Apparatus for separation of kitchen effluents

Abstract

An apparatus for the separation of immiscible liquids from liquid influent has a containment vessel. An influent channel extends toward the bottom of the vessel so the influent is discharged vertically upward, a downwardly curved deflection plate is mounted above and aligned with the discharge end of the influent channel, and a plate with a downward slope from a central location extends toward the periphery of the vessel in a lower portion of the vessel than the deflection plate. This permits the influent to move radially outwardly thus slowing the influent and providing a residence time for gravitational separation of lighter immiscible liquids from the influent. A gap between the downward slope plate and the discharge end of the influent channel permits gravitational release of trapped immiscible liquids. A transfer tube, a sensor, and a pump are provided to pump the separated immiscible liquids out to a remote location. A suction conduit suctions heavier-than-water solids from the bottom of the vessel and an effluent channel channels the separated water to a remote location, such as a sewer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for the separation of a lighter, immiscible liquid from liquid influent, comprising: 
 a containment vessel,    an influent channel having an intake end and a discharge end disposed into a central region of said vessel,    an effluent channel having an intake end disposed in a lower portion of said vessel and a discharge end, and    a plate in a lower portion of said vessel having a downward slope from a central location toward the periphery of said vessel mounted downstream of flow from said discharge end of said influent channel whereby influent liquid can be introduced into said vessel through said influent channel for discharge centrally into said vessel to permit radially outward movement of the influent to slow the influent and provide residence time for gravitational separation of the lighter immiscible liquid from the influent liquid flow.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as claimed in    claim 1    further comprising: 
 a transfer tube with an intake end and a discharging end, said intake end located in an upper portion of said vessel,  
 a sensor for sensing immiscible liquids within an upper portion of said vessel, and  
 a pump actuable upon said sensor sensing immiscible liquids to pump the separated lighter, immiscible liquid from said vessel.  
 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    further comprising: 
 a vertically extending suction conduit having an intake end and a discharge end whereby said intake end can be inserted through the center portion of said vessel to permit the suction of solids from the bottom portion of said vessel to a remote location.  
 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    wherein: 
 said influent end is inserted from the upper portion of said vessel, whereby the influent flow is discharged vertically downward.  
 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 4    wherein said discharge end is oriented to discharge influent downwardly and further comprising: 
 a deflection plate mounted below and aligned with said discharge end of said influent channel, said downward slope plate being in a lower portion of said vessel than said deflection plate, said deflection plate having an overhang above an inner central portion of said downward slope plate.  
 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    wherein: 
 said influent end discharges upwardly from the bottom portion of said containment vessel.  
 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 6    wherein said downward slope plate is mounted to the discharge end of said influent channel with a gap in one portion between said discharge end of said influent channel and said downward slope plate and further comprising: 
 a downwardly curved deflection plate mounted above and aligned with said discharge end of said influent channel whereby said downward slope plate is in a lower portion of said vessel from said deflection plate and immiscible liquid below said downward slope plate may rise through said gap.  
 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    further comprising: 
 a cover for said vessel.  
 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 8    wherein: 
 said cover has a flat top surface, a radial inwardly upwardly slanted bottom surface and a plurality of openings through a middle portion thereof.  
 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    wherein said influent channel discharge end is oriented to discharge influent upwardly and further comprising: 
 a radially inwardly sloping plate near the bottom of said vessel,  
 wherein said influent channel is disposed vertically along one side of said vessel,  
 wherein said effluent channel is disposed vertically along another side of said vessel, and  
 a boundary wall of each of said channels is mounted to said radially inwardly sloping plate.  
 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    wherein said influent channel discharge end is oriented to discharge influent downwardly and further comprising: 
 a gray water conduit having an intake end from a remote location and a discharge end disposed into an upstream location of said discharge end of said influent channel.  
 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    wherein said influent channel discharge end is oriented to discharge influent downwardly and further comprising: 
 an automatic solids transfer discharging line with an intake end in a remote location to return the automatic solids transfer and a discharge end disposed in a downstream location from the intake end of said effluent channel.  
 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    wherein: 
 said vessel is a vertically extending containment vessel with a generally rounded bottom.  
 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    wherein: 
 said vessel is roto-formed plastic.  
 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as is claimed in    claim 1    wherein: 
 said channels are vacuum formed plastic.  
 
     
     
         16 . A method for the separation of influent containing a lighter density first liquid and a heavier density second liquid in a containment vessel and transferring said first and second liquids to discrete remote locations comprising the steps of: 
 channeling said influent into the containment vessel,    directing the influent flow to a radially central portion of the vessel and releasing the influent in the vessel to permit radial outward movement of the influent which causes an increasing reduction in influent flow rate as the influent moves radially outward,    gravitationally separating said first liquid to a higher location in the vessel than the second liquid as they move radially outwardly,    transferring said first liquid from an upper portion of said vessel to a remote location, and    transferring said second liquid from a lower portion of said vessel to another remote location.    
     
     
         17 . The method as in    claim 16   , further comprising the intermediate step of sensing when said upper portion of said vessel contains a substantial quantity of said first liquid and thereafter performing said first transferring step.  
     
     
         18 . The method as in    claim 16   , further comprising the step of suctioning solids heavier than said second liquid from the bottom of said vessel through a conduit to a remote location.  
     
     
         19 . The method as in    claim 16   , wherein said step of transferring the first liquid includes transferring grease and said step of transferring the second liquid includes transferring water.  
     
     
         20 . The method of separating influent containing grease, water and solids heavier than water in a containment vessel and transferring said grease and said water to discrete remote locations comprising: 
 channeling said influent into the containment vessel,    directing the influent flow to a radially central portion of the vessel and releasing the influent in the vessel to permit radial outward movement of the influent which causes an increasing reduction in influent flow rate as the influent moves radially outward,    gravitationally separating said grease from said water as they move radially outwardly,    sensing when the upper portion of said vessel contains a substantial quantity of said grease and thereafter transferring said grease from said upper portion of said vessel to a remote location,    transferring said water from a lower portion of said vessel to another remote location, and    suctioning solids heavier than said water from the bottom of said vessel through a conduit to a remote location.    
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for the separation of immiscible liquid from liquid influent, comprising: 
 a vertically extending roto-formed plastic containment vessel with a generally rounded bottom,    a vacuum formed influent channel having an intake end and a discharge end in a lower central region of said vessel, said discharge end being oriented that the influent flow is discharged vertically upward,    a vacuum formed effluent channel having an intake end disposed in a lower portion of said vessel and a discharge end,    a radially inwardly sloping plate near the bottom of said vessel wherein said channels are each disposed vertically along sides of said vessel with a boundary wall of each of said channels being mounted to said radially inwardly sloping plate,    a downwardly curved deflection plate mounted above and aligned with said discharge end of said influent channel,    a plate in a lower portion of said vessel having a downward slope from a central location toward the periphery of said vessel whereby said downward slope plate is in a lower portion of said vessel than said deflection plate,    a gap in one portion between said discharge end of said influent channel and said downward slope plate,    a transfer tube with an intake end located in an upper portion of said vessel and a discharging end,    a sensor for sensing immiscible liquids within an upper portion of said vessel,    a pump actuable upon said sensor sensing immiscible liquids to pump immiscible liquid from said vessel,    a vertically extending suction conduit having an intake end and a discharge end to permit the suction of heavier-than-water solids from the bottom portion of said vessel, and    a cover for said vessel having a flat top surface, a radial inwardly upwardly slanted bottom surface and a plurality of openings through a middle portion thereof.    
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for the separation of immiscible liquid from liquid influent, comprising: 
 a vertically extending roto-formed containment vessel with a generally rounded bottom,    a vacuum formed influent channel having an intake end and a discharge end extending from the upper portion of said vessel whereby the influent flow is discharged vertically downward into a central region of said vessel,    a vacuum formed effluent channel disposed in said vessel having an intake end in a lower portion of said vessel and a discharge end,    an upwardly curved deflection plate mounted below and aligned with said discharge end of said influent channel,    a plate in a lower portion of said vessel having a downward slope from a central location toward the periphery of said vessel mounted downstream of flow from said discharge end of said influent channel, so that said downward slope plate is in a lower portion of said vessel than said deflection plate to provide an overhang from an outer peripheral portion of said deflection plate above an inner central portion of said downward slope plate,    a transfer tube with an intake end located in an upper portion of said vessel and a discharging end in a remote location for recovery of the separated grease,    a sensor for sensing immiscible liquids within an upper portion of said vessel,    a pump actuable upon said sensor sensing immiscible liquids to pump immiscible liquid from said upper portion of said vessel,    a cover for said vessel having a flat top surface, a radial inwardly upwardly slanted bottom surface and a plurality of openings through a middle portion thereof, and    a vertically extending suction conduit having an intake end and a discharge end, to permit the suction of heavier-than-water solids from the bottom portion of said vessel to a remote recovery system.