Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Separating
Patent
1996-07-12
1998-10-20
Upton, Christopher
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Separating
210788, 2102423, 2105121, 210923, E02B 1504
Patent
active
058242317
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention concerns a method of separating and collecting substances, primarily oil, floating in water, by making use of a relative motion between the water containing the substances and a collection container having trapping means associated therewith.
The invention also concerns a device for performing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is previously known to use oil-boom types of collection devices which are suspended across a watercourse to collect oil or other substances floating in water, and the oil boom arranged to guide the substances to a collection container from which the substances are removed directly or indirectly for deposition or destruction. In accordance with the prior-art technology the oil boom may be suspended across a watercourse or be stretched between two vessels moving at low speed in open waters. However, these trapping devices are useful only when the water moves at a very low speed, in general below 0.5 knots, above all because the substances in question, primarily oil, tends to be entrained in the water passing below the oil boom. In addition it is very difficult to effeciently remove the collected substances from the collection container or from a bight in the oil boom which often forms a dammed-up area in which the substances find themselves in stagnant water.
The primary object of the subject invention is to provide a method and a device for making the collection more efficient and to facilitate removal of the substances from the water for further transportation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The method in accordance with the invention is essentially characterized in that the collection container is placed in the water with a peripheral opening that intersects the water surface being turned obliquely towards the flow direction of the water in relation to the collection container in such a manner that water containing said substances flows essentially tangentially into to the collection container to create inside the collection container a rotating water motion, removing the substances in question from the collection container in the created water vortex while on account of the downwardly directed pressure created by the vortex remaining water is evacuated from the collection container, in the following referred to as "circulation chamber", at the bottom thereof. In this manner the speed of the water flowing towards the collection container and carrying the substances in question, is made use of in order to create, inside the collection container, a whirling or vortical motion. Efficient collection in the collection container interior is thus achieved as well as efficient removal of the oil and other substances by means of suitably positioned removal devices, for instance of so called skimmer type. Such removal devices could be placed in a stationary condition inside the collection container since the water automatically will move towards these devices, whereby the substances in question may be easily skimmed off the uppermost water layer. The vortical motion brings about a concentration of the substances, allowing local positioning of the removal devices, preferably close to the vortex centre. In addition, this arrangement increases the possibility of efficiently clearing the water at great speed.
A device in accordance with the invention designed to solve the above problems and also exhibiting the advantages outlined above is characterized in that the collection container comprises, at its periphery, a vertically extending enveloping wall which intersects the water surface in the operative position of the device, a bottom joined to said wall at the base thereof, and inlet opening formed in said enveloping wall for admission of water laden with such substances and having an extension below as well as above the water surface, said trapping means comprising a trapping arm likewise intersecting the water surface and extending, from one lateral delimiting edge of the inlet opening, from the collection
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patent: 4510054 (1985-04-01), Wylie
patent: 4514299 (1985-04-01), Ayroldi
patent: 5200066 (1993-04-01), Jorgensen
Erling Blomberg AB
Slusher Jeffrey
Upton Christopher
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