System for continuous oil/water separation using superhydrophilic oil/water separation filter

A continuous oil-water separation system comprising:

• a storage tank having an inflow portion and an outflow portion and storing an oil-water mixture;
• a first filter housing having a storage space having a predetermined height and including a first inlet connected to the outflow portion of the storage tank to allow the oil-water mixture to flow in therethrough, a water drain hole allowing water separated from the oil-water mixture to be discharged therethrough, and a first outlet allowing a residual oil-water mixture to flow out therethrough;
• a super-hydrophilic oil-water separation filter positioned in the storage space of the first filter housing to absorb water from the oil-water mixture and connected to the water drain hole to allow the absorbed water to be discharged therethrough;
• a first pressure control valve connected to the first outlet to control opening and closing of the first outlet;
• a second filter housing including a storage space having a predetermined height and having a second inlet connected to the first outlet of the first filter housing to allow the oil-water mixture to flow in therethrough, an oil drain hole allowing oil separated from the oil-water mixture to be discharged therethrough, and a second outlet allowing a residual oil-water mixture to be discharged therethrough;
• a super-hydrophobic oil-water separation filter positioned within the storage space of the second filter housing to absorb oil from the oil-water mixture, and connected to the oil drain hole to discharge the absorbed oil;
• a second pressure control valve installed on an outlet pipe extending from the second outlet;
• and
• a super-hydrophilic membrane connected to a rear end of the second pressure control valve on the outlet pipe,
• wherein the super-hydrophilic oil-water separation filter includes polymer base fibers and a thermosetting coating layer and a hydrogel layer formed on surfaces of the fibers,
• wherein the thermosetting coating layer includes polyimide (PI) or polyamic acid (PAA) having carboxyl groups (—COO—) on a surface thereof, wherein the hydrogel layer includes polyacrylamide (PAM) crosslinked by a crosslinking agent including bisacrylamide (BIS), and wherein the hydrogel layer is chemically bonded to the thermosetting coating layer via amide bonds (—CONH—) formed between the carboxyl groups and acrylamide monomers,
• wherein the filter has a structure in which the polymer base fibers are stacked in multiple layers to form a cylindrical shape,
• wherein the filter has super-hydrophilicity having a contact angle with water in the air of 10° or less.