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US 9,309,132 B2Granted
Water and oil separation system
AssigneeBoard of Trustees of Michigan State University
InventorsVolodymyr Tarabara, Wenqian Shan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A separation system includes at least a hydrocyclone and one or more membranes. In another aspect, a separation system includes a membrane having graduated and/or asymmetrical pore sizes. A further aspect of a separation system includes an inner membrane, an outer membrane and a hydrocyclonic flow between the membranes.
Claims34
A separation system comprising:
- a tubular outer membrane including pores;
- a tubular inner membrane including pores, the inner membrane being located inside the outer membrane with a gap between the inner and outer membranes;
- and
- a liquid-rotation-inducing member causing liquid rotation prior to contact against the inner membrane;
- wherein the tubular outer membrane is hydrophilic and the tubular inner membrane is hydrophobic;
- and
- wherein the inner and outer membranes and liquid-rotation-inducing member operably cause hydrocyclonic and filtering separation.
4 more elements
A separation system comprising:
- a fluid passageway;
- a first membrane including pores of substantially graduated sizes with the smallest size pores being closest to the passageway;
- at least a second membrane;
- and
- a mixture of water and hydrocarbon flowing into the fluid passageway in a hydrocyclonic motion to encourage centripetal migration of the hydrocarbon with respect to the water;
- the pores of the first membrane allowing one of the water and the hydrocarbon to pass through the membrane while deterring the other of the water and the hydrocarbon from passing through the membrane;
- and
- the hydrocyclonic motion and first membrane pores separating at least some of the water and the hydrocarbon,
- wherein the first membrane is hydrophilic and the second membrane is hydrophobic.
6 more elements
A separation system comprising:
- a hollow first membrane;
- a hollow second membrane, the second membrane being located concentrically inside the first membrane with a gap between the first and second membranes;
- and
- a first liquid at least partially separated from a second liquid by hydrocyclonic movement of the first and second liquids within the gap between the first and second membranes, at least some of the second liquid passing through the second membrane and at least some of the first liquid passing through the first membrane, in both situations the passing through occurring adjacent a majority of an axial length of the first and second membranes;
- a layer located on a surface of the first membrane having an affinity for the first liquid;
- a layer located on a surface of the second membrane having an affinity for the second liquid;
- the first membrane deterring the second liquid from passing therethrough and the second membrane deterring the first liquid from passing therethrough;
- a collector substantially surrounding the first membrane to collect the first liquid which passes therethrough;
- a first outlet connected to the collector removing the separated first liquid from between the first membrane and the collector;
- and
- at least a second outlet connected to the second membrane removing the separated second liquid from within the second membrane;
- wherein at least one of the first and second membranes includes a rigid, ceramic material.
9 more elements
A separation system comprising:
- a hydrocyclonic generator causing a mixture of oil and water to rotationally swirl as a hydrocyclonically swirling mixture about an axis through a center of the hydrocyclonically swirling mixture;
- a porous and rigid inner membrane located adjacent a center of the swirling mixture, substantially coaxial with the axis;
- an inlet for the mixture being located adjacent a leading end of the inner membrane;
- an outlet located adjacent an opposite trailing end of the inner membrane for removing a filtered one of the oil and water from inside of the inner membrane,
- the inner membrane extending along a length of the hydrocyclonically swirling mixture;
- and
- an outer rigid membrane surrounding the hydrocyclonically swirling mixture such that the hydrocyclonically swirling mixture swirls between the porous and rigid inner membrane and the outer rigid membrane, and the outer rigid membrane is coaxial with the centerline, the inner membrane being hydrophobic and the outer membrane being hydrophilic.
4 more elements
A method of separating oil from water in an oil/water mixture, the method comprising:
- (a) creating a hydrocyclonic flow of the mixture between a rigid inner membrane and a rigid outer membrane;
- (b) using the hydrocyclonic flow to encourage separation of the oil and water;
- (c) flowing the oil through the inner membrane substantially temporally and locationally simultaneously with step (b);
- and
- (d) flowing the water through the outer membrane substantially simultaneously temporally and locationally with steps (b) and (c).
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.