US 2006/0231510 A1 · Method and apparatus for oil water separation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for separating immiscible liquids in a dispersion containing an aqueous liquid and at least one dispersed non-aqueous liquid by passing the dispersion through a series of absorbents, preferably polymeric. The direction of the flow through the absorbent is radically changed. The period required before a change of the flow direction is established by the differential pressure. There is a gradual increase in the differential pressure across the absorbents which indicates a blockage due to viscous oil and/or solids. The product produced by the method and the apparatus of the invention is a polished non-aqueous phase and a polished aqueous phase both having low contaminant levels. In a preferred embodiment when solids are also present in the dispersion, a solids stream is also recovered.

Claims58

Dependent claims

A method of separating immiscible liquids in a dispersion comprising an aqueous liquid and at least one non-aqueous liquid immiscible in the aqueous liquid and wherein the non-aqueous liquid is dispersed in the aqueous liquid, comprising:

a) feeding the dispersion from a feed supply to a chamber housing a plurality of coalescing compartments, in a first direction through the compartments from an initial upstream compartment to a final downstream compartment;
b) partially coalescing the dispersed non-aqueous liquid through all the coalescing compartments;
c) recovering a partially coalesced emulsion of said liquids, after passage through all the coalescing compartments downstream of said final downstream compartment, and
d) periodically discontinuing the feeding in said first direction and feeding said emulsion in a second direction, counter to said first direction, such that said final downstream compartment of a) becomes a second direction initial upstream compartment and said initial upstream compartment of a) becomes a second direction final downstream compartment.

1 more element

An apparatus for separating immiscible liquids in a dispersion comprising an aqueous liquid and at least one non-aqueous liquid immiscible in the aqueous liquid and wherein the non-aqueous liquid is dispersed in the aqueous liquid, comprising:

a primary vessel including;
an inlet means through which the dispersion enters the vessel and producing a flow within the vessel in a first direction;
an outlet means through which a partially coalesced emulsion leaves the vessel;
a plurality of coalescing compartments which the dispersed non-aqueous liquid partially coalesces to produce the partially coalesced emulsion;
the compartments including a first direction upstream compartment and a first direction last downstream compartment;
a flow direction changing means acting on the inlet means and the outlet means for periodically changing the flow within the vessel to a second direction counter to the first direction, such that said first direction upstream compartment becomes a second direction last downstream compartment and said first direction last downstream compartment becomes a second direction upstream compartment
whereby the partially coalesce emulsion leaving the vessel has passed through all the coalescing compartments.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for oil water separation

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for oil water separation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims58