Patent ID: 8753521
Filing Date: 2014-06-17
Classification: B01D,B63B,C02F,E02B,Y02A,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A water-hydrocarbon separator for separating and recovering crude oil from water in offshore environments comprising: a cylinder; comprising an outer hull, a multi stage interior core, an inlet, and an outlet end, the outer hull capable of being towed by a vessel through a submerged mass of spilled oil at a desired kinetic energy sufficient to establish a flow path of oil and water through the multi stage interior core; the interior core further comprising a plurality of serially connected cylindrical stages, each stage having an inlet and outlet, wherein the inlet of each successive stage is characterized by a narrower diameter than the adjacent outlet of a preceding upstream stage in the flow path; an annular venturi disposed around the periphery of the outlet end of each stage for accelerating the flow of oil and water into each successive stage and for conducting oil aggregated on the surface of interior core to a containment tank.