Separation apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A separation apparatus for substantially separating at least two at least partially immiscible liquids, said apparatus comprising a main body portion having a wall, an inlet means for admitting a mixture of the at least two at least partially immiscible liquids, a separating means for at least partially separating the mixture admitted to the apparatus into at least a first liquid component and a second liquid component, said separating means being spaced apart from the internal surface of the wall of the apparatus, and at least two outlets, wherein one of the outlets is for discharging the first liquid component of separated material and the second outlet is for discharging the second liquid component of separated material, wherein the separating means includes a baffle arrangement having at least two baffles which are spaced apart from each other over at least a part of the respective surfaces of the baffles so that the mixture to be separated can flow intermediate the surfaces in use, each of the baffles being provided with an aperture located at or towards the center of the baffle and with a peripheral edge portion, wherein the peripheral edge portion of at least one baffle is provided with a discontinuity, the baffle arrangement being arranged so that the peripheral edge portions are spaced apart from the wall of the apparatus, and wherein the baffle arrangement defines a tortuous flow path from the inlet to the outlets along which the mixture to be separated is caused to flow for a time sufficient to allow the mixture to at least partially separate into the at least two liquid components, wherein the flow includes convection current flow within and around the baffle arrangement to facilitate separation of the mixture into the two liquid components, thereby separating the first liquid component from the second liquid component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A separation apparatus, particularly for separating two fluids having different densities or specific gravities, is described. The apparatus is provided with a baffle arrangement (22) located within cylindrical housing (3) comprising a plurality of conical-shaped baffles having sloping wall surfaces (24). The conical baffles may be arranged in a nested or stacked relationship or may be connected together to form a continuous helix. A convection current is set up within the apparatus such that one part of the flow is through the baffles in the direction from the base of the conical baffles to the centrally located aperture and the other part of the flow is along the interior walls of the apparatus in a gap between the peripheral edge of the base of the conical baffles and the interior wall. The material to be separated is discharged from the apparatus through a high level outlet acting as an overflow weir.
103 Citations
29 Claims
- 1. A separation apparatus for substantially separating at least two at least partially immiscible liquids, said apparatus comprising a main body portion having a wall, an inlet means for admitting a mixture of the at least two at least partially immiscible liquids, a separating means for at least partially separating the mixture admitted to the apparatus into at least a first liquid component and a second liquid component, said separating means being spaced apart from the internal surface of the wall of the apparatus, and at least two outlets, wherein one of the outlets is for discharging the first liquid component of separated material and the second outlet is for discharging the second liquid component of separated material, wherein the separating means includes a baffle arrangement having at least two baffles which are spaced apart from each other over at least a part of the respective surfaces of the baffles so that the mixture to be separated can flow intermediate the surfaces in use, each of the baffles being provided with an aperture located at or towards the center of the baffle and with a peripheral edge portion, wherein the peripheral edge portion of at least one baffle is provided with a discontinuity, the baffle arrangement being arranged so that the peripheral edge portions are spaced apart from the wall of the apparatus, and wherein the baffle arrangement defines a tortuous flow path from the inlet to the outlets along which the mixture to be separated is caused to flow for a time sufficient to allow the mixture to at least partially separate into the at least two liquid components, wherein the flow includes convection current flow within and around the baffle arrangement to facilitate separation of the mixture into the two liquid components, thereby separating the first liquid component from the second liquid component.
- 22. A method of substantially separating a mixture of at least two at least partially immiscible liquids into at least a first liquid component and a second liquid component using a tortuous flow path including convection current flow within a separation apparatus having a wall, comprising the steps of admitting the mixture to the separation apparatus through an inlet means, allowing the mixture to flow along a tortuous flow path in convection current flow for a time sufficient to at least partially separate the mixture into the first and second liquid components, and discharging the first liquid component when separated from the mixture through a first outlet means and discharging the second liquid component when separated from the mixture through a second outlet means, wherein the separating means includes a baffle arrangement having at least two baffles which are spaced apart from each other over at least a part of the respective surfaces of the baffles so that the mixture to be separated can flow intermediate the surfaces in use, each of the baffles being provided with an aperture located at or towards the center of the baffle and with a peripheral edge portion, wherein the peripheral edge portion of at least one baffle is provided with a discontinuity, the baffle arrangement being arranged so that the peripheral edge portions are spaced apart from an internal surface of the wall of the separation apparatus, wherein the baffle arrangement defines a tortuous flow path from the inlet to the outlets along which the mixture to be separated is caused to flow for a time sufficient to allow the mixture to at least partially separate into the at least two liquid components, wherein the flow includes convection current flow within and around the baffle arrangement in order to separate the mixture into the two liquid components, thereby separating the first liquid component from the second liquid component.
Specification