GB287438A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for separating and recovering oil from an emulsion of oil and water - Google Patents

Abstract

287,438. Ellis, G. B., (American Sheet & Tin Plate Co.). Sept. 13, 1926. Recovering fats and oils from waste waters; oils, purifying.-Apparatus for separating and recovering oil such as palm oil, from an emulsion of oil and water, comprises a trough 31 from which the emulsion flows to a treatment tank D in which it is heated, agitated, and broken down by addition of a suitable reagent, means such as a pump 47 for removing the separated oil, screening-means 48, a drier 55, and a centrifuge 62. The emulsion is heated, say to 140‹ F., and agitated in the chamber 33 by means of steam supplied from a pipe 39, and is broken down by addition of say sulphuric acid, supplied from a tank 42 by a pump 43. The broken emulsion overflows a wall 34 into a separating- chamber 34<a>, the oil rising to flow over the inclined top of a wall 35 into a chamber 35<a> heated by a steam coil 41, this action being assisted by a steam coil 38, and the water passing away through a stand pipe 45. Instead of sulphuric acid, other acids, nitrecake, waste pickle liquor, lime, calcium chloride, iron or sodium sulphate, or alum, may be used to break the emulsion, but it is stated that.in some cases the oil will then settle to the bottom and other means of separation will be necessary. Passage through the screen 48 removes any large particles oi foreign matter, and the oil, which still contains about 60 per cent of water, is collected in vat 50 heated by a steam coil 51, and pumped by a pump 53 through a coil 54 located in the steam-heated drying-drum 55, and discharged at a temperature of 300‹ F. into a stack 56. The water content of the oil passes up the stack as steam or vapour, and the dry oil flows by way of steam-heated tanks 59, 60, which maintain its temperature at 300‹ F., to the centrifuge 62 for final purification. Specifications 282,321, 283,614, and 283,830 are referred to.