Patent ID: 7198715

Claim:
A device for separating a fluid mixture, comprising: a vacuum tank including first, second, third and fourth sub-chambers, said first sub-chamber extending axially substantially along an entire length of said vacuum tank, said second sub-chamber laterally encompassing and being in fluid communication with said first sub-chamber, said third sub-chamber extending coaxially and longitudinally from and being in fluid communication with said second sub-chamber and laterally encompassing said first sub-chamber, said fourth sub-chamber extending parallel to said first sub-chamber along the entire length of said vacuum tank and being in fluid communication with said third sub-chamber; an inlet in fluid communication with said first sub-chamber; a delivery system coupled to said vacuum tank for transporting at least one liquid component of the fluid mixture out of said vacuum tank following separation from the fluid mixture; a vacuum pump coupled to said vacuum tank for extracting other components from the fluid mixture in gas and vapor forms; a heating rod within said first sub-chamber and spaced radially from walls thereof for heating the fluid mixture conveyed therethrough before passing into said second sub-chamber; a packed bed in said second sub-chamber for separation of components of the fluid mixture; and a level monitor in said fourth sub-chamber providing information on fill levels in said vacuum tank of liquid components to be drained.