Patent ID: 11879552
Assignee: nan
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  C | IPC C  F

Claim 0:
1. A flow control apparatus comprising:
a vessel;
a sealing component comprising:
an upper plate assembly;
a lower plate assembly; and
a plate connector rod connecting said upper plate assembly to said lower plate assembly;

a vapor equalization line;
a liquid inlet line comprising a substantially vertical segment; and
a liquid outlet;
wherein:
said sealing component is vertically displaceable within said vessel;
said liquid inlet line substantially vertical segment is fluidly connected to a sump of said vessel;
an upper internal section of said vessel above said upper plate assembly is in fluid communication with said liquid inlet line, directly or indirectly, via said vapor equalization line;
when liquid in said substantially vertical segment of said liquid inlet line provides sufficient force to a bottom surface of said lower plate assembly and causes said sealing component to be displaced sufficiently upward, liquid in said sump flows out through said liquid outlet; and
said flow control apparatus comprises a feature selected from the group consisting of:
a pre-filter assembly;
at least a portion of an interior wall of said vessel comprising a surface material having a low coefficient of friction; and
both a pre-filter assembly and at least a portion of an interior wall of said vessel comprising a surface material having a low coefficient of friction.