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US 4,055,499 AGranted
Fluid separator
OwnerDarryl E. Laxoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for separating fluids from each other. The mixture of fluids to be separated is injected into a cylindrical tank so as to cause the fluids to rotate and thereby accelerate their separation into strata. A float valve at the top of the tank allows lighter fluids to be exhausted while a second float valve at the bottom of the tank provides for the exhaust of heavier fluids. In the event of an oil spill on an open body of water, the present invention would provide for the clean up of the oil slick by separating it from the water.
Claims4
A fluid separator comprising:
- a. a closed container;
- b. means for injecting a mixture of fluids having differing densities into said container so that said mixture is stratified;
- c. a top outlet valve at the top of said container to connect the interior of said container to a first exhaust pipe;
- d. a bottom outlet valve at the bottom of said container to connect the interior of said container to a second exhaust pipe;
- e. a plurality of ball floats, one for each of said outlet valves, ballasted to sink in the less dense fluid and to float in the more dense fluid;
- and
- f. a plurality of cages, one attached interiorly of said container to each of said outlet valves, each containing one of said ball floats, to keep said ball floats aligned with their respective valves such that the less dense fluid of said mixture is exhausted through said top outlet valve and the more dense fluid of said mixture is simultaneously exhausted through said bottom outlet valve depending upon the level of the interface between the fluids.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.