Oil-Water Separation Pack with Oblique Flow Ports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oil-water separation technologies face inefficiencies in separating fine oil particles and sludge with specific gravities close to water, leading to reduced separation capacity and the need for frequent cleaning due to sludge accumulation, especially when the difference in specific gravity between oil and water is small.
Innovation Solution
An oil-water separation pack with an upper body having a narrowing cross-sectional shape and an oil rising region, coupled with a lower body featuring oblique flow-in ports that induce collisions and cohesions of oil particles, allowing stable separation of oil from water without disturbance and facilitating sludge removal by directing it downward.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the oil-water separation bath has a sufficient depth to prevent fine oil particles from passing to subsequent processing equipment, then the separation effectiveness is improved, but the size of the oil-water separation bath becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The separation bath is divided into multiple chambers with corrugated plates creating numerous small separation zones. Instead of relying on a single deep bath, the invention segments the separation process into multiple stages across different chambers, achieving effective separation in a more compact overall volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from vertical depth-based separation to horizontal multi-chamber separation with corrugated plates. The corrugated plates create separation surfaces in multiple dimensions, allowing oil particles to cohere and separate as they traverse the complex path through the chambers, reducing the need for excessive bath depth.
2Productivity
If corrugated plates are used to promote oil particle cohesion and separation, then the oil separation capacity is improved, but sludge accumulates on the plates requiring periodic disassembly for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The corrugated plates are designed as removable components that can be easily extracted from the separation bath chambers. This allows sludge accumulation on the plates to be addressed by simply removing and cleaning the plates externally, without requiring disassembly of the entire separation bath structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a dynamic maintenance approach where corrugated plates can be periodically removed and repositioned or cleaned in place. This dynamic element allows for easier maintenance while preserving the high separation capacity provided by the corrugated plate structure during normal operation.
3Ease of operation
If oval-shaped plates are used to allow sludge to gather and discharge naturally, then cleaning is simplified, but water and oil cannot flow and disperse uniformly and floating oil can be drifted away
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the separation system have different functions: corrugated plates in the separation chambers provide high surface area for oil-water separation, while the bottom of the bath has a sludge discharge region with different flow characteristics. This local differentiation allows sludge to accumulate and discharge naturally without compromising the separation stability in the main chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a sludge discharge chamber as an intermediary region between the separation chambers and the external environment. This intermediary space allows sludge to gather and be discharged naturally while maintaining a clear separation between the separation function and the sludge management function, preventing disruption to the floating oil separation process.
4Reliability
If the specific gravity difference between oil and water is small, then the oil-water mixture is harder to separate, but increasing the separation bath depth to compensate makes the apparatus excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The separation process is segmented into multiple chambers with corrugated plates, creating numerous small separation zones. This segmentation allows the system to achieve the equivalent separation effect of a deep bath through multiple shallow stages, reducing the overall volume while maintaining effectiveness for mixtures with small specific gravity differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the separation parameters by introducing corrugated plates that create complex flow patterns and increase the effective separation surface area. This parameter change allows for efficient separation of fine oil particles with small specific gravity differences without requiring excessive bath depth, as the corrugated structure enhances particle cohesion and separation through increased interaction time and surface area.
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
Enhances oil separation capacity by promoting the cohesion of fine oil particles into larger droplets, stabilizes oil floating separation, and effectively removes sludge without disrupting the flow, maintaining efficient separation performance.
Implementation Method 1
induce a non-laminar flow in the oil-water mixture and hence cohesions of oil particles
Implementation Method 2
separating oil from water by floating the oil... due to the difference in specific gravity between oil and water
Implementation Method 3
causes significant changes in a flow direction of an oil-water mixture to induce a non-laminar flow in the oil-water mixture
Data Source
AI summary
An oil-water separation pack includes an upper body having cross-sectional shape narrowing from a bottom to a top. The upper body includes an oil rising region provided in an inside central portion thereof, and an oil-discharging opening provided in a top portion thereof. A lower body disposed beneath the upper body includes a plurality of oblique flow-in ports, which allow an oil-water mixture to flow obliquely into an inside portion thereof and flows of the oil-water mixture to collide with each other and stagnate in the inside portion of the lower body, thereby enabling the oil to float and be separated from water. A coupling unit integrally couples a bottom portion of the upper body with a top portion of the lower body, thereby forming a continuous space extending from the lower body to the upper body. The continuous space allows oil to float therethrough.