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US 5,855,769 AGranted
Apparatus and method for selective separation of hydrophobic material
AssigneeCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
InventorsBruce Andrew Firth, Philip Kwadwo Ofori
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hydrophobic material is selectively separated from an aqueous feed by forming gas bubbles in a flow of the feed, forming hydrophobic material/gas bubbles aggregates by motionless mixing and separating the aggregates as a froth by use of centrifugal action.
Claims33
A separator for centrifugally separating hydrophobic material/gas bubble aggregates from a flow containing the aggregates, the separator comprising:
- (a) a generally vertically orientated cylindrical vessel;
- (b) inlet means located in a wall of the vessel for introducing the flow into the vessel as a downwardly spiralling flow within the vessel with consequential separation of aggregates as a rising froth and waste material;
- (c) first outlet means located below the inlet means for removal of waste material from the vessel;
- (d) second outlet means located above the inlet means for removal of froth from the vessel;
- and
- (e) a generally horizontally orientated partition which spans the walls of the vessel and which is located between the inlet means and the second outlet means dividing the vessel into an upper portion and a lower portion, the partition having means for permitting the upwardly moving passage of froth through the partition and means for permitting the downwardly moving passage of waste material through the partition.
3 more elements
A method for the selective separation of hydrophobic material from an aqueous feed, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a flow of the aqueous feed through a conduit means;
- (b) introducing a gas into the flow and forming bubbles of the gas in the flow as the flow moves through the conduit means;
- (c) subjecting the flow containing gas bubbles to motionless mixing to disperse the gas bubbles in the flow and cause contact between the hydrophobic material and the gas bubbles, whereby hydrophobic material/gas bubble aggregates are formed in the flow;
- and
- (d) introducing the aggregates containing flow into centrifugal separation means whereby aggregates are separated from the flow as froth, the centrifugal separation means comprising a generally vertically orientated cylindrical vessel, inlet means located in a wall of the vessel for introducing the flow into the vessel as a downwardly spiraling flow within the vessel with consequential separation of aggregates as a rising froth and waste material, first outlet means located below the inlet means for removal of waste material fro the vessel, second outlet means located above the inlet means for removal of froth from the vessel, and a generally horizontally orientated partition which spans the walls of the vessel and which is located between the inlet means and the second outlet means dividing the vessel into an upper portion and a lower portion, the partition having means for permitting the upwardly moving passage of froth through the partition and means for permitting the downwardly moving passage of waste material through the partition.
2 more elements
An apparatus for the selective separation of hydrophobic material from an aqueous feed, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) flow inducing means for providing a flow of the aqueous feed through a conduit means;
- (b) gas introduction means for introducing a gas and forming bubbles of the gas in the flow as the flow moves through the conduit means;
- (c) motionless mixing means in fluid communication with the conduit means for dispersing the gas bubbles in the flow and causing contact between the hydrophobic material and the gas bubbles;
- and
- (d) centrifugal separation means in fluid communication with the motionless mixing means for separating, from the flow as froth, hydrophobic material/gas bubble aggregates formed by contact between the hydrophobic material and the gas bubbles, the centrifugal separation means comprising a generally vertically orientated cylindrical vessel, inlet means located in a wall of the vessel for introducing the flow into the vessel as a downwardly spiraling flow within the vessel with consequential separation of aggregates as a rising froth and waste material, first outlet means located below the inlet means for removal of waste material from the vessel, second outlet means located above the inlet means for removal of froth from the vessel, and a generally horizontally orientated partition which spans the walls of the vessel and which is located between the inlet means and the second outlet means dividing the vessel into an upper portion and a lower portion, the partition having means for permitting the upwardly moving passage of froth through the partition and means for permitting the downwardly moving passage of waste material through the partition.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.