# US 10,245,528 B2 · Device for skimming a surface fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,528 B2 - Document ID: US10245528B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/524,710 - Filed: 2015-11-06 - Published: 2017-11-09 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-07 - Assignees: Technip France - Applicants: Technip France - Inventors: Michel Davin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245528B2 ## CPC - B01D 17/0214: {with removal of one of the phases} - C02F 1/40: Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16) - E02B 15/106: {Overflow skimmers with suction heads; suction heads} - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) ## Abstract A device (10) for a skimming operation for petrochemical or chemical fluid storage or process tanks working by gravitation, comprising buoyancy means (20), means (30) for collecting surface fluid to be skimmed including an opening (31) emerging just above the interface between the fluid with density d1 and the fluid with density d2, as well as connection means (32), and discharge means (40) for the collected surface fluid. The discharge means (40) includes at least two flexible pipes (41, 42) connected symmetrically to the connection means (32) and extending vertically in the fluid with density d2 toward the bottom of the tank. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for skimming petrochemical or chemical fluid storage tanks working by gravitation, the device presenting a central vertical axis, the petrochemical or chemical fluid having a density d2 and being covered by a surface fluid with a density d1 lower than d2, the device comprising: a buoyancy apparatus floating at an interface between the fluid with density d1 and the fluid with density d2; a collector for collecting surface fluid to be skimmed including an opening emerging above the interface between the fluid with density d1 and the fluid with density d2, the collector being connected to the buoyancy apparatus, and a connector submerged in the fluid with density d2; and a discharger for discharging the collected surface fluid, the discharger being connected to the connector of the collector and extending vertically in the fluid with density d2 toward the bottom of the tank, the discharger comprising at least two flexible pipes connected symmetrically to the connector, the device being maintained in the tank without a guiding post, at least one part of each flexible pipe resting on the bottom of the tank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two flexible pipes are arranged in a Chinese lantern configuration in which the flexible pipes describe symmetrical downward helical trajectories relative to the central vertical axis while going toward the bottom of the tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, including an adjuster for adjusting a skimming height of the surface fluid with density d1 relative to the interface between the fluids with density d1 and d2 fastened at the opening of the collector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device according to claim 3, wherein the adjuster is fastened on an outer surface of the collector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The device according to claim 3, wherein the adjuster is fastened on an inner surface of the collector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, including a closing off apparatus for closing off the opening of the collector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device according to claim 6, wherein the closing off apparatus comprises a float with a diameter larger than the diameter of the opening of the collector floating on the surface of the fluid with density d1, the device comprising a guide fastened below the float, the guide being configured to cooperate with the collector and to slide vertically inside the opening, following height variations of the surface fluid during the skimming operation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7, wherein the guide of the closing off apparatus includes openings to collect the surface fluid with density d1 to be skimmed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method for skimming a petrochemical or chemical fluid storage tank comprising: a) providing a device according to claim 8, b) collecting surface fluid with density d1 present in the tank through openings of the guide using the closing off apparatus and causing the flow of said fluid in the discharger; c) sliding of the guide inside the opening between a high position where the surface fluid has not yet been skimmed and a low position where the surface fluid has been skimmed; and d) closing off the openings of the guide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The skimming method according to claim 9, wherein after step d, the float rests on the opening of the collector.