,high level in the first compartment for the accumulation of the fraction subsequent to its removal from the first compartment.

2. The separator claimed in claim 1 in which the first compartment is a sleeve or jacket surrounding a central tank constituting the second compartment.

3. The separator claimed in claim 2 in which the inlet for the untreated liquid is discharged into one or more gutters spiralled down the side wall of the central tank and located within the sleeve, to inhibit distortion of the horizon betreen the two liquids.

4. The separator claimed in claim.2 in which the space between the sleeve and. the central tank is provided with a closed frustoconical top and the communication means between the space and the central tank is located low down in the tank to limit in-rush of liquid from the space to the tank when the tank is tilted.

5. The separator claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 including gimbal means for its suspension.

6. Separators substantially as herein described.

7. Separators substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.