# US 5,707,530 A · Method for clarifying contaminated fluids > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,707,530 A - Document ID: US5707530A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/677,504 - Filed: 1996-07-10 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1990-09-28 - Assignees: Paul C. Broussard, Sr. - Inventors: Paul C. Broussard, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707530A ## CPC - B03D 1/1418: {using centrifugal forces} - B01D 17/00: Separation of liquids, not provided for elsewhere, e.g. by thermal diffusion (devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material from water, waste water, or sewage C02F1/40; cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; arrangements for separating lubricants from refrigerants F25B43/02) - B01D 17/0205: {by gas bubbles or moving solids} - B01D 17/0211: {with baffles} - B01D 17/0214: {with removal of one of the phases} - B01D 17/0217: {by centrifugal force} - B01D 21/0006: {Settling tanks provided with means for cleaning and maintenance} - B01D 21/0027: {Floating sedimentation devices} - B01D 21/0039: {Settling tanks provided with contact surfaces, e.g. baffles, particles} - B01D 21/0042: {Baffles or guide plates} - B01D 21/0084: {Enhancing liquid-particle separation using the flotation principle (flotation in general B03D1/00)} - B01D 21/2411: {having a tangential inlet} - B01D 21/2433: {Discharge mechanisms for floating particles} - B01D 21/26: Separation of sediment aided by centrifugal force {or centripetal force}(centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C) - B03D 1/1456: {Feed mechanisms for the slurry} - B03D 1/1468: {Discharge mechanisms for the sediments} - B03D: FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION (sedimentation in general B01D21/00; in combination with other separation of solids B03B; sink-float separation B03B5/28; detergents, soaps C11D) - 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) ## Abstract The method of the present invention comprises introducing a contaminated fluid mixture containing solids, liquid and contaminating fluid into a preliminary separator to separate the contaminating fluid from the principal liquid and solids; tangentially introducing the contaminated fluid mixture into a vertical cylindrical vessel in a circular motion to further separate the contaminating fluid from the principal liquid and solids; introducing air into the contaminated fluid mixture to further separate the contaminating fluid from the liquid and solids; maintaining the circular flow of the contaminated fluid mixture within the vessel to separate the fluid into contaminating fluid, clean liquid and solid contaminants; collecting the contaminating fluid in a reservoir; removing the contaminating fluid from the reservoir; and, discharging the clean liquid from the vessel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for clarifying a contaminated fluid mixture containing contaminating fluid, a principal liquid and solids, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a contaminated fluid mixture into a preliminary separation means for producing gas bubbles in said contaminated fluid mixture to entrap and separate the contaminating fluid from the principal liquid and solids in said contaminated fluid mixture; (b) tangentially introducing said contaminated fluid mixture from said introducing step into the upper portion of a vertical cylindrical vessel thereby producing circular motion such that said contaminating fluid mixture will further separate from said principal liquid and solids and rise to an upper surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel; (c) introducing air in the form of micro-fine gas bubbles into the mid-region of said contaminated fluid mixture such that the circular motion of said contaminated fluid causes said gas bubbles to rise to the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel, further entrapping and separating contaminating fluid from said principal liquid and solids in said contaminated fluid mixture; (d) maintaining the circular flow of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel from said air introducing step such that said contaminated fluid mixture separates into contaminating fluid on the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel, the solids separating from the liquid and settling on the bottom of said vessel, and the separated liquid settling in the mid-region of said vessel; (e) collecting the contaminating fluid on the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture from said maintaining step in a reservoir by controlling said contaminated fluid mixture level within said vessel, thereby allowing said contaminated fluid on said surface to spill over into said reservoir, said reservoir comprising: i) a substantially vertical weir or wall portion spaced from said tangentially introduced contaminated fluid mixture and extending laterally in said upper portion of said vessel; ii) a bottom portion connected to said vertical wall portion and the inside wall of said vessel, wherein said reservoir is open at its top within said upper portion of said vessel and said reservoir has a generally segment shaped cross section; and, iii) an outlet port provided in the wall of said upper portion of said vessel and in the lower portion of said reservoir; (f) removing said contaminated fluid from said reservoir; and, (g) discharging the separated liquid from said maintaining step through a discharge port provided in the lower portion of said vessel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of increasing the velocity of said contaminated fluid mixture prior to said tangentially introducing said contaminated fluid mixture into said vessel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein in said tangentially introducing step, said contaminated fluid mixture is tangentially introduced into said vessel below the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein in said maintaining step, the solids are separated from the principal liquid by gravity. ### Claim 5 A method for clarifying a contaminated fluid mixture containing contaminating fluid, a principal liquid and solids, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a contaminated fluid mixture into a horizontally positioned preliminary separation means for producing gas bubbles in said contaminated fluid mixture to entrap and separate the contaminating fluid from the principal liquid and solids in said contaminated fluid mixture; (b) tangentially introducing said contaminated fluid mixture from said introducing step into the upper portion of a vertical cylindrical vessel thereby producing circular motion such that said contaminating fluid mixture will further separate from said principal liquid and solids and rise to an upper surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel; (c) introducing air in the form of micro-fine gas bubbles into the mid-region of said contaminated fluid mixture such that the circular motion of said contaminated fluid causes said gas bubbles to rise to the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel, further entrapping and separating contaminating fluid from said principal liquid and solids in said contaminated fluid mixture; (d) maintaining the circular flow of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel from said air introducing step such that said contaminated fluid mixture separates into contaminating fluid on the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel, the solids separating from the liquid and settling on the bottom of said vessel, and the separated liquid settling in the mid-region of said vessel; (e) collecting the contaminating fluid on the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture from said maintaining step in a reservoir by controlling said contaminated fluid mixture level within said vessel, thereby allowing said contaminated fluid on said surface to spill over into said reservoir, said reservoir comprising: i) a substantially vertical weir or wall portion spaced from said tangentially introduced contaminated fluid mixture and extending laterally in said upper portion of said vessel; ii) a bottom portion connected to said vertical wall portion and the inside wall of said vessel, wherein said reservoir is open at its top within said upper portion of said vessel and said reservoir has a generally segment shaped cross section; and, iii) an outlet port provided in the wall of said upper portion of said vessel and in the lower portion of said reservoir; (f) removing said contaminated fluid from said reservoir; and, (g) discharging the separated liquid from said maintaining step through a discharge port provided in the lower portion of said vessel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of increasing the velocity of said contaminated fluid mixture prior to said tangentially introducing said contaminated fluid mixture into said vessel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein in said tangentially introducing step, said contaminated fluid mixture is tangentially introduced into said vessel below the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein in said maintaining step, the solids are separated from the principal liquid by gravity. ### Claim 9 A method for clarifying a contaminated fluid mixture containing contaminated fluid, a principal liquid and solids, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a contaminated fluid mixture into a horizontally positioned preliminary seperation means for producing gas bubbles in said contaminated fluid mixture to entrap and separate the contaminating fluid from the principal liquid and solids in said contaminated fluid mixture; (b) tangentially introducing said contaminated fluid mixture from said introducing step into the upper portion of a vertical cylindrical vessel thereby producing circular motion such that said contaminating fluid mixture will further separate from said principal liquid and solids and rise to an upper surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel; (c) introducing air in the form of micro-fine gas bubbles into the mid-region of said contaminated fluid mixture such that the circular motion of said contaminated fluid causes said gas bubbles to rise to the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel, further entrapping and separating contaminating fluid from said principal liquid and solids in said contaminated fluid mixture; (d) maintaining the circular flow of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel from said air introducing step such that said contaminated fluid mixture separates into contaminating fluid on the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel, the solids separating from the liquid and settling on the bottom of said vessel, the separated liquid settling in the mid-region of said vessel and the entrapped and separated contaminating fluid rising to the upper region of said vessel; (e) collecting the contaminating fluid on the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture from said maintaining step in a reservoir within said vessel by controlling said contaminated fluid mixture level within said vessel, thereby allowing said contaminated fluid on said surface to spill over into said reservoir, said reservoir comprising: i) a substantially vertical weir or wall portion spaced from said tangentially introduced contaminated fluid mixture and extending laterally in said upper portion of said vessel; ii) a bottom portion connected to said vertical wall portion and the inside wall of said vessel, wherein said reservoir is open at its top within said upper portion of said vessel and said reservoir has a generally segment shaped cross section; and, iii) an outlet port provided in the wall of said upper portion of said vessel and in the lower portion of said reservoir; (g) removing said contaminated fluid from said reservoir; and, (f) discharging the separated liquid from said maintaining step through a discharge port provided in the lower portion of said vessel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of increasing the velocity of said contaminated fluid mixture prior to said tangentially introducing said contaminated fluid mixture into said vessel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein in said tangentially introducing step, said contaminated fluid mixture is tangentially introduced into said vessel below the surface of said contaminated fluid mixture in said vessel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein in said maintaining step, the solids are separated from the principal liquid by gravity.