Claims
- 1. A filter system for receiving an emulsified contaminant laden liquid system having a desired liquid and contaminants and separating the desired liquid from the contaminants, comprising:
an inlet for receiving the emulsified contaminant laden liquid system; a filter media in fluid flow communication with the inlet, the filter element de-emulsifying the emulsified contaminant laden liquid system into the desired liquid and the contaminant, separating the desired liquid from the contaminant and passing the desired liquid and the contaminant; a first tank for supporting the filter element, the first tank further configured to hold a quantity of the desired liquid and the contaminant separated from one another, the first tank having an overflow passing to a second tank, the second tank having a liquid separation assembly for removing a heavier of the desired liquid and the contaminant from a lighter of the desired liquid and the contaminant.
- 2. The filter system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the filter media has an inner filter element and an outer filter element.
- 3. The filter system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the inner filter media is a needle punch polypropylene felt.
- 4. The filter system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the outer filter media is a polypropylene microfiber material.
- 5. The filter system in accordance with claim 3 wherein the inner filter media is a 95 percent single pass efficiency 48 micron, 5 micron nominal filtering material.
- 6. The filter system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the outer filter media is a 95 percent single pass efficiency 19 micron filtering material.
- 7. The filter system in accordance with claim 2 including a porous material surrounding the outer filter media.
- 8. The filter system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the porous material surrounding the outer filter media is a spunbond polypropylene.
- 9. The filter system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second tank liquid separation assembly is an oil separator having a vertical conduit extending to about a bottom of the tank and a tee in flow communication with the vertical conduit, the tee providing flow communication from the second tank, and wherein the heavier liquid is free to pass into the vertical conduit, into the tee and out of the second tank, the lighter liquid being retained in the second tank.
- 10. The filter system in accordance with claim 1 including an over-pressurization arrangement to prevent over-pressurizing the filter media.
- 11. The filter system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the filter system is configured to separate an emulsified oil from an oil-in-water emulsion and to remove the oil-in-water emulsion from the oil.
- 12. The filter system in accordance with claim 11 including a pre-separation tank disposed prior to the first tank for pre-separating non-emulsified oil from the oil-in-water emulsion and for allowing any particles present to settle out.
- 13. A filter system for receiving an oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with an emulsified contaminant oil, and separating the emulsified contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion, comprising:
a filter media for receiving the oil-in-water emulsion and emulsified contaminant oil, the filter media having an inner filter element formed from a 95 percent single pass efficiency 48 micron, 5 micron nominal filtering material of needle punch polypropylene felt, an outer filter element formed from a 95 percent single pass efficiency 19 micron filtering material filtering material of a polypropylene microfiber material and a porous spunbond polypropylene surrounding the outer filter media, the filter element deemulsifying the emulsified contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion into the contaminant oil and the oil-in-water emulsion, coalescing the de-emulsified contaminant oil, separating the coalesced de-emulsified contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion, and passing the coalesced de-emulsified contaminant oil and the oil-in-water emulsion; a first tank for supporting the filter element, the first tank further configured to hold a quantity of the separated de-emulsified contaminant oil and the oil-in-water emulsion, the first tank having an overflow passing to a second tank, the second tank having an oil separation assembly for removing the oil-in-water emulsion from the contaminant oil and passing the oil-in-water emulsion therefrom.
- 14. The filter system in accordance with claim 13 wherein the oil separation assembly includes a vertical conduit extending to about a bottom of the tank and a tee in flow communication with the vertical conduit, the tee providing flow communication from the second tank, and wherein the oil-in-water emulsion is free to pass into the vertical conduit, into the tee and out of the second tank, the lighter liquid being retained in the second tank.
- 15. The filter system in accordance with claim 13 including an over-pressurization arrangement to prevent over-pressurizing the filter media.
- 16. The filter system in accordance with claim 13 including a separation system disposed prior to the first tank for separating contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with an emulsified contaminant oil.
- 17. The filter system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the separation system is a belt skimmer.
- 18. A method for separating an oil-in-water emulsion from a liquid system having an oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with an emulsified contaminant oil comprising the steps of:
introducing the oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with the emulsified contaminant oil through a filter media to form an oil-in-water emulsion and a separated contaminant oil stream; passing the oil-in-water emulsion through the filter media; passing the contaminant oil through the filter media; separating the oil-in-water emulsion from the contaminant oil; and recovering the oil-in-water emulsion.
- 19. The method for separating an oil-in-water emulsion from a liquid system having an oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with an emulsified contaminant oil in accordance with claim 18 including the step of separating contaminant oil that is separated from the oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with emulsified contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with emulsified contaminant oil prior to introducing the oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with emulsified contaminant oil to the filter media.
- 20. The method for separating an oil-in-water emulsion from a liquid system having an oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with an emulsified contaminant oil in accordance with claim 18 including the step of reusing the oil-in-water emulsion following recovery.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional patent Application Serial No. 60/367,441, filed Mar. 25, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60367441 |
Mar 2002 |
US |