Note : Les revendications sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CLAIMS:
1. An apparatus for separating a relatively low density fluid from a
relatively
high density fluid in a stream of fluid that may vary from a very low rate of
flow to a very
large rate of flow, comprising:
(a) an inlet tank (12) for receiving into a body of fluid therein said
stream of fluid;
(b) a separation tank (21) for separating at least some of said
relatively low density fluid from said relatively high density fluid by
allowing said
relatively low density fluid to float on said relatively high density fluid;
(c) a first conduit (20), said first conduit receiving fluid from a surface of
said body of fluid in said inlet tank and discharging said received fluid into
said
separation tank;
(d) an outlet conduit (18) in fluid communication with said inlet tank,
said outlet conduit (18) operative to discharge fluid from said body of fluid;
(e) a bypass conduit (14) for receiving said relatively high density fluid
from below said surface of said body of fluid in said inlet tank and feeding
said relatively
high density fluid to said outlet conduit, said bypass conduit having an inlet
below said
surface of said body of fluid in said inlet tank and an outlet in said outlet
conduit; and
(f) a second conduit connected to said separation tank for feeding said
high density fluid to said outlet conduit;
(g) said apparatus providing at least three paths for fluid entering
said inlet tank (12) as follows:
(i) a first path from said inlet tank (12) via said first conduit (20)
13
to said separation tank (21) and then via said second conduit (122)
to said outlet conduit (18);
(ii) a second path from said inlet tank via said bypass conduit (14)
to said outlet conduit; and
(iii) a third path from said inlet tank (12) to said outlet conduit.
2. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said first conduit (20)
includes
an opening (27), said opening having a height and a width that communicates
with said
inlet tank (12) and permits fluid from said body of fluid in said inlet tank
(12) to flow into
said first conduit and to said separation tank (21), when said body of fluid
in said inlet
tank rises to a level of said opening.
3. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said width of said opening
(27) increases as said height of said opening increases (27).
4. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said outlet of said bypass
conduit (14) is at an elevation above said first conduit (20) so that said
first path passes
fluid when there has been prolonged fluid flow into said inlet tank (12) at
said very low
rate and that said second path passes fluid flow when there has been fluid
flow into said
inlet tank (12) at a rate higher than said very low rate.
5. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising an enclosure (28)
mounted in said outlet conduit, said enclosure having an opening (27) in
communication
with said inlet tank, and an outlet in communication with said first conduit.
6. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said enclosure (28) is located
in a lower portion of said outlet conduit (18), and said opening is operative
to permit fluid
from said body of fluid in said inlet tank (12) to flow into said first
conduit and to said
separation tank (21), when said body of fluid in said inlet tank rises to a
level of said
14
opening, and a upper portion of said outlet conduit (18) is operative for
passing fluid
from said body of fluid to downstream of said enclosure when said very large
rate of
flow occurs.
7. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said width of said opening
(27) increases as said height of said opening increases (27).
8. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said width of said opening
(27) increases as said height of said opening increases (27).
9. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said bypass conduit (14),
comprises at least one pipe (14) in said inlet tank, said at least one pipe
being generally
upright, and having a generally horizontal portion that passes through said
enclosure
(28) and having a portion thereof higher than the lowest portion of said
opening thereby
limiting the flow through said at least one pipe (14) to a condition where a
level of said
body of fluid in said inlet tank (12) is substantially above the lowest part
of said opening.
10. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein said relatively high density
fluid is water and said relatively low density fluid is oil.
11. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said outlet conduit (18)
includes:
(a) an enclosure (28) located in said outlet conduit, said enclosure
comprising a roof (25), an opening (27), a separating wall (26), and an inlet
to said first
conduit, said enclosure (18) being closed on all sides except that it is open
at said
opening and at said inlet, said opening feeding fluid from said body of fluid
to said
enclosure, and said inlet feeding said separation tank (21); and
(b) said bypass conduit (14), passing through said
15~
enclosure (28) and discharging said relatively high density fluid passing
through said
bypass conduit downstream of said enclosure.
12. ~An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said opening (27) of said
enclosure gets wider as its elevation increases.
13. ~A system for separating a relatively low density fluid from a relatively
high
density fluid in a stream of fluid that may vary from a very low rate of flow
to a very large
rate of flow, comprising:
(a) an inlet tank (12) that may receive said stream of fluid from an inlet
conduit (11) into a body of fluid therein, said inlet tank (12) comprising an
outlet conduit
(18) for receiving fluid from said body of fluid when said very large rate of
flow occurs;
(b) a separation tank (21), which when fed with fluid from said body of
fluid, will allow said relatively low density fluid to float on said
relatively high density
fluid, said separation tank having an inlet and an outlet;
(c) a first conduit (20) for receiving fluid from said body of
fluid and feeding said fluid to said inlet of said separation tank;
(d) a second conduit (122) for receiving said relatively high
density fluid from said outlet of said separation tank and delivering said
relatively high
density fluid to said outlet conduit;
(e) said inlet to said separation tank feeding fluid to said separation
tank and said outlet of said separation tank receiving fluid from said
separation tank;
(f) said first and second conduits (20, 122) being connected
16
to said outlet conduit wherein said second conduit (122) is connected to said
outlet
conduit (18) downstream of an adjacent location at which said first conduit
(20) is
connected to said outlet conduit; and
(g) a separating means (26) in said outlet conduit (18) between said
adjacent location for separating said first and second conduits and thereby
raising the
level of fluid from said body of fluid entering said first conduit.
14. ~A system as defined in claim 13, wherein said inlet to said separation
tank
(21) is at a higher elevation than said outlet of said separation tank.
15. ~A system as defined in claim 13, wherein said relatively high density
fluid
is water and said relatively low density fluid is oil.
16. ~A system according to claim 14 wherein said inlet conduit is located at
least partly in the line of sight of said outlet conduit.
17. ~A system according to claim 16 wherein said inlet conduit directs said
stream at said very large rate of flow into said inlet tank in a horizontal
direction.
18. ~A system for separating a relatively low density fluid from a relatively
high
density fluid in a stream of fluid that may vary from a low rate of flow to a
high rate of
flow, comprising:
(a) an inlet chamber (12) for receiving a body of fluid therein;
(b) an inlet pipe (11) that feeds said stream of fluid to said body
of fluid in said inlet chamber, said inlet pipe having an outlet mouth;
(c) a settling chamber (21) for separating said
17
relatively low density fluid from said relatively high density fluid by
allowing said
relatively low density fluid to float on said relatively high density fluid;
(d) a first passageway (20) for receiving fluid from said
body of fluid and delivering some of said fluid to said settling chamber, when
the rate of
flow of said stream of fluid to said inlet chamber (12) is said low rate of
flow;
(e) an outlet chamber (18) having an inlet mouth operative to
receive fluid directly from an upper surface of said body of fluid when the
rate of flow of
said stream of fluid to said inlet tank is said high rate of flow, said outlet
chamber also
having an outlet pipe; and
(f) a second passageway (122) for receiving from said settling
chamber at least some of said relatively high density fluid and delivering
said relatively
high density fluid to said outlet chamber (18) when the rate of flow of said
stream of fluid
to said inlet tank is one of said low rate of flow and said very high rate of
flow;
(g) wherein a portion of said settling chamber extends
at least as high as the fluid in said outlet chamber;
(h) said inlet mouth and said outlet mouth being at substantially the
same level, and said inlet pipe and the outlet mouth are so positioned to
provide a direct
flow path, along the upper surface of the fluid in said inlet chamber, from
said inlet pipe
to said outlet mouth.
19. ~A system according to claim 18, wherein said outlet mouth of said inlet
conduit (11) is at a level higher than said first passageway.
20. ~A system according to claim 18 in which said outlet mouth is at a higher
elevation than said second passageway.
18
21. ~A system according to claim 18, in which said outlet mouth discharges its
fluid in a substantially horizontal direction.
22. ~A device for separating a relatively low density fluid from a relatively
high
density fluid in a stream of fluid that may vary from a very low rate of flow
to a very high
rate of flow, comprising:
(a) an outlet conduit (18) having an inlet end and which
defines a passageway for said relatively high density fluid, said passageway
having a
lower part;
(b) an enclosure (28) mounted in said lower part of said passageway;
(c) said enclosure (28) having an opening proximate said inlet end of
said outlet conduit, a roof (25), a drain opening, and a separating wall (26);
(d) said enclosure (28) being closed on all sides, except at said
opening proximate said inlet end of said outlet conduit and at said drain
opening;
(e) means for feeding said relatively high density fluid that may contain
said relatively low density fluid to said inlet end of said outlet conduit;
(f) said enclosure (28) having a size substantially less than the size of
said passageway to thereby provide a space in said outlet conduit (18) around
said
enclosure thus permitting said stream of fluid entering said inlet end at said
very high
rate of flow to pass around said enclosure;
(g) said inlet end of said outlet conduit (18) comprising,
19
(i) means to allow said relatively high density fluid entering said
inlet end at said very low rate of flow to enter said enclosure and to
exit said enclosure via said drain opening; and
(ii) means to allow said stream of fluid entering said inlet end at
said very high rate of flow to flow around said enclosure (28) and to
enter said outlet conduit downstream of said enclosure;
(h) at least one bypass conduit (14) extending at least part way
through said enclosure and having an open end inside said outlet conduit; and
(i) said at least one bypass conduit (14) having an inlet end upstream
of said enclosure for receiving said relatively high density fluid that is
relatively free of
said relatively low density fluid when the rate of flow of said stream of
fluid through the
device exceeds said very low rate of flow.
23. ~A device as defined in claim 22, further comprising:
(a) a separation tank (21);
(b) a first conduit (20) for feeding fluid at said drain opening
to said separation tank (21); and
(c) a second conduit (122) connecting said separation tank
to said outlet conduit, downstream of and adjacent to said enclosure, for
discharging
said relatively high density fluid from said separation tank.
24. A device as defined in claim 22, wherein said enclosure (28) includes a
weir (13) at said opening.
25. ~A device as defined in claim 22, wherein said relatively high density
fluid is
rainwater and said relatively low density fluid is oil.
26. ~A system for separating a relatively low density fluid from a relatively
high
density fluid in a stream of fluid that may vary from a very low rate of flow
to a large rate
of flow, comprising:
(a) an inlet pipe (11) having an outlet mouth;
(b) an inlet chamber (12), fed by said outlet mouth, for receiving said
stream of fluid and having a body of fluid therein;
(c) an outlet chamber (18);
(d) a settling chamber (21) for separating at least
some of the relatively low density fluid from the relatively high density
fluid by allowing
said relatively low density fluid to float on said relatively high density
fluid;
(e) a first passageway (20) extending between said inlet chamber and
said settling chamber, which, when said stream of fluid has said low rate of
flow, feeds
fluid from said body of fluid in said inlet chamber to said settling chamber;
(f) a second passageway (122) for discharging from said settling
chamber to said outlet chamber (18) at least some of said relatively high
density fluid
when said stream of fluid has said very low rate of flow;~
(g) said relatively high density fluid in said settling chamber being
substantially free of said relatively low density fluid, while allowing said
relatively low
density fluid to collect in said settling chamber; said second passageway
having an
outlet;
21
(h) wherein said inlet chamber (12) and said outlet chamber are
positioned such that when said stream of fluid has said low rate of flow said
fluid enters
said outlet chamber via said first passageway, said settling chamber and said
second
passageway;
(i) that when said stream of fluid has said high rate of flow
said fluid enters said outlet chamber (18) directly from said inlet chamber
(12);
(j) a third passageway for passing said stream from said inlet chamber
to said outlet chamber;
(k) said inlet chamber and said passageways preventing fluid flow
through said third passageway into said outlet chamber (18) when said inlet
stream has
a low rate of flow and allows flow through said third passageway into the
outlet chamber
during periods of said high rate of flow, said outlet mouth feeding said high
rate of flow
to the fluid into said inlet chamber and into or near the surface of any fluid
in said inlet
chamber;
(l) said settling chamber (21) extending to a higher level than the fluid
level in said outlet chamber during said low rate of flow;
(m) said outlet mouth being at a substantially higher elevation than said
first passageway.
27. ~A system according to claim 26, wherein a baffle is located in said inlet
tank between said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit.
28. ~A system for separating a relatively low density fluid from a relatively
high
density fluid in a stream of fluid that may vary from a low rate of flow to a
high rate of
flow, comprising:
22
(a) an inlet pipe (11) operative to guide said stream of fluid containing
said high and low density fluid into an inlet chamber (12), said inlet pipe
having an outlet
mouth;
(b) a first passageway (20) coupled between said inlet chamber and a
settling chamber (21) operative to conduct fluid at or near a surface of fluid
in said inlet
chamber to flow to said settling chamber when said inlet flow rate is said low
rate of
flow;
(c) an outlet chamber (18), having an inlet mouth and also having an
outlet pipe;
(d) a return passageway (122) from said settling chamber to said outlet
chamber positioned to conduct fluid from below a surface of fluid in said
settling
chamber and from a region occupied by said high density fluid to said outlet
chamber
during said low rate of flow, and
(e) said settling chamber (21) extending to a vertical height
greater than said outlet pipe;~
(f) said outlet mouth feeding said high rate of flow into or near the
surface of the fluid in said inlet chamber.
29. ~Apparatus for separating a relatively light fluid from a relatively heavy
fluid in a
stream of fluid that may vary in its rate of flow from a very low to a very
high rate,
comprising:
(a) first means in the form of input means (11, 12; 51, 52;61,62;71,72) for
receiving said stream, said input means including an inlet conduit (11; 51;61;
71) and
also including an inlet tank (12;52;62;72) downstream of said inlet conduit
(11;etc) for
23
receiving said stream both when said stream has said very low rate of flow and
when
said stream has a rate of flow above said very low rate,
(b) said inlet conduit (11;etc) having an outlet mouth where said inlet
conduit (11; etc) feeds said stream to said inlet tank (12;etc);
(c) a main separation tank (21;511;611;711) for separating at least
some of said relatively light fluid from said relatively heavy fluid by
allowing said
relatively light fluid to float on said relatively heavy fluid;
(d) second means (20;510;610;722) which, when said stream has a
relatively very low rate of flow, feeds fluid from said inlet tank (12;etc) to
said main
separation tank (21;etc) in which at least some of said relatively fight fluid
floats on said
relatively heavy fluid;
(e) an outlet conduit (18;58;68;78), at least a portion of said main
separation tank (21;etc) extending at least as high as the level of at least a
portion of
said outlet conduit (18; etc);
(f) third means (25';57';64';74') which when said stream has a relatively
very high rate of flow allows most of said relatively heavy fluid of said
stream to flow
directly from said inlet tank (12;etc) to said outlet conduit (18;etc) without
passing
through said main separation tank (21;etc), said third means (25';57';64';74')
comprising
an inlet mouth (25';57';64';74') of said outlet conduit (18;etc) at said inlet
tank (12;etc);
and
(g) fourth means (122;512;612;70) for feeding said relatively heavy fluid in
said main separation tank (21;etc) to said outlet conduit (18;etc),
characterized in that
said inlet mouth (25';etc) of said outlet conduit (18;etc) is at substantially
the same level
as said outlet mouth of said inlet conduit (11;etc).
24
30. Apparatus for separating a relatively light fluid from a relatively heavy
fluid in a
stream of fluid that may vary in its rate of flow from a very low to a very
high rate,
comprising;
(a) first means in the form of input means (11, 12;51,52;61,62;71,72) for
receiving said stream, said input means (11,12,etc) including an inlet tank
(12;52;62;72)
for receiving at least a portion of said stream when said stream has a rate of
flow above
said very low rate;
(b) a main separation tank (21;511;6111;7111) for separating at least some of
said relatively light fluid form said relatively heavy fluid by allowing said
relatively light
fluid to float on said relatively heavy fluid;
(c) second means (20;510;610;722) which, when said stream has a relatively
very low rate of low, feeds fluid from said input means (11,12;etc) to said
main
separation tank (21;etc) in which any said relatively light fluid floats on
said relatively
heavy fluid;
(d) an outlet conduit (18;58,68;78);
(e) third means (25';57';64';74') which when said stream has a relatively very
high rate of flow allows most of said relatively very heavy fluid of said
stream to flow
directly from said inlet tank (12;etc) to said outlet conduit (18;etc) without
passing
through said main separation tank (21;etc); and
(f) fourth means (122;512;612;70) for feeding said relatively heavy fluid in
said main separation tank (21;etc) to said outlet conduit (18;etc),
(g) fifth means (14;54;64;74) associated with said inlet tank (12;etc) and
extending upwardly from a level below an upper end of said second means
(20;etc) to a
level no lower than said upper end and serving, when said stream has an
intermediate
25
rate of flow, to enable said relatively heavy fluid in said inlet tank
(12;etc) to flow to said
outlet conduit (18;etc) without contacting fluid in said separation tank
(21;etc).
31. A method of separating a relatively light fluid from a relatively heavy
fluid in a
stream of fluid, comprising;
(a) receiving at least a portion of said stream in an inlet tank (12;52;62;72)
when
said stream has a relatively very low flow rate, and/or an intermediate flow
rate and,
and/or, a relatively very high flow rate;
(b) when said stream has said relatively very low flow rate, feeding fluid
from said
inlet tank (12;etc) to a main separation tank (21;511;611;711) so that said
relatively light
fluid in said separation tank (21;etc) floats on said relatively heavy fluid
in said
separation tank (21;etc);
(c) when said stream has said relatively very high flow rate, most of said
relatively heavy fluid of said stream flowing directly from said inlet tank
(12;etc) to an
outlet conduit (18;58;68;78) without passing through said separation tank
(21;etc);
(d) feeding said relatively heavy fluid in said separation tank (21;etc) to
said
outlet conduit (18;etc); and
(e) characterized by, when said stream has said intermediate flow rate,
feeding
said relatively heavy fluid in said inlet tank (12;etc) from below a layer of
said relatively
light fluid in said inlet tank (12; etc) to said outlet conduit (18;etc)
without it contracting
fluid in said separation tank (21;etc).
32. A system for separating a relatively low density fluid from a relatively
high density
fluid in a stream of fluid that may vary from a very low rate of flow to a
very high rate of
flow, comprising:
26
a) an inlet tank (12) having a body of fluid therein;
b) an outlet conduit for passing fluid out of said system, said outlet conduit
having a first input and a second input;
c) a separation tank (21) comprising means for separating said relatively low
density fluid from said relatively high density fluid by allowing said
relatively low density
fluid to float on said relatively high density fluid, wherein at least a
portion of said
separation tank (21) extends at least as high as the level of at least a
portion of said
outlet conduit (18);
d) a first conduit (20) for receiving fluid from said body of fluid and
delivering
said fluid to said separation tank, when the rate of flow of said stream of
fluid is said
very low rate of flow;
e) a second conduit (122) for discharging from said separation tank at least
some of said relatively high density fluid to said first input, said
relatively high density
fluid being substantially free of said relatively low density fluid while
allowing said
relatively low density fluid to collect in said separation tank; and
f) an inlet conduit (11) that feeds said stream of fluid to said body of
fluid, said
inlet conduit being positioned to direct said stream of fluid along an upper
surface of
said body of fluid to said second input when the rate of flow of said stream
of fluid is
said very high rate of flow.
33. A system for separating a relatively low density fluid from a relatively
high density
fluid in a stream of fluid that may vary from a very low rate of flow to a
very high rate of
flow comprising:
27
a) an inlet tank for receiving into a body of fluid therein said stream of
fluid from
an inlet conduit;
b) a separation tank (21) for separating at least some of the relatively low
density fluid from the relatively high density fluid by allowing said
relatively low density
fluid to float on said relatively high density fluid;
c) a first conduit (20) extending between said inlet tank and said separation
tank, which feeds fluid from said body of fluid to said separation tank so
that any of said
relatively low density fluid in said separation tank may float on said
relatively high
density fluid in said separation tank;
d) a second conduit (122) for discharging from said separation tank at least
some of said relatively high density fluid, said relatively high density fluid
being
substantially free of said relatively low density fluid, while allowing said
relatively low
density fluid to collect in said separation tank;
e) an output conduit having a first input and a second input, said first input
operative to receive fluid from said second conduit (122), said second input
comprising
a weir over which fluid passes from said inlet tank during said very high rate
of flow; and
wherein said separation tank (21) extends to a vertical elevation at least as
high as the
lowest part of said outlet conduit (18),
and wherein during said very high rate of flow said inlet conduit feeds fluid
into said inlet
tank at a level near a surface of the body of fluid thus allowing the fluid to
pass directly
from said inlet conduit to said weir of said output conduit.
34. A system as defined in claim 26 in which said outlet mouth is at a
substantially
higher elevation than both of said passageways.
28
35. A system according to claim 28, wherein:
said inlet mouth and said outlet mouth being at substantially the same level,
and
said inlet mouth and said outlet mouth are so positioned so as to provide a
direct flow
path along the upper surface of the fluid in said inlet chamber from said
inlet mouth to
said outlet mouth.
36. A system according to claim 26 in which said outlet mouth is positioned to
discharge said stream into said input chamber horizontally and at
substantially the same
elevation as said flow over said wall.
37. A system according to claim 28 in which said outlet mouth is positioned to
discharge said stream into said input chamber horizontally and at
substantially the same
elevation as said inlet mouth.
38. A system according to claim 26, wherein:
said inlet mouth and said outlet mouth being at substantially the same level,
and
said inlet mouth and the outlet mouth are so positioned as to provide a direct
flow along
the upper surface of the fluid in said inlet chamber from said inlet mouth to
said outlet
mouth.
39. In a system that when fed by a stream of fluid, whose rate of flow varies
from a
low to a high rate and is composed of a first fluid and a second heavier
fluid, will
separate the first fluid from the second heavier fluid, comprising:
(a) an inlet chamber,
(b) a settling chamber,
(c) an outlet chamber,
(d) said inlet chamber having a sidewall,
29
(e) a first passageway through said sidewall, which if and when the fluid
level
in said inlet chamber rises to the elevation of said first passageway, feeds
fluid from
said inlet chamber to said settling chamber,
(f) said first passageway comprising means which will allow said low rate, but
not said high rate of flow therethrough,
(g) a second passageway for passing at least some of said second fluid from
said settling chamber to said outlet chamber,
(h) said inlet chamber and said outlet chamber having a common wall which
has an opening between those two chambers, so that if and when said stream is
fed to
said inlet chamber, the surface fluid in said inlet chamber will flow through
said first
passageway when there is said low rate of flow and will pass through both of
said first
passageway and said opening when said stream has said high rate of flow,
(i) said settling chamber extending to an elevation at least as high as said
outlet chamber, and
(j) said stream when fed to said system is fed into or near the surface of any
fluid in said inlet chamber.
40. In a system that when fed by a stream of fluid, whose rate of flow varies
from a
low to a high rate and is composed of a first fluid and a second heavier
fluid, will
separate the first fluid from the second heavier fluid, comprising:
(a) an inlet chamber,
(b) a settling chamber,
30
(c) an outlet chamber,
(d) said inlet chamber having a sidewall,
(e) a first passageway through said sidewall, which if and when the fluid
level
in said inlet chamber rises to the elevation of said first passageway, feeds
fluid from
said inlet chamber to said settling chamber,
(f) said first passageway comprising means which will allow said low rate, but
not said high rate of flow therethrough,
(g) a second passageway for passing at least some of said second fluid from
said settling chamber to said outlet chamber,
(h) said inlet chamber and said outlet chamber having a common wall which
has an opening between those two chambers, so that if and when said stream is
fed to
said inlet chamber, the surface fluid in said inlet chamber will flow through
said first
passageway when there is said low rate of flow and will pass through both of
said first
passageway and said opening when said stream has said high rate of flow,
(i) said settling chamber extending to an elevation at least as high as said
outlet chamber, and
(j) said sidewall having an inlet opening through which said stream may be
fed into said inlet chamber to or near the surface of the fluid in said inlet
chamber.
31