Backwashable helical-media coalescer

Claim 1

Apparatus for coalescing/filtering liquid-in-liquid suspensions (such as oil-in-water) to separate the liquids and remove solid and particulate matter therefrom, comprising: a. a hollow porous cylindrical armature; b. a coalescing/filtration media composed of a large number of individual strands of yarn-like material formed into a cylindrical-shaped assembly; said yarn-like strands lying substantially in the direction of the axis of the cylindrical-shaped media assembly and being secured together at either of the ends thereof by media fastening means; c. said cylindrical-shaped media assembly being positioned about the outer surface of said hollow porous cylindrical armature with the opposite ends thereof held apart to keep said yarn-like strands slightly taut; d. a pressure tank for housing said hollow porous cylindrical armature and said cylindrical-shaped media assembly; e. means for positioning said hollow porous armature with said cylindrical-shaped media assembly thereabout substantially centrally within said pressure tank and for securing one end of said media assembly from rotation at one end of said pressure tank; f. a control fitting positioned at the opposite end of said pressure tank; said control fitting having a tubular outlet passageway depending therefrom which passes out through an annular fitting at said opposite end of said pressure tank; said control fitting operable to be sealingly rotated within said annular fitting; g. the opposite end of said cylindrical-shaped media assembly about said armature being secured to said control fitting for rotational movement thereof when said control fitting is rotated; h. said hollow porous cylindrical armature forming a central chamber between one end of said pressure tank and said control fitting; said control fitting tubular outlet communicating with one end of said chamber for drawing off a separated liquid; said one end of said pressure tank adjacent said one end of said assembly having a reservoir formed therein; said reservoir having an outlet thereon for drawing off a different separated liquid; i. an outer chamber area formed between the outside of said cylindrical-shaped media assembly and about the inner surface of said pressure tank; an inlet means for introduction into said outer chamber of liquid-in-liquid suspension to be separated; j. means for rotating said control fitting and thus rotate one end of said cylindrical-shaped media assembly thereby twisting said yarn-like strands helically about said hollow porous cylindrical armature for coalescing and filtering a liquid-in-liquid suspension which is introduced into said pressure tank and which flows from said outer chamber through the coalescing filtration strands of said cylindrical-shaped media assembly and porous armature to said central chamber where the separated liquids can be drawn off at either end of said pressure tank; the degree of helically twisting said yarn-like strands tightly about said porous armature being operable to control the media pore size thereby allowing adjustment of flow control and filtering properties by varying the torque applied to said control fitting; k. releasing the torque and thus loosening of the yarn-like strands during a backwash mode allowing said yarn-like strands to expand and strum during reverse flow of liquid therethrough for cleaning and removal of solids and particulate matter.