GB2202758A

GB2202758A - Collecting floating material

Info

Publication number: GB2202758A
Application number: GB08704209A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roland Richard Gibson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-02-24
Filing date: 1987-02-24
Publication date: 1988-10-05
Also published as: GB8704209D0

Abstract

Foreign material such as liquid or solid pollutant floating on the surface of a body of liquid is collected by entrainment in a jet of the liquid directed at an inclined angle into the body of liquid and through or beneath a skirt 7 extending downwardly through the liquid, and allowing the pollutant to separate out onto the surface behind the skirt. The adverse effects of transverse currents within the liquid on such entrainment are eliminated by providing on the skirt an upwardly inclined channel member 4 into which the jet and entrained pollutant are directed. <IMAGE>

Description

PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION Improvements in or relating to light material collecting skimmers This invention relates to light material collecting skimmers in which the skimmer collects naterials which floats on liquid.

The materials may consist of liquids or solids and are usually considered as pollutants. Pollutants are often found in Industrial process water Industrial process water may be recirculated or used once and discharged. In either case the pollutant represants an undesirable element which should be eliminated.

In recirculating system the pollutant affects the affectivaness of the process of which the recirculating system is a part and in orce through systems the pollutant can be harafull to the environment if discharged with the process liquid.

Liquid It kissers are a particular example ot a ignt liquid collecting device.

Jet skimmers fig 1 rely upon entraining the floating pollutant 1 and carrying it to a sufficient depth under the surface of the liquid 2 so that the pollutant passes under the skirt 3 of a catchment device where it floats back to a free liquid surface 4 inside the catchment device fig 1.

Some of the entrained pollutant 5 escapes from the jet stream to rise to the surface before passing under the skirt. It circulates on the top of the liquid, with currents 6 created by the inclined jet, until it is brought back to the jet. It is entrained again but represents a reduction in the efficiency of the jet.

In most sitiations the liquids are not at rest and can even be turbulent.

In both once through and recirculating systems the process liquid flows passed the pollutant catchment point in the jet fig 2.

The flowing process liquid can arrest the pollutant which escapes from the entraining jet and carry it back around the system.

Liquid flowing passed the jet can also disturb the jet flow and dislodge the entrained pollutant The improvement which is the subject cf this invention consists of 2 device which protects the jet stream from fluid currents and allows it to operate effectively and independently of the current velocity The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to fig 3 of the drawings which shows a side view of the apparatus in which a jet 1 impinges upon the liquid surface 2 entraining the pollutant and carrying it down into the flowing liquid streams 3.

A tube 4 is positioned such that it is parallel and concentric with the Jet . The top surface 5 of the tube is arranged to be under, and parallel with the surface of the liquid the bottom surface 8 of the tube is arranged such that it extends through nd is parallel to the skirt wall 7. The skirt extends down lnto the liquid and beyand the bottom of the tube. The tube may be of a large diameter and @oly a semitube employed fig 3a.

The tube protects the entrained pollutant allowing it to enter the catchment chamber 9.

Within the tube SO some pollutant 9 may still escape from The entraining jet. This pollutant will rise to contact the inner surface of the tube. it will then migrate up the tube and emerge ram the top to float to the liquid surface.

The the may be empolyed in the form of s truncated cone 1 wit the jet entering tne small end as shown in tig 4 and 5 ollutant which escapes from the jet to a migrate up the inside of the conical tube will emerge from the tube near to the jet. This pollutant will be re-entrained by the jet before it can be influenced by surface streams.

The jet tube protects the jet and entrained pollutant roe flowing surface and sub-surface liquid. The jet tube can also increase the catchment rate of the jet by assisting the re-entrainmert of pollutant which escapes from the jet before passing under the catchment skirt.

These improvements increase the effectiveness of the skim jet and allow it to perform in normal industrial systems whether of a onca through or recirculating design.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for collecting together foreign material floating on the surface of a body of liquid, in which a jet of the liquid is directed at an inclined angle onto the surface and into the body of liquid to entrain foreign material and carry the foreign material through or beneath a skirt which extends downwardly through the surface and into the body of liquid, characterized in that the skirt includes a channel member projecting upwardly at an inclined angle and along or through which the jet of liquid and entrained foreign material is directed before passing though or beneath the skirt, the channel member serving to protect the jet and entrained foreign material from turbulance and transverse currents within the body of liquid.

2. A method according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.