Abstract: An oil and water separation apparatus includes a pair of spaced apart vessels, the first vessel having an interior for holding liquid and a separator unit that is positioned in the interior of the first vessel. The separator unit receives incoming flow at its upper end portion. This flow fills the interior of the separator. The inclined walls of the separator help accumulate oil that moves upwardly therewithin. Lowermost pipes discharge water from the separator. A plurality of vertically spaced apart conduits are positioned around the exterior wall of the separator and communicate with its interior. Each of the vertical openings has a larger cross sectional area base portion and a smaller cross sectional area top through which oil can exit. Accumulated oil can be channeled away from recycling. Water escaping the first vessel enters the second vessel where it encounters a plurality of alternating baffles and filters that further clarify any water that is discharged from the first vessel.

Abstract: An oil spill retrieval vessel has an influent for collecting oil and seawater that forms an oil spill or slick. The vessel has an interior that contains the skimmed oil and water and separates the oil within the vessel and underwater. A plurality of separator surfaces inside the vessel and below water surface are vertically stacked to catch and accumulate oil as it rises within the vessel interior. An influent flow line has oil outlets along a portion under the separator for preliminarily accumulating oil droplets on louvers that angle away from each outlet on the influent flow line. A transverse baffle plate above the separators has openings with angled plate-like members or louvers thereon for further accumulating and concentrating the oil that leaves the separator.

Abstract: An oil spill retrieval vessel has an interior that contains skimmed oil and separates the oil within the vessel and underwater using a plurality of separator surfaces vertically stacked to catch and accumulate oil as it rises within the vessel interior.

Abstract: A floating retriever for retrieving, for example, spilled oil or other liquid substances on the top of water having a central liquid collection chamber with a vacuum or suction pick-up for delivery of the pollutants to, for example, a mother vessel which controls the retriever by means of, for example, a boom structure. The retriever has a large surrounding circular float with intake ports with rotational, wiper/configured, laterally disposed vaned cylinders to bring the retrieved liquid to the collection chamber. The device includes an inverted-dome, variable level, water well for stability, as well as radially positioned, selectively controlled, out-rigger, floating screws which may turn clockwise or counterclockwise for both drawing the oil to the intake ports and providing for propulsion and guidance. In an alternate embodiment, an initial, gravity oil/water separator is included in the retriever in association with the central collection chamber.

Abstract: A floating retriever for retrieving, for example, spilled oil or other liquid substances on the top of water having a central liquid collection chamber with a vacuum or suction pick-up for delivery of the pollutants to a mother vessel which controls the retriever by means of a boom structure. The retriever has a large surrounding circular float with intake ports with "V" shaped lateral screws to bring the retrieved liquid to the collection chamber. The device includes an inverted-dome, water well with limited openings underneath the collection chamber for stability, as well as radially positioned, selectively controlled, out-rigger screws including an auxiliary tow, for drawing the oil to the intake ports and providing for propulsion and guidance. The ports have inclined stepped bottom surfaces with discharge holes with a lower paddle wheel drive to initially enhance oil/water separation, as well as air jets or sprays for producing a suction effect in the intakes.