Patent ID: 8475663

Claim:
A method for removing immiscible fluid from contaminated water from a source, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a water treatment vessel comprising at least one chamber, an inlet weir proximate a top of the vessel supported within the at least one chamber by first mounting means, the first mounting means being a direct mounting of the inlet weir on an interior surface of the at least one chamber and an immiscible fluid weir supported within the at least one chamber by second mounting means, spaced from the inlet weir, the second mounting means being a direct mounting of the immiscible fluid weir on the interior surface of the at least one chamber; (b) transmitting the contaminated water from the source toward the at least one chamber by means of an injection line; (c) providing bubble generation means for generating bubbles; (d) generating and injecting the bubbles into the injection line; (e) allowing the bubbles and contaminated water to mix in the injection line to form an inlet fluid; (f) injecting the inlet fluid into the at least one chamber at an inlet adjacent the inlet weir at the top of the vessel; (g) allowing the inlet fluid to pass over the inlet weir situated proximate said top of the vessel; (h) allowing cleaned water and a remaining mixture of immiscible fluid and gas bubbles to separate from each other; (i) allowing the cleaned water to flow downwardly by gravity to a cleaned water outlet at a bottom of the vessel; (j) draining off the cleaned water from the bottom of the vessel through the cleaned water outlet; (k) allowing the remaining mixture of immiscible fluid and gas bubbles to float across the at least one chamber and over the immiscible fluid weir; and (l) allowing the immiscible fluid to collect in a trough within the at least one chamber and flow out an immiscible fluid outlet.