Abstract: A heavy liquid such as water in the bottom of a large tank is separated from a light liquid such as fuel which is on top of the water by the heavy liquid displacing a float actuated valve off its seat to open a drain. When the heavy liquid has drained from the tank, the float of the float actuated valve which has a specific gravity less than the heavy liquid and greater than the light liquid will sink with the level of the heavy liquid until the valve moves back to its seat to prevent the light liquid from draining out of the tank.

Abstract: A device for separating oil from water comprising a vessel in which the fluid to be separated is injected under pressure at a very high rate and directed against an improved type of deflector arrangement whereby the deflector plate substantially reverses fluid flow, directing it into a collecting collar which again reverses its flow causing interaction of the fluid upon itself to initiate separation of the less dense oil from the water, whereupon the oil is allowed to rise within the vessel and the water is drawn off at the bottom thereof. The fluid inside the vessel is maintained under a positive pressure and the rate of withdrawal of oil and water is separately controlled so as to maintain the pressure and to maintain a constant separation rate at the oil-water interface.

Abstract: Automatic marine sewage treatment through a pair of tanks with salt water based sewage fed to the first tank after removal of solids above a predetermined size. Circulation means responsive to liquid levels in the tanks cause batch transfer of liquids from the first tank to the second tank and multiply circulate a stream of liquids from and to the second tank while filling the first tank. Electrolytic treatment subjects the stream to D.C. current flow, producing treating chemicals. Treated liquids are discharged from the second tank when the first tank reaches a control level, delivering a predetermined fraction of the treated liquids to the first tank.

Abstract: A housing for a bilge pump-filter has a lower part in which oil and like light pollutants are separated from the polluted water. A pump has its intake connected to the lower region of this lower part and its output connected to an upper compartment of a compensation chamber in the upper housing part which is subdivided by a filter into this upper compartment and a lower compartment. A funnel under the filter conducts liquid coming down through the filter by gravity to the lower region of the lower compartment and a drain at the upper region of this lower compartment off the filter water. A level detector in the lower separation chamber operates the pump only when liquid level in this separation chamber is above a predetermined minimum level.

Abstract: A three-phase separator for processing produced fluids from an oil well is divided into an emulsion, an oil, and water compartments. The separator includes a water weir and controls for automatically adjusting the position of the water weir to maintain the oil-emulsion interface in the emulsion compartment substantially constant.