SEPARATING LIQUIDS OR LIQUID AND SOLIDS

摘要

An apparatus (10) is described for separating out a first liquid or solids (such as glycerol) and a second liquid (such as biodiesel) from a process liquid comprising a mixture of the first liquid or solids and the second liquid and/or a reacting mixture of other liquids (such as base oil and alcohol). The apparatus comprises a vat (12) in which a hydrocyclone (76) is disposed. The hydrocyclone has a downwardly-pointing generally-conical wall (80), an inlet port (84) adjacent the top of the hydrocyclone which is fed by an inlet passageway (86) so that the process liquid is fed tangentially into the hydrocyclone, a lower, downwardly-directed outlet port (92) adjacent the bottom of the hydrocyclone, and an upper, upwardly-directed outlet port (92) adjacent the top of the hydrocyclone. A bottom outlet passageway (116) adjacent the bottom of the vat and an optional upper outlet passageway (150) adjacent the top of the vat can be used to drain glycerol and biodiesel from the vat, and a middle outlet passageway part-way up the vat can be used to recirculate process liquid back to the inlet passageway via a pump (20).