Fluid flow separation chamber for separating hydrocarbons from a fluid, method, and system of using the same
OwnerMark S. Rauch, Ronald Kleinekeinventors
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Abstract
A monitoring system is configured to detect a threshold amount of petroleum in a storm water-based fluid of an oil handling facility. For instance, the storm water-based fluid can be drained from a floating roof of a petroleum storage tank, a diked area, or a retention pond.
Claims21
A method of monitoring for a presence of hydrocarbons among group of hydrocarbons in a fluid discharged from a location of an oil handling facility, the group of hydrocarbons including diesel/fuel oil, lube oil, motor oil, hydraulic oil, jet fuel, mineral oil, and crude oil, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing a fluid from the location of the oil handling facility and into a fluid flow separation chamber;
- causing the fluid to flow from an inlet of the fluid flow separation chamber to an outlet of the fluid flow separation chamber;
- sensing the fluid proximate to the outlet of the fluid flow separation chamber for the presence of the hydrocarbons while the fluid is permitted to flow through an open valve that is disposed at a location between the location of the oil handling facility and the outlet of the fluid flow separation chamber;
- and
- when the sensing step detects the presence of a threshold amount of the hydrocarbons in the fluid, closing the open valve, thereby preventing further flow of the fluid from the location of the oil handling facility to the outlet of the fluid flow separation chamber.
A fluid flow separation chamber configured to cause petroleum in a fluid to rise to an upper surface of the fluid, the fluid flow separation chamber comprising:
- a chamber body having a base, and at least one outer wall that extends up from the base;
- a plurality of baffles that extend up from the base, such that adjacent ones of the baffles define respective fluid flow channels, wherein each of the plurality of baffles extends from the at least one outer wall at a first end, and define a respective gap at a second end opposite the first end, such that the gaps are aligned with each other along a plane that is parallel to the base;
- an inlet that extends through the body, wherein the fluid flow separation chamber is configured to receive the fluid through the inlet;
- and
- an outlet that extends through the at least one outer wall below a midpoint of the at least one outer wall and at a location downstream of the inlet with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the fluid flow separation chamber, wherein the fluid flow separation chamber is configured to expel the fluid through the outlet without expelling the fluid through the at least one outer wall above the midpoint of the at least one outer wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.