Patent · US Expired

Method of removing dispersed oil from an oil in water emulsion employing aerated solutions within a coalescing media

US5656173A · kind A · utility

55Cited by
15References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 5, 1996
Grant dateAug 12, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 5, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S210/05
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method of removing dispersed oil from an oil in water emulsion is accomplished by the steps of dissolving gas in water to form an aerated solution, introducing the emulsion and aerated solution into a treatment vessel in which is positioned a coalescing media formed by an assembly of closely spaced corrugated plates of oleophilic material, the emulsion and aerated solution passing in contact with the plates to cause oil droplets to coalescence on the plates and small gas bubbles carried with the aerated solution to adhere to the oil droplets to increase the buoyancy of the oil droplets so that the oil droplets more readily rise to the surface of the emulsion, accumulated oil being removed from the surface.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.