Abstract: In countercurrent decantation, upwardly flowing liquid is treated with downwardly falling solids in a progressive series of vertically stacked treatment cells. Solids fall through a valve from one cell to the next. The valve is a buoyant sphere which will sink, to open, under a weight of solids, but the valve is sufficiently buoyant to close when there is still enough solid queuing thereon to prevent liquid from passing through it.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing growth of precipitates in systems requiring separation of undesirable contaminants. Cane sugar juice, as exemplary, is introduced at an elevated temperature into an apparatus having means for separately introducing chemical treating agents, such as milk of lime and coagulants. The juice flows through a treating zone where the agents are introduced, into a holding zone and over a dispersion cone before being withdrawn from the holding zone by a siphoning means. The dispersion cone and holding zone bottom permit rapid growth of the insoluble particles while simultaneously diverting the flow direction gently so as to prevent breakup of the particles. The flow down through the treating zone, over the dispersion cone, down the conical holding zone bottom, and back up the siphoning means permits sufficient residence time for rapid growth of the insoluble particles so that coagulants need not be added in the subsequent clarification process.

Abstract: A settling tank for resolving a mixture of oil, water, and solids from an oil and solids-in-water influent includes two inclined and parallel baffles about which the influent water successively passes. Each baffle preferably has parallel V-shaped grooves in the under surface thereof for entrapping, guiding, and coalescing the oil droplets into large globs for channeling and passing through the openings between the baffles and the tank wall for rising to the surface for draw off. The clear water outlet is positioned on a horizontal plane intermediate horizontal planes through the low forward end of the upper baffle and the high rear end to ensure delivery of an oil-free and solids-free water. An upper oil outlet ensures delivery of a solids-free and water-free oil from the settling tank. A new method for assembling a settling tank is disclosed.

Abstract: A fuel tank water separator assembly includes a tank, a water separating plate having a sloping portion and a top part and a bottom part on the sloping portion. The plate is connected to the tank and defines therewith communicating upper and lower chambers, the plate and the tank being of a construction sufficient for gravity settling and separation of water from the fuel in response to movement of the water along the sloping portion of the plate. A first opening at the bottom part of the sloping portion passes fluid to the lower chamber, and a second opening at the top part passes displaced fuel to the upper chamber.

Abstract: A gravitational separator for separating solids from liquefied natural gas having a closed tank having a conical lower portion angled at least 60.degree. from the horizontal and terminating at the bottom in an apex opening in communication with a valve means for removing settled solids from the tank, a vertically positioned cylindrical shell, defining a stilling chamber, located at least partially below a predetermined level of liquified gas, a conical shell vapor disengaging means located above the stilling chamber, conduit means for feeding a gas or liquefied gas containing impurities terminating in the stilling chamber below the level of a liquefied gas in the tank, means for withdrawing a gas or vapor from the tank.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for automatically controlling and regulating the freedom from suspended matter of quiescent reservoir overflow liquid in mechanical separatory processes for liquid-solid phases based on the sedimentation of suspended particles in quiet or slow flowing liquids. The apparatus includes a quiet reservoir 2 below an overflow outlet 1, a withdrawal tube 6 for removal of liquid or suspension from the reservoir, a free falling interval below the outer end of the tube 6, a light ray 3 between a light source 4 and a photoelectric cell 5 arranged across the free falling interval. The tube 6 enters the reservoir at the height of the uppermost suspension material boundary level. The photocell 5 is operatively connected with the driving circuit of a slurry pump 8 connected to the outlet 12 at the bottom of the quiet reservoir 2.There is also disclosed the process of using the apparatus.

Abstract: A gravity clarifier for separating biological sludge from the water by gravity settling, which comprises a cylindrical tank having a closed bottom with a downwardly depending truncated conical shell attached at its large end to the upper portion of the tank wall, with a peripheral trough near the top end of the tank and a weir for the overflow of effluent liquid into the trough. The influent conduit enters the tank tangentially and flows the raw mixture into the tank in the space between the outside of the inverted conical shell and the tank wall. The sludge is removed from the tank bottom near the center of the tank.

Abstract: Scraper elements are resiliently and movably supported to alternately, at one stage in the process, pass along a sloped ramp in contact with a container wall to remove surface layers of tallow-like material from water contaminated therewith and, in a subsequent stage of the process, to be continually and automatically cleansed.

Abstract: A simple and efficient flow regulator for controlling the discharge from adjoining collecting chambers separated by a partition and including a common wall which includes a disc mounted in the side wall. The axis of rotation of the disc is in general aligned with the partition and the disc includes an opening asymmetrically disposed relative to the axis of rotation. Thus upon rotation of the disc the area of the opening communicating with each chamber is varied to vary the ratio of discharge flow from each chamber. Details of the structure and mounting are described.