Patent ID: 8915380
Filing Date: 2014-12-23
Classification: B01D,C02F,E03F

Abstract:
1. A separator for immiscible liquids, comprising: a tank having an inlet, a separation chamber and an outlet chamber, with the inlet feeding an immiscible effluent into the separation chamber, the separation chamber in communication with the outlet chamber, wherein the immiscible effluent separates into a more dense liquid and a less dense liquid in the separation chamber, the less dense liquid exits the separation chamber via a first outlet, and the more dense liquid exits the outlet chamber via a second outlet; the first outlet of the separation chamber having a lowermost exit level to which the less dense liquid must rise in order to exit through the first outlet, the less dense liquid flows from the separation chamber through the first outlet without being controlled by a valve mechanism that prevents the more dense liquid from flowing through the first outlet; the outlet chamber including a weir having a top over which the more dense liquid flows prior to exiting the outlet chamber via the second outlet, said weir having a height that self-adjusts as a function of a flow of the more dense liquid thereover; said weir comprising a lower fixed weir portion with an upper edge and an upper rotatable weir portion having an upper rounded edge over which the more dense liquid flows, said upper rotatable weir portion including an inverted v-shaped saddle member that rests on and rotates on the upper edge of said lower fixed weir portion; and the greatest height of said self-adjusting weir is less than a height of the lowermost exit level of the first outlet of the separation chamber, whereby the more dense liquid exits the second outlet of the outlet chamber rather than the first outlet of the separation chamber.