US 8,221,624 B2Granted

Floating oil recovery suppressor and viscosity elevator

OwnerJoseph Merle Dagueinventor

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Abstract

A system for separating liquids of different densities employs a collector shell (17) made up of smooth lines and curvatures. A fairing creates and controls the flow of the liquids (for example water and oil) by gathering, capturing and isolating one liquid beneath the surface of the other liquid (24). The trapped and water pressurized oil is extracted and transferred to a storage container (21). One embodiment, the collector shell (17) is a simple design yet complex in achieving a workable shape that can accomplish all of the above using a small number of moving parts all of which, with the possible exception of the collector shell (17) and the elevator screw (12) are off the shelf items. The collector shell (17) inherently suppresses turbulence. The accumulation of oil captured in the collector bowl (17d) remains in a state of semi-suspension in both rough and normal surface conditions. The only movement of the oil is in a vertical direction when the elevator screw (12) is in motion.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A mobile apparatus used in the separation of two liquid substances while moving across a surface of at least one of the two liquid substances, the apparatus comprising:

a. a collector shell having a proximal end that is wider than a distal end, the shell being configured to gather, submerge, suppress, pressurize and harvest a liquid substance floating on the surface of a second, different liquid substance while the apparatus is moving across the surface of at least one of the two liquid substances, both a portion of the proximal end and a portion of the distal end being in contact with at least one of the two liquid substances while the apparatus is moving across the surface of at least one of the two liquid substances, wherein the two liquid substances have different viscosities, specific gravities, and/or densities, and wherein movement of the apparatus across the surface of at least one of the two liquid substances accomplishes the harvesting;
and
b. a motorized elevator system attached at the distal end of said apparatus to assist in the removal and storage of the first liquid substance, wherein the first liquid substance has at least one of the greater viscosity, lower specific gravity, and the lower density compared to the second liquid substance.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/111,934Filed 19 May 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 16 Dec 2010
Published: US 2012/0152817 A121 Jun 2012
Granted: 17 Jul 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B01D 17/0214
By sedimentation: with removal of one of the phases
C02F 1/40
Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage: devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material
E02B 15/046
Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials:…
E02B 15/105
Devices for removing the material from the surface: archimedian screws