Liquid separator with common bulkhead wall support for end-to-end coalescing units

Claim 2

A separator for treating dispersions of immiscible liquids to separate one liquid from another comprising: a shell having inlet and outlet means defining a direction from one end portion of the shell to its opposite end portion; a bulkhead wall supported in said shell separating a first region from a second region within the shell; a plurality of cylindrical coalescing units, each comprising a tubular perforated support fixed to said wall and defining a central cavity, a liquid-permeable cylindrical coalescing medium removably supported on the exterior surface of said support, said units being supported by said wall in longitudinally aligned end-to-end pairs in cantilever relation with opposite sides of the wall with their cavities in alignment with an opening through the bulkhead wall; said units being closed at distal ends to form the cavities of an aligned pair of units into a single liquid conducting chamber closed at both ends, said media being removable from respective supports over the ends thereof in an endwise direction; said bulkhead wall joining the inner periphery of the shell in substantially sealed relationship; said shell being constructed in sections including end sections separable along planes generally parallel to said bulkhead wall adjacent the distal ends of said units; said shell defining vertically extending space-enclosing means for collecting coalesced dispersed liquid in contiguous vertical relation with any of said regions containing said units.

Claim 3

A separator for treating dispersions of immiscible liquids to separate one liquid from another comprising: a shell having inlet and outlet means defining a direction of flow from one end portion of the shell to its opposite end portion; a first bulkhead wall supported in said shell separating a first region from a second region in downstream relation within the shell with the first region; a plurality of cylindrical coalescing units, each comprising a tubular perforated support fixed to said wall and defining a central cavity, a liquid-permeable cylindrical coalescing medium removably supported on the exterior surface of said support, said units being supported by said wall in coaxial end-to-end pairs in cantilever relation with opposite sides of the wall and in concentricity with an opening through the bulkhead wall; said units being closed at distal ends to form the cavities of a concentric pair of units into a single liquid conducting chamber closed at both ends, said media being removable from respective supports over the ends thereof in an endwise direction; said bulkhead wall joining the inner periphery of the shell in substantially sealed relationship; said shell being constructed in sections including end sections separable along planes generally parallel to said bulkhead wall adjacent the distal ends of said units; said shell defining vertically-extending space-enclosing means for collecting coalesced dispersed liquid in contiguous vertical relation with any of said regions containing said units.

Claim 4

A separator for treating dispersions of immiscible liquids to separate one liquid from another comprising: a shell having inlet and outlet means defining a direction of flow from one end portion of the shell to its opposite end portion; a first bulkhead wall supported in said shell separating a first region from a second region in downstream relation within the shell with the first region; a plurality of cylindrical coalescing units, each comprising a tubular perforated support fixed to said wall and defining a central cavity, a liquid-permeable cylindrical coalescing medium removably supported on the exterior surface of said support, said units being supported by said wall in coaxial end-to-end pairs in cantilever relation with opposite sides of the wall and in concentricity with an opening through the bulkhead wall; said units being closed at distal ends to form the cavities of a concentric pair of units into a single liquid conducting chamber closed at both ends, said media being removable from respective supports over the ends thereof in an endwise direction; said bulkhead wall joining the inner periphery of the shell in substantially sealed relationship; said shell being constructed in sections including end sections separable along planes generally parallel to said bulkhead wall adjacent the distal ends of said units; said shell defining vertically-extending space-enclosing means for collecting coalesced dispersed liquid in contiguous vertical relation with any of said regions containing said units.

Claim 5

The separator of claim 2 comprising: a second bulkhead wall spaced downstream from said first bulkhead wall to define said second region and a third region downstream from the second wall; certain of said units being attached to each wall to extend toward the other wall within said second region, the units of said certain units connected to the first bulkhead wall being arranged to discharge liquid into the second region and the units of said certain units connected with the second wall being arranged to receive liquid from the second region and conduct it into units of the third region.

Claim 6

The separator of claim 2 comprising a plurality of walls similar to said bulkhead wall spaced in said direction of flow to define a series of regions, the units of said coalescing units that project upstream from respective bulkhead walls being arranged to receiVe liquid radially inwardly from the surrounding region, and units projecting downstream from respective bulkhead walls being arranged to discharge liquid into the surrounding region whereby liquid traverses a region by passing out of units projecting downstream and into units of the next downstream bulkhead wall projecting upstream.

Claim 7

The separator of claim 1 wherein: said shell comprises a downwardly elongate sump leg extending from the lower extremity of the final region in said shell; and said outlet means is located to receive liquid from a lower portion of said leg and pass it outwardly of the separator.

Claim 8

The separator of claim 1 wherein: said separator comprises a plurality of said coalescing units in a final downstream region of the shell of which one unit is located in a lower central portion of said final region; said separator further comprising a baffle of C-shaped cross section, open at the bottom and extending substantially the full length of said unit in partially surrounding relation with said unit except for being open along the underside thereof.

Claim 9

The separator of claim 6 wherein: a downstream section of said shell surrounding said final region having, as a portion of said vertically extending space forming means, a dome at the top of said shell section; and said separator comprises a vertical duct which connects with the top of said baffle and extends upwardly into proximity with said dome to permit the passage of liquid therethrough from the space between said baffle and said unit received therein.

Claim 10

The separator of claim 1 wherein: said end sections are separable doors normally secured in sealed relation to respective next adjacent shell sections; and said separator comprises quickly-releasable fastening means for securing said doors to said adjacent shell sections.

Claim 11

The separator of claim 8 wherein: said doors are of cupped, outwardly-convex shape and said separator comprises means for connecting each door in hinged relation with said next adjacent shell section.

Claim 12

The separator of claim 8 wherein: the upstream end door is of cupped, outwardly convex shape and said inlet means is shaped to direct a stream toward the inner surface of said door in an axial direction against the center thereof.

Claim 13

The separator of claim 1 comprising: a base for supporting said shell; and guide means shared by sections of the shell and the base defining a path of relative movement of said sections in a direction parallel to said direction of flow.

Claim 14

The separator of claim 11 wherein: said guide means comprises legs fixed to said relatively movable sections and in engagement with said base, said base having rectilinear guide means engaging the legs of at least one of said sections and confining the movement thereof to the direction of said path.

Claim 15

The separator of claim 12 wherein: the legs of one shell section are fixed to said base and any other sections provided with said legs are movable while supported by respective legs along said guide means and the base, said guide means permitting movement of each movable section into and out of operating registry with the next adjacent shell section.