Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for multiple fluid phase separation (10) includes a housing (12) having a second chamber (21) positioned above a first chamber (19). A plurality of filter disks (22) are mounted upon a rotatable vertical shaft assembly (24) in spaced stacked relation within the first chamber (19). The shaft assembly (24) includes a first interior channel (30) and a second interior channel (32). A bulk solution including two immiscible phases is introducted, under pressure, into the first chamber (19) through an entry pipe (33). The heavier phase is filtrated through the disks (22), enters the first interior channel (30), and is channelled to an exit port (32). Bulk solution having a reduced proportion of heavier fluid phase flows through radial openings (96) in the shaft assembly (24) located between the disks (22) into the second interior channel (32) and up into the second chamber (21). An interface is formed in the second chamber (21) between the lighter fluid phase and the remaining heavier phase by coalescence. The heavier phase migrates back to the first chamber (19) and the lighter phase exits the system at an outlet (36) in the second chamber (21).

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First Claim