# US 4,391,716 A · Preferential wicking system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,391,716 A - Document ID: US4391716A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/333,300 - Filed: 1981-12-22 - Granted: 1983-07-05 - Earliest claimed: 1981-12-22 - Assignees: American Filtrona Corporation - Inventors: H. Michael McCurry - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4391716A ## CPC - F02M 37/0082: {Devices inside the fuel tank other than fuel pumps or filters (electrical pumps submerged in fuel tanks F02M37/10, jet pumps F02M37/025)} - B01D 17/0202: {by ab- or adsorption} - B01D 17/0214: {with removal of one of the phases} - C10G 33/06: with mechanical means, e.g. by filtration - F02M 37/24: characterised by water separating means - F02B 3/06: with compression ignition (compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02) - F02D 33/003: {Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus (control of electrical fuel pumps F02D41/3082, controlling fuel flow to a common rail F02D41/3845); Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge} - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) ## Abstract Removal of a first liquid, such as water, from a tank containing a second liquid of lower specific gravity, such as diesel fuel, is achieved with a liquid trap chamber into which the first liquid is delivered by a primer wick and from which the first liquid is withdrawn by an exhaust wick or pump. The primer wick transversely fills an in-flow passage above a downward-facing inlet opening of that passage. The first liquid is drawn from the tank by the primer wick, which spills that liquid over a weir into the liquid trap chamber. The bottom of the liquid trap chamber is disposed at a level below said inlet opening. The exhaust wick is disposed to transversely fill an outlet passage disposed above the liquid trap chamber with the bottom of the exhaust wick or pump sensor positioned at least as high as the top of the primer wick. When the first liquid in the tank falls below an established level, the primer wick stops pumping and liquid from the liquid trap chamber falls below the bottom of the exhaust wick or pump sensor to prevent further removal of liquid therefrom. The first liquid remaining in the liquid trap chamber forms a dam which blocks flow communication from the primer wick to the exhaust wick or pump sensor. Any of the second fluid which may enter the liquid trap chamber collects on top of the dam at the primer wick side. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for use in an upright position in separating a first liquid having a first specific gravity from a second liquid having a second specific gravity less than said first specific gravity, said apparatus comprising: a liquid trap chamber having a liquid-containing portion including a bottom chamber wall, an upwardly-directed inlet opening disposed above said liquid-containing portion, an upwardly-directed outlet opening disposed above said liquid-containing portion, and a top wall with a lowermost section separating said inlet and outlet openings; an inlet passage having a liquid ingress opening disposed at a level above said bottom wall and below said lowermost section of said top wall, said inlet passage further including weir means disposed at a level above said top and positioned to spill liquid above a predetermined level in said inlet passage into the inlet opening of said chamber; an outlet passage extending generally upward from said outlet opening of said chamber; primer wick means, having top and bottom ends disposed to transversely fill a portion of said inlet passage, for drawing liquid upward through said inlet passage from said ingress opening, wherein the bottom end of said primer wick means is disposed at a level spaced above said ingress opening; and exhaust means disposed at a further level in said outlet passage for drawing liquid at or above said further level upward through said outlet passage, wherein said further level at least as high as the top end of said primer wick. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exhaust means is an exhaust wick disposed to transversely fill at least a portion of said outlet passage and having a lower end disposed at said further level. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exhaust means comprises pumping means including a liquid sensor means disposed at said further level and pump means responsive to said level sensor for pumping liquid from said further level out of said outlet passage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3) The apparatus according to claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising: a pool of said first liquid disposed in said liquid trap chamber to a level at least as high as said lowermost section of said top wall to isolate said inlet and outlet openings from one another. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outlet passage is a first relatively long vertically-extending tube having an open outlet end remote from said liquid trap member, wherein said inlet passage comprises a second relatively short vertically-extending tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said inlet passage and said liquid trap chamber are formed as an S-shaped tube having one end in flow communication with said ingress opening and a second end in flow communication with said outlet passage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2) The apparatus according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said primer wick means and said exhaust means are made from a capillary fibermass material comprising fibers extending longitudinally in the direction of flow through said primer and exhaust means, said fibers being crimped and peripherally wrapped with material which is impervious to said first and second liquids. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said fibers are cellulose acetate fibers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2) The apparatus according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said inlet passage is disposed peripherally about said liquid trap chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said liquid trap chamber is generally cylindrical and said inlet passage forms an annulus disposed partially about said liquid trap chamber, and wherein said lowermost section of said top chamber wall is at a level below said bottom end of said primer wick means. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said ingress opening of said inlet passage is a downwardly facing annular opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1, 2, 3) The apparatus according to claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a tank, having a bottom wall and a side wall, for containing said second liquid and from which said first liquid is to be removed, and wherein said apparatus is disposed in said upright position in said tank with said liquid trap chamber disposed at a lower depth than the remainder of the apparatus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said outlet passage extends to above the surface of liquid in said tank. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said tank further includes a top wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said liquid trap chamber is disposed at the bottom of said tank, the ingress opening of the inlet passage being spaced above the bottom of said tank, and said outlet passage extending upwardly beyond said top wall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first liquid is water and said second liquid is hydrocarbon fuel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said fuel is diesel fuel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said outlet passage is a first relatively long vertically-extending tube having an open outlet end remote from said liquid trap chamber, wherein said inlet passage comprises a second relatively short vertically-extending tube. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said inlet passage and said liquid trap chamber are formed as a S-shaped tube having one end in flow communication with said ingress opening and a second end in flow communication with said outlet passage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said lowermost section of said top chamber wall is at a level below said bottom end of the primer wick means. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1, 2, 3) The apparatus according to claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said lowermost section of said top chamber wall is at a level below said bottom end of said primer wick means. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1, 2, 3) The apparatus according to claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the top end of said primer wick means is at a level slighty below said weir means and above the lowermost section of said top chamber wall. ### Claim 23 A method for separating a first liquid of known specific gravity from a second liquid of lesser specific gravity in a tank wherein the second liquid is supported by surface tension in a column above said first liquid, said method comprising the steps of: drawing liquid from the bottom of said tank upward through an inlet passage with a primer wick; flowing liquid from said inlet passage over a weir and into a liquid trap chamber; drawing liquid above a predetermined height in said liquid trap chamber out of said tank; and establishing a liquid dam of said first liquid in said liquid trap chamber to block flow communication between said inlet passage and said predetermined height when the level of said first liquid in said tank falls to a predetermined level. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein, in said step of establishing, said predetermined level is the bottom of said primer wick.