Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Making an insoluble substance or accreting suspended...
Patent
1989-12-08
1992-03-03
Dawson, Robert A.
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Making an insoluble substance or accreting suspended...
210182, 210202, 2102572, 210259, 2103231, 2105001, 21050021, 2105021, 2105121, 210513, 210708, 210737, 210738, 210787, 210799, 210804, 210806, 210008, 210DIG5, B01D 17038
Patent
active
050930060
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a liquid separator.
The invention generally envisages the use of a hydrocyclone to pre-condition a mixture before admission to a filter device, such as an activated charcoal reverse osmosis filter device.
In one aspect, there is provided a liquid separator comprising a hydrocyclone having a separating chamber with an inlet for inlet of mixture to be separated, an overflow outlet for outlet of a less dense component of the mixture and an underflow outlet for outlet of a more dense component of said mixture, and a filter device coupled to receive outlet from said underflow outlet. The hydrocyclone is in this case effective in use to effect a pressure reduction in the material emerging from said underflow outlet, as compared to pressure of said mixture at said inlet, whereby to facilitate any of said less dense component present in solution in said more dense component breaking out of solution to be either carried to said overflow outlet or to emerge from the underflow outlet with the more dense component, as droplets thereof in the more dense component, the filter device effecting further separation of said droplets from the more dense component.
The mixture to be separated may be passed to a mixing and/or residence vessel, such as a coalescer or precoalescer, for example a cross plate interceptor skimmer before passage to the hydrocyclone. In such case, provision may be made for injection of heated fluid, such as water, to the vessel, such as periodically.
The invention also provides a method for separating components of a liquid mixture one from the other by use of hydrocyclone to which the mixture is admitted, the hydrocyclone being operated whereby a less dense component of the mixture emerges from an outlet of the hydrocyclone in the form of droplets in a more dense component of the mixture, the material emerging from the outlet being admitted to a filter device to effect further separation thereof.
The invention is further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a liquid separator constructed in accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hydrocyclone used in the apparatus of FIG. 1; and.
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a further liquid separator constructed in accordance with the invention.
The liquid separator shown in FIG. 1 comprises a mixing and/or residence vessel 90 to which a mixture of oil in water is admitted such as on the line 92 shown. The mixture is then taken on line 42 to a hydrocyclone 10 to provide at an outlet line 44 separated oil and at an outlet line 46 separated water which may, however, still contain some residual oil. The water component is passed on line 46 through a pressure reducing device 50 and thence on a line 52 to a filter device 100. Here, further separation occurs with the water component being taken on a line 58 from the device 100.
The hydrocyclone 10 may be constructed in known fashion, such as in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,006, Australian patent application 84713/79, or in my International applications PCT/AU83/00028 or PCT/AU85/00010. FIG. 2 shows, diagrammatically, a separator of this general type. This is shown as having a tapered elongate separating chamber 25 which is of circular cross-section having, at its larger diameter end, a first cylindrical portion 12, a tangential inlet 26 having an inlet opening 30, and an axial overflow outlet 34 which communicates with an outlet opening 32. A tapered portion 12a of separating chamber 25 is provided adjacent portion 12, this leading to a second, also slightly tapered, portion 14 of the separating chamber 25, this in turn leading to an elongate cylindrical portion 16 of the separating chamber which opens to an axial underflow outlet 23 for the separator.
Oily water mixture to be separated is passed on the inlet 26 through the inlet opening 30 into the portion 12 of the separating chamber 25 so as to generate a vortex within the separating chamber. The oil component emerges f
REFERENCES:
patent: 3576738 (1971-04-01), Duffy
patent: 3946101 (1976-03-01), Harendza-Harinxma
patent: 4161428 (1979-07-01), Gottschlich et al.
patent: 4226722 (1980-10-01), Jones
patent: 4482459 (1984-11-01), Shiver
patent: 4539097 (1985-09-01), Kelterborn et al.
patent: 4935154 (1990-06-01), Arnold
Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary, p. 478, Houghton Mifflin Company, copyright 1984.
Conoco Specialty Products Inc.
Dawson Robert A.
Drodge Joseph
Holder John E.
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