Cylindrical Oil Stack and Water Weir for Marine Liquid Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional immiscible liquid separators are ineffective in separating water and oils on non-level surfaces, such as ships, leading to inefficient processing and increased costs due to the need for holding tanks and environmental disposal challenges.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical oil stack surrounded by a cylindrical water weir with a ball float type valve ensures that the oil outlet is always positioned a calculated distance above the water outlet, independent of the separator's orientation, preventing water from inadvertently exiting the oil outlet and maintaining efficient separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a planar weir is used in conventional immiscible liquid separators, then the separator operates effectively on level surfaces, but the separator becomes ineffective on non-level surfaces such as ships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the planar weir with a cylindrical weir structure. The cylindrical shape allows the weir to maintain its functional geometry regardless of the separator's orientation, enabling effective operation on non-level surfaces such as ships while maintaining separation effectiveness that was previously lost in conventional planar designs
2Adaptability or versatility
If the separator is tilted to accommodate non-level surfaces, then the separator can be installed on ships and marine vessels, but the oil outlet position becomes misaligned relative to the water outlet, causing water to inadvertently exit the oil outlet
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical weir and cylindrical oil stack create a radially symmetric structure where the vertical distance relationship between outlets is maintained in all orientations. This geometric property ensures that the calculated distance relationship is preserved regardless of tilt angle, eliminating alignment precision issues on marine vessels
3Reliability
If the oil outlet is positioned at a fixed vertical distance above the water outlet, then proper separation is maintained on level surfaces, but the separation fails when the separator is tilted on non-level surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical geometry of the weir and oil stack ensures that the vertical distance relationship between oil and water outlets is maintained in all orientations. The radial symmetry of the cylindrical structure allows gravity-based separation to function correctly whether the separator is level or tilted, expanding operational range while maintaining separation performance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for effective separation of immiscible liquids regardless of the separator's tilt, ensuring that oils are efficiently discharged and water is separated, optimizing operation on marine vessels and other non-level surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
Two immiscible liquids of different specific gravities will separate under the force of gravity into two separate layers in a calculable or measurable time period, according to Stokes Law
Implementation Method 2
Two immiscible liquids of different specific gravities will separate under the force of gravity into two separate layers in a calculable or measurable time period, according to Stokes Law
Implementation Method 3
a first immiscible liquid of one specific gravity will float on a second immiscible liquid having a greater specific gravity
Implementation Method 4
a ball float type valve that controls the type of liquids that are coupled to the cylindrical oil stack. The ball of the valve is constructed with a material that is buoyant to water, but is not buoyant to oil
Data Source
AI summary
An immiscible liquid separator for maintaining a desired liquid relationship between an oil spillover and a water spillover irrespective of a tilt angle of the separator. The use of the separator is thus well adapted for use on ships and the like. The separator includes a cylindrical weir having an open top over which separated water spills when waste liquid is drained into the separator. The separator also includes a cylindrical oil stack having an open top over which separated oil spills when waste liquid is drained into the separator. The cylindrical oil stack is located within the cylindrical water weir, thus allowing the separator to function as desired independent of the angle of tilt of the separator.