Patent ID: 7172688
Filing Date: 2007-02-06
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
1. A system to vacuum collect and vacuum convey mixed immiscible liquids from the source of, or the sources of, said mixed immiscible liquids into a separation facility, said mixed immiscible liquids being composed of a heavy phase and a light phase, the specific gravity of said heavy phase being greater than the specific gravity of said light phase, said separation facility being under continuous vacuum, to separate said mixed immiscible liquids into said heavy phase and said light phase in said separation facility, and once said heavy phase is separated from said light phase in said separation facility, to ultimately discharge said heavy phase to a heavy phase terminal facility, and to ultimately discharge said light phase to a light phase terminal facility, respectively, said heavy phase terminal facility and said light phase terminal facility both being under atmospheric pressure, comprising (a) a mixed immiscible liquids influent stream, said mixed immiscible liquids influent stream being said mixed immiscible liquids that flow into said separation facility, and (b) a vacuum tank, said vacuum tank having a predetermined volumetric holding capacity and a predetermined shape, and having a top and a bottom, said top of said vacuum tank being above said bottom of said vacuum tank, (c) said vacuum tank containing inside a main gross phase separation chamber, a light phase sump, a heavy phase equalization chamber, and a heavy phase sump, said main gross phase separation chamber and said light phase sump and said heavy phase equalization chamber and said heavy phase sump each delimiting a respective space inside said vacuum tank, each said respective space having a top and a bottom and sides, each said respective top of each said respective space being above each said respective bottom of each said respective space, and each said respective top of each said respective space being open and uncovered, (d) said vacuum tank also containing inside an air gap, said air gap being all space inside said vacuum tank below said top of said vacuum tank and above said top of said space of said main gross phase separation chamber and above said top of said space of said light phase sump and above said top of said space of said heavy phase equalization chamber and above said top of said space of said heavy phase sump, (e) said space of said light phase sump being isolated from said space of said main gross phase separation chamber and from said space of said heavy phase sump and from said space of said heavy phase equalization chamber, (f) said space of said heavy phase sump being isolated from said space of said main gross phase separation chamber and from said space of said light phase sump and from said space of said heavy phase equalization chamber, (g) said heavy phase equalization chamber being coupled to said bottom of said main gross phase separation chamber, (h) one or more of said sides, or a portion of said sides, of said light phase sump abutting said space of said main gross phase separation chamber, (i) one or more of said sides, or a portion of said sides, of said heavy phase sump abutting said space of said heavy phase equalization chamber, and (j) a vacuum tank air evacuation outlet, said vacuum tank air evacuation outlet penetrating into said top of said vacuum tank, and (k) a vacuum generating means, said vacuum generating means being coupled to said vacuum tank air evacuation outlet and causing and maintaining a continuous vacuum intensity in said vacuum tank, and (l) a vacuum tank mixed immiscible liquids inlet, said vacuum tank mixed immiscible liquids inlet penetrating into said top of said vacuum tank, and (m) a mixed immiscible liquids collection conduit, or a mixed immiscible liquids collection conduit network, said mixed immiscible liquids collection conduit or mixed immiscible liquids collection conduit network being coupled to said vacuum tank at said vacuum tank mixed immiscible liquids inlet and extending to said source, or said sources, of mixed immiscible liquids, (n) said mixed immiscible liquids influent stream discharging into said main gross phase separation chamber for simultaneous quiescent differential specific gravity separation process and vacuum induced dissolved air flotation process, said mixed immiscible liquids influent stream dissociating into a separated light phase and a separated heavy phase in said main gross phase separation chamber, said separated light phase floating above said separated heavy phase, (o) said light phase sump having a horizontal top edge weir along said top of said sides of said light phase sump along all said sides of said light phase sump that abut said space of said main gross phase separation chamber, said horizontal top edge weir of said light phase sump being below said top of said vacuum tank, and establishing said top of said space of said main gross phase separation chamber and said top of said space of said light phase sump, (p) said heavy phase sump having a horizontal top edge weir along said top of said sides of said heavy phase sump along all said sides of said heavy phase sump that abut said space of said heavy phase equalization chamber, said horizontal top edge weir of said heavy phase sump being slightly below said horizontal top edge weir of said light phase sump, and establishing said top of said space of said heavy phase equalization chamber and said top of said space of said heavy phase sump, (q) said sides of said heavy phase equalization chamber and said sides of said heavy phase sump that abut said main gross phase separation chamber and/or said light phase sump having a respective top edge, said respective top edge of said sides of said heavy phase equalization chamber and/or said heavy phase sump being slightly above said top of said space of said main gross phase separation chamber and said top of said space of said light phase sump, and (r) a light phase sump liquid surface level is a horizontal plane and is existing inside said light phase sump if the liquid surface level of said separated light phase in said main gross phase separation chamber is, or has been, above said top of said space of said main gross phase separation chamber, and (s) a heavy phase sump liquid surface level is a horizontal plane and is existing inside said heavy phase sump if the liquid surface level of said separated heavy phase in said heavy phase equalization chamber is, or has been, above said top of said space of said heavy phase equalization chamber, and (t) a light phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means, said light phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means being located inside said light phase sump below said top of said space of said light phase sump, and (u) a light phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means, said light phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means being located inside said light phase sump below said light phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means, and (v) a heavy phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means, said heavy phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means being located inside said heavy phase sump below said top of said space of said heavy phase sump, and (w) a heavy phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means, said heavy phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means being located inside said heavy phase sump below said heavy phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means, and (x) a light phase sump outlet, said light phase sump outlet being located below said light phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means, and (y) a heavy phase sump outlet, said heavy phase sump outlet being located below said heavy phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means, and (z) a light phase flow control means, said light phase flow control means being coupled to said light phase sump outlet and extracting said separated light phase from said light phase sump and delivering said light phase to said light phase terminal facility, and (aa) a heavy phase flow control means, said heavy phase flow control means being coupled to said heavy phase sump outlet and extracting said separated heavy phase from said heavy phase sump and delivering said heavy phase to said heavy phase terminal facility, (bb) said light phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means initiating the operation of said light phase flow control means at any time said light phase sump liquid surface level is at, or above, the elevation of said light phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means, (cc) said light phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means preventing the operation of said light phase flow control means at any time said light phase sump liquid surface level is at, or below, the elevation of said light phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means, (dd) said heavy phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means initiating the operation of said heavy phase flow control means if said heavy phase sump liquid surface level is at, or above, the elevation of said heavy phase sump upper liquid surface level sensing means, (ee) said heavy phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means preventing the operation of said heavy phase flow control means if said heavy phase sump liquid surface level is at, or below, the elevation of said heavy phase sump lower liquid surface level sensing means, and (ff) a vacuum generating means/vacuum tank coupling conduit, said vacuum generating means/vacuum tank coupling conduit coupling said vacuum generating means to said vacuum tank at said vacuum tank air evacuation outlet, and (gg) a light phase flow control means/light phase sump coupling conduit, said light phase flow control means/light phase sump coupling conduit coupling said light phase flow control means to said light phase sump outlet, and (hh) a heavy phase flow control means/heavy phase sump coupling conduit, said heavy phase flow control means/heavy phase sump coupling conduit coupling said heavy phase flow control means to said heavy phase sump outlet.