Patent ID: 6015502
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: B01D,B82Y,C02F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for separating hydrocarbons from a fluid stream that includes an aqueous solution, solid particles and microscopic droplets of organic, comprising:first passing said fluid stream that includes organic along a primarily vertical first path through a first media bed that is effective in coalescing said droplets into larger drops but that also traps said particles at a first end of said first bed and passing said stream from a second end of said first bed later to a separator that further coalesces said drops of organic;reversing the direction of flow of said fluid stream through said first bed by passing said fluid stream that includes organic in a second path that is opposite to said first path through said first bed and later to said separator, said reversal causing said particles to transfer out from said first end of said first bed to flow to said separator;again reversing the direction of flow of said fluid stream that includes organic through said first bed.