Patent ID: 8367009

Claim:
A liquid separator system comprising, in combination: (a) a vessel with a top part, a bottom part, a gas phase zone, an aqueous phase zone and a denser liquid zone, the vessel has a larger diameter at the top part than at the bottom part; (b) an inlet for introducing a first liquid and a second liquid into the vessel, the second liquid more dense than the first liquid; (c) a first outlet near the bottom part of the vessel for allowing a flow of the second liquid from the vessel; (d) a second outlet in fluid communication with the aqueous phase zone; (e) a pressure controller in communication with the gas phase zone that controls a gas inlet valve and a gas outlet valve, each valve is in fluid communication with an inlet/outlet near the top part of the vessel; and (f) an interface control structure constructed and arranged for sensing within the vessel an interface level between the first liquid and the second liquid and for controlling the flow of the second liquid from the first outlet and for raising or lowering the interface level responsive to a respective increase or decrease in the flow.