초록 ▼

A marine vessel is provided with a closed tank for gravity separation of oil and water. A boom extending laterally from the vessel sweeps the surface of a body of water on which the vessel floats and a skimmer associated with the boom skims surface oil and some water into a conduit leading to a mani

A marine vessel is provided with a closed tank for gravity separation of oil and water. A boom extending laterally from the vessel sweeps the surface of a body of water on which the vessel floats and a skimmer associated with the boom skims surface oil and some water into a conduit leading to a manifold extending around the upper inner periphery of the tank. The manifold discharges upwardly into the tank through a multiplicity of ports, the tank preferably being completely filled with oil and/or water. Separated water is withdrawn from the bottom of the tank through a plurality of coalescing filters having large exposed coalescer screens. Hoods over the coalescers direct flow thereto to ensure uniform distribution of water and oil globules over their surfaces and direct coalesced oil toward the upper region of the tank in a concentrated stream. A pump withdraws the water from the tank and discharges it into the ambient water. Flow produced by the pump can be reversed for backwashing the coalescers. A detector in the tank senses the level of the interface between separated water and oil and when that interface reaches a predetermined lower level flow in the separator is interrupted, after which flow is reversed until the interface rises to a desired upper level.

대표청구항 ▼

In an oil recovery apparatus having a separating tank therein, inlet means for directing an oil-water mixture into the upper portion of said tank and outlet means communicating with the bottom of said tank, the improvement comprising: said outlet means comprising an outlet manifold extending along t

In an oil recovery apparatus having a separating tank therein, inlet means for directing an oil-water mixture into the upper portion of said tank and outlet means communicating with the bottom of said tank, the improvement comprising: said outlet means comprising an outlet manifold extending along the bottom of said tank; means defining a plurality of separate spaced flow paths between the interior of said tank and said manifold; a coalescing means extending across each of said flow paths to intercept and coalesce partiCles of oil in water flowing from said tank to said manifold, said coalescing means comprising a water permeable, oleophobic material; a cover member overlying each coalescing means to collect coalesced particles of oil rising therefrom but otherwise preventing flow of liquid into or out of the coalescing means from the top thereof; an outlet passage in the top of each cover member; a check valve in said passage arranged to permit liquid flow only upwardly and outwardly from beneath each cover member to the interior of said tank; and a generally conical, upwardly tapered hood member having a lower portion overlying said cover member and the said outlet passage in said cover member.