US 4,132,645 AGranted

Two-stage oil skimmer separator

AssigneeSun Oil Company of Pennsylvania

InventorsJames C. Bottomley, Henry G. Nash

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Abstract

A two stage oil skimmer separator for separating a hydrocarbon, such as oil or wax, from the water in a hydrocarbon-water mixture which is of particular utility for the output from an oil refinery storm sewer system. The first stage of the separator includes a tank which allows gravity separation of the hydrocarbon and water. The floating hydrocarbon is skimmed off the top and directed to the second stage separator. The settled water passes under a baffle to retain the hydrocarbon within the system while passing the water out of the separator. The skimmed hydrocarbon, containing some water, is directed to the second stage where it is heated to facilitate further separation. The hydrocarbon is passed from the top of the second stage to storage tanks in the refinery. The water in the bottom of the second stage tank is returned to the first stage for further separation.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A two-stage oil-water separator comprising:

(a) a first stage separator defining a tank structure providing an inlet for the oil-water mixture, an exit for separated water, which provides for gravity separation of the oil water mixture;
(b) a skimmer means floating on liquid in said tank for skimming the oil off of the top of the liquid surface;
(c) baffle means submerged in said tank which retains oil in said tank but allows water to flow out of said tank;
(d) a chamber located within said tank and extending upwardly therefrom receiving in a bottom portion of said chamber by gravity flow said skimmed oil from said skimmer means, said chamber including a pump activated by a float switch to pump accumulated oil to a second stage separator within said chamber for further separation of oil and water, a heater means within said second stage separator for providing further separation of water from the oil skimmed from the top of said first stage;
said second stage separator having means for removing oil from the top thereof and means for withdrawing water which has settled to the bottom thereof and returning said water back to the first stage separator.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.