NO122008B

• Main Authors: FIOCCO R, CANEVARI G
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.05.1971
• Subjects: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; SEPARATION; TRANSPORTING

1,175,290. Separating liquids. ESSO RESEARCH & ENG. CO. 30 Oct., 1967 [22 Nov., 1966], No. 49132/67. Heading B1D. A suspension of droplets of oil is separated from water by (i) passing the mixture through a coalescing medium 24 to produce larger droplets and (ii) thereafter passing it through a plurality of horizontal ducts 30 having oil retaining lips 40 the surfaces of the ducts produce a secondary coalescing effect while the denser liquid settles by gravity as the mixture travels along the ducts. The ducts act to prevent turbulent flow. As described, the mixture is delivered from a preliminary conventional gravity separator 10 to a chamber 16 and thence through a coalescer cartridge 20, which comprises a multifilament-strand mesh web 24 rolled into a spiral (the mixture travelling along its longitudinal axis), followed by a bubble-rupturing screen 26 comprising needles (60), Fig. 8 (not shown). The medium 24 and at least one wall of each duct 30 is formed from a lipophilic material such as polypropylene. The oil layer in each duct is arrested terminally by an overhanging lip 40; oil flows out at 46, water at 48, 50. It is stated that a unit having a capacity of 1200 gallons p.m. and a pressure drop of less than 2 p.s.i. has been constructed within dimensions of 4 x 10 feet.