Abstract:
Immiscible liquids are separated into heavier and lighter phases by centrifugal and centripetal forces, respectively, produced by disposing the immiscible liquid onto spinning components, and separately collecting the heavier and lighter phases.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention provides apparatus and systems for the separation of immiscible liquids into heavier and lighter phases.  
           [0002]    There has long existed a need for systems and apparatus for efficient separation of light and heavy phases of immiscible liquids.  
           [0003]    A well-known means for effecting separation of light and heavy phases of immiscible liquids comprises large settlement tanks or enclosures. These require substantial time to effect separation, substantial land areas, and substantial labor and expense to construct, maintain and operate.  
           [0004]    The present invention provides apparatus for utilizing centripetal and centrifugal forces for the separation of immiscible liquids. The apparatus comprises components which spin to effect these forces, and may typically include a generally conical member widening upwardly, and means for impelling the heavier phase against such member, while the lighter liquid phase is impelled generally radially inwardly by centripetal force. The respective heavier and lighter phases are conducted from the apparatus by conduits.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a generally elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein immiscible liquid impinges upon an upper one of a plurality of rotating annular disks;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken at line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a generally elevational view of an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 1 except for lack of a perforated conical member;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at line  4 - 4  in FIG. 3;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an embodiment wherein a generally conical housing member is power-rotated and receives immiscible liquid by a conduit extending above the member;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 5, wherein immiscible liquid is applied to the rotating conical member by a conduit extending upwardly axially from a lower portion of the device to impel a conical housing member;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 is an elevational view of an embodiment having a conical housing wherein are disposed an axial perforated hollow tube and frusto-conical perforated members on the tube and being power-rotated; and  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken at line  8 - 8  in FIG. 7.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the present invention  10  comprises an inner axial rotatable tubular member  12  which is connected by rod elements  14  to space apart annular disks  18 ,  28 ,  30  for rotation within stationary housing  32 .  
         [0014]    A stream of immiscible liquids is directed onto spinning upper annular disk  18  via a conduit  20  by pumping means (not shown). The liquid is urged from the upper annular disk by gravity to urge it downwardly by the circular disk and by centrifugal force urge it radially outwardly of the disks, as indicated by the directional arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2, passing downwardly via the central openings in the annular disks. As indicated by directional arrows in FIG. 1, a portion of the heavy phase is urged upwardly and outwardly to exit over the upper edge of the perforated spinning wall member  24 , which flares outwardly in the upper direction, as shown. Heavy phase liquid passes outwardly via the perforations  26  in spinning member  24  and onto the stationary conical outer housing  32 . That is, the heavy phase is impelled radially outwardly from the successively lower rotating disks  18 ,  28 ,  30  and passes through the perforations of member  24 .  
         [0015]    The lighter phase of the immiscible liquids passes under centripetal force radially inwardly to pass downwardly by gravity via the central openings of the annular disks, as generally indicated by arrows in FIGS. 1 and 3, and passes into the conduit shown to pass from the apparatus of the invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the embodiment of the invention similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, but which has no outer conical housing such as the housing  32  of the embodiment of FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    An inner axial rotatable tubular member  12  is connected by rod elements  14  to space apart annular disks  18 ,  28 ,  30  for rotation with the tubular member  12 .  
         [0018]    A stream of immiscible liquids is directed onto the spinning upper annular disk  18  via a conduit  20  by pumping means (not shown). The liquid is urged from the upper disk by gravity downwardly, and is urged by centrifugal force radially outwardly of the disks, as indicated by the directional arrows shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and passes downwardly via the central openings in the annular disks. As indicated by directional arrows in FIG. 3, a portion of the heavy phase is urged generally outwardly to exit by passing over the outer edge of upper disk  18 . The heavier phase is impelled radially outwardly from the successively lower rotating disks  18 ,  28 ,  30 , and passes downwardly via outer conical housing  32  to pass via a conduit  26  from the apparatus of the invention.  
         [0019]    The lighter phase of the immiscible liquids passes under centripetal force radially and inwardly to pass downwardly via the central openings  22  of the annular disks, as generally indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 3 and 4, and thence passes a conduit  27  from the apparatus of the invention.  
         [0020]    In FIGS. 5 and 6, an embodiment or apparatus  40  of the invention comprises an outer arcuately conical housing  42  adapted to be spun about its axis by an electrical motor  44  which rotates beveled gears  46 ,  48 , gear  48  being mounted about a lower portion of the housing  42 . A conduit  50  conducts the immiscible liquids as indicated by arrows  52 ,  56  which discharges the immiscible liquids to an inner upper portion of housing  42  via outlet portion  54  onto the upper inner surface portion of housing  42  as indicated by arrow  58 . The heavier phase of the immiscible liquids passes radially and outwardly of the housing and along an upper portion of the housing to pass over the upper edge thereof as indicated by arrow  60 . The flow of the heavier phase onto a generally annular trough  62  disposed below the upper edge  59  of the housing, and passes downwardly through a conduit  64  and passes through the apparatus of the invention. The lighter phase of the immiscible liquids generally passes inwardly by centripetal force and downwardly by gravity along the inner surface of the housing  42 , some of said lighter phase passes through a weir  66  into the lower portion of the housing  42 , as indicated by the arrows  68 , and passes via a conduit  70  from the apparatus of the invention.  
         [0021]    Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, an apparatus  80  for separation of two immiscible liquids comprises an outer housing  82  of generally conical configuration and widening upwardly. The housing is stationary—i.e., non-rotating.  
         [0022]    A central axial perforated tubular member  84  is generally coaxial with the outer housing  82 .  
         [0023]    A plurality, typically three, of generally frusto-conical perforated members  86 ,  88 ,  90  are secured to tubular member  84  and are in fluid communication with each other and with tubular member  84 .  
         [0024]    A generally conical, arcuate upper wall member  92  extends upwardly from an upper one of the contiguous perforated members.  
         [0025]    A conduit  100  extends upwardly and inwardly of the assembly and has a bent portion  102  from which exits the immiscible liquids mixture onto the upper inner surface of wall member  92 . The immiscible mixture partially passes generally upwardly and over the upper edge of the conical upper wall member  92 .  
         [0026]    A bevel gear  94  is mounted about a lower portion of the lower one of the frusto-conical perforated members and engages a gear  96  which is driven by electrical motor  98  to spin the tube  84  and perforated members  86 ,  88 ,  90 .  
         [0027]    A vacuum source  105  applies a partial vacuum upwardly through tube  84  to urge the lighter phase inwardly via the perforations  108  of tube  84  and the perforated members  86 ,  88 ,  90 .  
         [0028]    Some of the heavier phase of the immiscible liquids passes outwardly on the upper wall member  92 , as indicated by arrow  104 , over the upper edge thereof to fall by gravity to the inner surface of the housing  82 , and some passes downwardly and outwardly via the perforations in the perforated members  86 ,  88 ,  90  and thence downwardly by gravity to the inner surface of housing  82 . The heavier phase then passes via a conduit  106  to exit the apparatus of the invention.  
         [0029]    The lighter phase is impelled radially inwardly by centripetal force into and within the frusto-conical perforated members and into the perforated tubular member  84  to pass upwardly under the action of the vacuum source  105  and pass via a conduit (not shown) to exit the apparatus of the invention.