Discharge system for ballast tank or the like

Claim 1

A discharge system for a tank containing an oil and water mixture, said system comprising: an oil tank; a valve having an inlet and first and second outlets; a first conduit connected between said oil tank and said valve inlet; a first detector having an output lead, said first detector being fixed in said first conduit and constructed to produce a course output signal on said output lead thereof in accordance with the amount of oil present within said first conduit; a control circuit having a first lead connected from said first detector output lead, and a second lead connected to said valve; a slop tank; and a second conduit connected from said first valve outlet to said slop tank, said control circuit causing the fluid in said first conduit to pass through said first valve outlet when the oil within said first conduit is above a first predetermined threshold level wherein a third conduit is connected from said second valve outlet, a second detector having an output lead connected to said control circuit, said second detector being mounted within said third conduit to produce a fine output signal on said output lead thereof in accordance with the amount of oil present within said third conduit, said control circuit controlling the rate of discharge through said third conduit, said second detector being more sensitive than said first detector.