FLUID CONTROL SYSTEMS

摘要

Apparatus for use in, for example, separating oil from water, which comprises (Fig. 18) a vortex chamber (301) adapted to admit through an inlet a flow of oil and water, means, (e.g. a helical coil shaped wall member (303) of a 'Clock Spring Guide', device adapted to impart a rotational movement to the admitted oil and water so as to form within the chamber (301) a rotating fluid mass within which a non-turbulent vortex of oil (313) floats on the water. Oil removal pipe (305, 304) provides means for the removal of oil from the oil vortex, and outlet means (316) located below the level of the floating oil provides for the escape of water from the vortex chamber. Variable flow regulating means is located at or downstream of the outlet means to regulate the rate of flow of water through the chamber. A tilted corrugated plate separator housed in chamber (340) (Fig. 20) may be interposed between the water outlet means of the vortex chamber and the said variable flow regulating means to separate residual oil in the emergent water. Oil removal pipe inlets (365, 366) and (367) lead out of chamber (340) from the zones where layers (343) and (348) etc. of separated oil accumulate. The variable flow regulating means serves to control the fluid surface levels in both vortex chamber (301) and separation chamber (340). Removal of separated oil of its own accord during operation through any oil removal pipe inlet is secured by setting the relative levels of the rim of such inlet and the fluid surface level provided by the downstream variable flow regulating means so that when water alone constitutes the flow, the rim is located above, but close to the water surface level but, when the fluid surface level is raised by accumulation of floating oil around or proximate to the inlet, oil flows over the rim into the oil removal pipe.