US1505791A - Apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities and indicating means therefor - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19 1924. 1,505,791

C. S. LENZ ET AL APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS F DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES AND INDlCATING MEANS 'THEREFOR Filed May 9, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l llllhll'l' WIWI@ IHIIIHIN [Hiwll' MMIII? HHM! i ,Hmm

Anon/vers f Aug. 19 l1924. 1,505,791 i C- S- LENZ ET AL I APPARATUS FoR SEPARATING LIQUIDS n? DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIESJ AND INDwATlNG MEANS THEREFGR A Filed May 9. 1923 'rs' Sheetssheet 5 |l il! I *il I. ,wie 1 m, "HIIIIIIHH Arron/m8 Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,505,791 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES sier-Rin LENZ AND GEORGE EDWARD turn, for NRW YORK, N. Y., As,-v s'IGNORs, BY MRsNR AssreNivrRNfrs, ro .AMERICAN 'MARINE DEV-.ron CORPORATION, or Nnw YORK, N. Y., a CORPORATION or Naw YORK.

APPARATUS FO'R SEPARATING LIQUIDS QF k:DIFle":EIR-ENTE SPCIFIC GRAVITIES AND INDCATING MEANS THEREFOR. i

Application led May 9, 1923.

T 0 all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that we, CHARLES S. LnNZv and Gnouon E. Juri), citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of N ew York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Separating Liquids of Different Specific Gravities and Indicating Means Therefor, of which the fol-y lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to'an apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities, such as oil and water, and to automatic indicating means therefor.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient apparatus which can be installed for use especially on board vessels for the automatic separation of, preferably, oil and water, so that the water may be pumped overboard and the pum ing cease the instant the level of Oil is reac ied, and the oil will not be pumped overboard.

Another object concerns the provision of. means whereby a signal will automatically be given when the pumps have finished pumping the water and have reached the oil, so that the entire pumping operation can be stopped.

A further Object concerns the provision of means whereby in the separation of liquids of different densities and different specific gravities and, consequently, having different degrees of viscosity, means are pro vided whereby in the pumping of one liquid. the rate of operation of the pumping mecha nism is affected the instant a liquid of different viscosity is acted on` by the pumps in such manner as to cause the cessation of the pumping operation.

rlhe invention is illustrated in the draw ings, of whichq *f Figure 1 is a sectional view taken through the hull of a boat showing one form of my appara tus;

Fig. 2 is a detail section of the speed controlled means for shutting oiiQ the power to the pump and for giving a signal g.

Fig. 3 is a section through a modified form of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the liquid-flow check chamber;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through said chamber; and

mence to pump the water.

Serial No. 637,734.

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram of a modified form of an indicatingand alarm device.y

The forms of the invention shown in the drawings are preferred forms, although it isunderstood that modifications in the con- `structions and arrangement of the parts and in the character of the materials used may be adopted without departing from the spirit` ofr the invention.

Thisinvention isintended primarily for use-on shipboard where in recent years the use of liquid fuel such as oil has come sub stantially intol use. On board .the boats a considerable quantityy of oil gets mixed with the bilge water, and since this water is being should'be as fully automatic as possible in viewfof the fact that it must `be in operationy practically all of the time and, rthere-r fore,-.the less attention and repair that is required the more desirable it is.

. In addition, it often happens that water gets mixed with the kfuel oil in the fuel tanks, and if water gets in these tanks to any considerable extent and is fed to the burners `of the vesselsboilers, it is liable 'to create 'a dangerous flare-back, which might result in loss of life in the fire room. Therefore, it is necessary to separate ther oil and the water for these two and very important reasons, if not forvothers.

life, therefore, provide apparatus which includespumping mechanism connected to the tanks containing the oil and water and which when started iny operation will com- This apparatus is so designed that for its operation when pumping on water the various elements of the apparatus are in normal condition.

However, the pumping apparatus is supplied with a controlling mechanism the position of which is determined by the speed of thepumps andthe rate of operation thereof, and, therefore, when the pumps commence toy work on the heavier oil, `which is more viscous than the water, this speed controlling apparatus varies its position and in so doing is connected to other controlling apparatus, such as valves, .whereby the operating fluid, such as steam7 leading to the pumping mechanism can be closed to shut down the pumps and, there-fore, prevent the yfurther pumping of oil.

In the more specific construction of the invention, which comprises a main pumping apparatus leading to lone vor more tanks liable to contain two different fluids and including a control valve whereby the power fuel to said pump is regulated, this control valve is connected to a speed controlled mechanism such as a centrifugal ball governor, and this governor is in turn connected or associated in some suitable manner with an auxiliary or detector pump mechanism which ispreferably operated by a motor, this detector pump being connected to a point near the bot-tom of the tanks at a slightly higher level than the pipe leading from the main pump. Vhen the auxiliary or detector pump 'is started it will pump water, and as long as it is pumping water the speed of the auxiliary or detector pump will be fairly uniform, whereby the position of the centrifugal controlling device will be maintained in a substantially uniform position. In this position the valve controlled thereby and regulating the flow of power fuel to the main v pump will be open. However, as soon as the oil level is reduced so that the detector pump commences to pump oil, its speed will slacken or vary so that the position of the governor balls will vary, and this variation will cause the main power fuel valve and 'the main pump to be closed, shutting off said pump. The difference in the level of the bottoms of the pipes leading from the detector to the main pump will permit the main pump to be shut down before it com-- mences to pump oil. The variation in the position of the centrifugal governor can also be caused to actuate either or both Y an audible and a visual signal so that the detectorv pumping apparatus can also be se] closed down.

nected to the main power fuel valve, but this y will be so disposed and constructed that 'when one fluid is being pumped in the circuit the vacuum will be balanced by a suitable means, such as a spring, to keep the valve in a definite position, and when another fluid commences vto be pumped a different degree of 'action will be established by the different rate of motion of the pump, and this will cause the upsetting of the balance and the movement of the valve, preferably to shut off the power to the main pump, whereby the consequent fiow will cease almost immediately.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, 10 represents the hull of a vessel in the bottom of which is disposed a tank 11, which may be one of a plurality of tanks disposed throughout the hull. rThis tank is adapted to hold a body of fuel 12, such as oil, which sometimes becomes mixed through one cause or another with a body of other liquid 13, such as water. It is desirable that the two liquids be separated and that the water be pumped overboard, and to this end we provide a pipe 14 extending from a manifold chamber 15 to .a point near the bottom of the tank 11.

This manifold is connected by a pipe -16 to a pump 17, which is preferably a steam pump,

supplied through pipe 18 with a power fuel such as steam. This pipe 18 has in it a valve 19, the position of which is determined by a centrifugal speed governor 20, which in turn is connected through suitable gearing 21 to a motor22 adapted to operate a pump 23, which is preferably known as a detector pump. This detector pump 23 is connected through a manifold 24.- by a pipe 25 to a point near the bottom of the tank 11, but the bottom of the pipe 25 is disposed at slightly higher level within vthe tank 11 than the bottom of the pipe 14, which is the pipe leading to the main pump 17. lVithin the pipe 23a leading to the manifold 24; is a sight glass 26, so that the character of the `liquid being pumped by the detector pump 23 can be observed. The discharge pipe 27 leads from the pump 23 to some other point in vthe vesselv where the small amount of water being pumped by the detector pump can be discharged. A discharge pipe 28 leads overboard from the pump 17.

Referring to Fig. 2, the stem 29 on which the valve 19 is mounted is provided with a plate 30 fixed thereon. This plate 30 is adapted to engage with the ends of pivoted levers 31 and 32 which arefheld bearing thereagainst by springs 33 and 34C. The other end of lever 31 is provided with a gear sector 35 meshing with a small pinion 36 carrying an indicator needle 37 forming part `of a gage casing 38. The other end of the lever 32 is adapted to make contact and acts 'as a switch member to close the lcircuit leading through the main switch 39, battery i0 to a light t1 and a bell 42. In the fullline position of the parts shown in Fig. 2 the circuit is closed and the light 41 is lit and the bell .4 2 is sounded, also the needle'indicator 37 is in a position to indicate the pumping of oil. However, if the rate of motion of the detector pump 23 increases the balls fall out to the dotted position andthe otherl parts assume their dotted positions, whereby the valve 19 will be opened, the indicator needle 37 will move to the position to indicate the pumping of water, and the circuit,l

connected to the lamp 41 will be opened so that the lamp will be extinguished andthe bell 42 will stop ringing. n

Through suitable connections, not shown since their particular character forms no part of the invention, the motor 22 may be started, and by observing the sight glass 26 the operator can see if Wateris being' pumped. This fact being established, the pump is permitted to continue and theball governor moves out to normal position,

opening the valve 19, moving the indicatork reduce the level of the water, and since the f oil is floating on the top of the water, the body of oil will gradually approach the bottom of the detector pipe and as soon as the oil reaches the bottom of this pipe the greater viscosity of the oilwill tend to slow up the actionof the pump 23.y It will be noted that the pump 23 attacks the oil first because the bot-tom of pipe 25 is higher than the bottom of pipe 14. As soon as the pump 23 attacks the oil the motor 22 is slowed down and this causes the speed-controlling device or ball governor to drop, whereby the valve 19 is closed, the indicator is moved to,

the oilA position and the signal circuit is closed,y because of the illumination of the `lamp and the sound of the bell. The oper-4 ator then, immediately upon receipt ofr these signals, shuts od power and the motor 22 and the whole apparatus stops. The dierence of level between the bottoms of pipes 25 and 14 is designed to give this signal in sufficient time for the operator to close down the motor 22. When the motor is closed down,

of course, both pumps stop `and thek oil can not be pumped overboard.

Of course, it is understood that there may be a plurality of tanks such as 11 and that this apparatus may be used to separate any two liquids of different viscosity locatedin A modification of this ideais illustratedy in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive. In this forml the invention includes a tank into which a pipe` lextendathis tankcontaining a level of liquid 52. andabody of Water 53. The pipe 51 connects directly to a manifold 54 vvhichin turn is connected by a pipe 55 tof a pump 56. This' pump isr provided with. a discharge pipe 57.` A valve 58 is adapted to control the rflow offluid from the pipe 51.-

Of course, it is understood that the manifold r54 is connected by pipes to any number of other tanks. Shunted around the valve 56 isa liquid circuit, including apipe 59, oily check chamber 60, pipe 61 and valve 62. A pipe 63 also leads from the top of the oilcheck chamber to a storage tank 64.

Preferably located between they manifold 54 and the pump 56 is a vacuum chamber .65 having apiston 56 held in .the normal position by a spring 67 and connected by a lever 68 to a valve 69 located in a pipe 70 and con trolling the admission of power fluid to the pump 56. The bottomy of the vacuum chamber 65 is connectedto the pipe 55 leading to the pump 56, andwhen a definite liquid, such as water, being pumped through the pipe 55 the actionl of the pump is so balanced to the strengthiof the spring that the lever 68 is maintained in the normal position shown and the valve 69 is held ropen so that the pump 56 will receivey its operating fluid. Iny

the normal operation of the device which is adapted to' pumpwater, the valves 59a and 62 are closed and the valve 58 ,is open, so that` the pump ywill pump water straight from the tank 50 andoverboard. However, if the automatic/detector mechanism is to be ysoon as it commences to pump oil or other f liquidy than water, the valve 58 is closed and the valves 59a and 62 are opened. This causes the water `to pass through the oilcheck chamber before it reaches the mani fold 54. i y

kThis liquid or oil-checkchamber isa drum provided Awith ak plurality of pipes 71y of rather smalldiameter sok that any fluid passing therethrough will meet with considerable vfriction rand, tend to, yhave its flow checked to some'extentv This is particularly true of viscous fluids, since the resist-ance of they fluids will increase in proportion tothe viscosity. This drum is provided with la pivoteddoor y72 kwhich can be swung open' to permit the set ofpipes to be removed, ysince they yare mounted between plates 73 and 7 easily removed from the drum. As ylong as water flows through the check drum 'nothing happens out of the ordinary, because the vacuumdevice is designed to bebalan'ced whenlwater is flowing. However, to the extentthat the liquid of different viscosities flows, the balance of the suction chamber k is loverthrown, so that the valve 69l vis closed, (,:uttngk oli' fluid to the ,pump56,

which immediately stops.

4to form a Acompact unit which canbe The parts are so designed and the apparatus so timed that the lpump will stop before oil has reached the discharge pipe 57. f course, it is understood that this vacuum apparatus cons by a needle indicator 75 forming part of the usual pressure gage of the Bourdon type. This may be disposed in the liuid circuit at any desired point.

It will, therefore, be seen that we have provided a simple, durable, efficient apparatus whereby two; fluids of different specific gravities can be very easily separated by an action which is substantially automatic. It will also be observed -that it is substantially impossible` for the undesirable liquid to be discharged from the bottom of this apparatus and, therefore, the use of this apparatus is particularly advantageous on boardvessels, as the prohibition against the discharge of fluids such ,as oil overboard is very emphatic.

What we claim is 1. Anapparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities, which includes a tank containing said liquids, means for pumping one of said liquids from said tank, a valve controlling the flow of fluid, and means operated by the change in rate of pumping to close said valve when the pump begins to pump the other liquid.

2. An apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities, which includes a tank containing said liquids, means for pumping one of said liquids from said tank, a valve, and means controlled by the speed of the pump to close said valve whenthe pump slows down.

3. An apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities, which includes a 'main pump, a tank containing said liquidsp a connection from said pump to the bottom of the tank, a pipe leading to said pump for the admission of power fluid thereto, a valve in said ladmission pipe, a detector pumping mechanism, a pipe connecting said detector pump at the bottom of the tank at a slightly higher level than the bottom of the above-mentioned pipe, and means operated by the second pump to controlthe position of the valve in the admission vpipe y leading to the first pump.

4. Apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities, which includes a tank containing said liquids, a pump con- A nected with the bottom of said tank, a

valve controlling the flow of power fluid to said pump, a secondv pumping apparatus and operated by the motion of the second pump and adapted to close said valve when the motion of the second pump slows down.

5. Apparatus for separating liquids of diierent specific gravities, which includes a tankcontaining said liquids, a pump connected with the bottom of said tank, a valve controlling the flow of power fluid to said pump, a second pumping apparatus connected to the bottom of the tank, and a centrifugal governor connected to said valve and operated by the motion of the second pump and adapted to close said valve when the motion of the second pumpA slows down, the level of the bottomA of the pipe leading from the second pump to the bottom of the tank being higher than the level of the bottom of the pipe leading to the main pump and the bottom of' the tank, whereby when the liquid of the lighter specific gravity reaches the bottom of the higher pipe the pump connected to said pipe will slow down before the other pump.

6. An apparatus for separating liquids of different specificgravities, which includes a tank containing said liquids, a pump connected to the bottom of said tank,'a valve controlling the flow of fluid, means operated by the speed of the pump to determine the position of saidvalve,`and indicating means operated by the variation of position of the speed .controlled means.

7. An apparatus for separating liquids of 'different specific gravities, which includes a tank containing said liquids, a pump connected to the bottom of said tank, means for operating said pump, a centrifugally operated governor, a valve connected to said governor, a signal circuit, a switch in said circuit normally open, an indicating device, and means operated by the movement of the centrifugal governor to close said switch and operate said indicator wherebyan indication is made and the signal circuit is established. 5 I

8. An apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities, which includes a tank containing said liquids, a pump connected to the bottom of said tank, a valve, and means connected to said valve and associated with the connection between the pump and the bottom of the tank to maintain the valve open during the maintenance of a definite degree of vacuum in said connection, said vacuum operated means adapted to close the valve when the vacuum in said connection increases. f

9. An apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities, which includes a tank containing said liquids, a pump connected to the bottom of said tank, a fluidcheck chamber in said connection whereby the resistance to the flow offluidthrough the connection will vary in' accordance with the viscosity of the liquid, a valve in said Vlau connection, and means operated by the vacuum established in said connection to close the valve When the liquid of greater Viscosity is pumped into said check chamber.

10. An apparatus Jfor separating liquids of diierent speciic gravities, which includes a tank containing said liquids, means for pumping one of said liquids Jfrom said tank, a connection from said pumping means to said tank, a chamber in said connection, a plurality of pipes of small diameter in said chamber adapted to form considerable resistance to the flow of fluid therein, especially fluids of considerable viscosity, a vacuum chamber disposed in said connection, a piston in said chamber, and a Valve connected to said piston, the valve maintained in a defi nite position duringy the normal 'position of the piston, the suction of the pump increasing when the liquid of greater viscosity enters the check chamber, whereby an increased suction is produced, said piston being caused to move by the increased suction, whereby the Valve is closed and the operation of the pump is stopped.

y@nannies siernrn LENZ. enonen EDWARD JUPP.

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