Method and apparatus for recovering oil from an oil spill on the surface of a body of water

Patent · Tue Jun 11 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5867493

Schweizer, R W; Patel, K P; Lau, P Y

This patent describes a method of recovering a hydrophobic hydrocarbon oil from the surface of a body of water, the body of water having a water temperature, the oil having a specific gravity which is less than the specific gravity of the water in the body of water and a viscosity which is greater than approximately 80 centipoise at the water temperature. It comprises continuously withdrawing a feed oil-water mixture from the surface of the body of water; continuously adjusting the viscosity of the oil in the feed oil-water mixture to a level below approximately 80 centipoise to form an adjusted oil-water mixture; and continuously passing the adjusted oil-water mixture through an oil-water coalescer to separate the oil in the adjusted oil-water mixture from the water in the adjusted oil-water mixture.

• Assignee: ACS Industries, Inc., Woonscoket, RI (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5023002; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-506705
• OSTI ID: 5867493
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 9 Apr 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
HYDROCARBONS
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
OFFSHORE OPERATIONS
OIL SPILLS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
REMEDIAL ACTION
WATER POLLUTION
CONTROL
INDUSTRY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
540350 - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
294002 - Energy Planning & Policy- Petroleum