Apparatus for collecting an immiscible liquid from the surface of a body of higher density liquid

Patent · Tue May 13 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5544616

Jordan, R H

An apparatus is described for removing oil from the surface of a body of water, the operation of which is substantially independent of fluctuations in the surface level of the body of water and which moves, relative to the oil, in one forward direction, comprising: a catch basin having a closed bottom and an open top, and made of flexible material which is impervious to air, oil, and water; a flexible flotation means for flexibly supporting the catch basin above the surface level of the water to allow the catch basin to ride the surface of the water in a serpentine fashion without regard to fluctuations in the surface level height; a liquid inlet formed in the catch basin; a self-adjustable weir horizontally disposed across the liquid inlet of the catch basin and means for adjusting the weir at a constant height under the surface of the water so that only the top layer of the body of water, which contains the oil, will be collected; means for vertically hinging both sides of the weir to the catch basin so that all liquids are forced over the top of the weir and prevented from going past the ends of the weir; a liquid outlet located in the bottom of the catch basin to permit removal of water from beneath the overlying oil in the catch basin and to establish flow over the top of the weir thereby increasing concentration of oil in the catch basin; a first pump to remove water from the catch basin through the liquid outlet and to pump water back into the body of water to assist in directing the oil over the weir; a second pump having an intake in the oil phase above the oil/water interface to remove the oil from the basin; and means for moving the apparatus forward, in one direction, relative to the oil on the surface of a body of water.

• Assignee: Chevron Research Co., San Francisco, CA
• Patent Number(s): US 4588501
• OSTI ID: 5544616
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 25 Aug 1983
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
OIL SPILLS
REMOVAL
AIR
FLOTATION
FLUCTUATIONS
LIQUID FLOW
OIL POLLUTION CONTAINMENT
PETROLEUM
PUMPS
QUANTITY RATIO
SOLUBILITY
WATER
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
WATER REMOVAL
CONTAINMENT
CONTROL
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
VARIATIONS
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)