Patent attributes
A filter system for receiving an oil-in-water emulsion contaminated with an emulsified contaminant oil, and separating the emulsified contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion includes a filter media for receiving the oil-in-water emulsion and emulsified contaminant oil, having an inner filter element formed from a 95 percent single pass efficiency 48 micron (5 micron nominal) filtering material of needle punch polypropylene felt, an outer filter element formed from a 95 percent single pass efficiency 19 micron absolute filtering material of a polypropylene microfiber material and a porous spunbond polypropylene sandwiching the outer filter media. The filter element de-emulsifies the emulsified contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion into the contaminant oil and the oil-in-water emulsion, separates the de-emulsified contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion, coalesces the separated contaminant oil and passes both the coalesced de-emulsified contaminant oil and the oil-in-water emulsion. A first tank supports the filter element and is further configured to hold a quantity of the separated coalesced contaminant oil and the oil-in-water emulsion. The first tank has an overflow passing to a second tank. The second tank has an oil separation assembly for removing the oil-in-water emulsion from the contaminant oil and passing the oil-in-water emulsion therefrom. A method for separating the emulsified contaminant oil from the oil-in-water emulsion and recovering the oil-in-water emulsion is also disclosed.
