Separation apparatus and processes

Abstract

An apparatus may include a separator and/or a discharger. A separator may include a separator channel, an influent portion configured to allow the passage of a first fluid into a separator channel, an effluent portion disposed above an influent portion and/or a fluid-lift portion between an influent portion and an effluent portion. A discharger may be disposed below a fluid-lift portion and/or may include a portion external to a separator channel, which may include a downward angle relative to an effluent portion and/or may be configured to minimize the passage of a second fluid into a discharger as the second fluid buoyantly travels in a separator channel from an influent portion to an effluent portion. A second fluid may have a density that is less than the density of a first and/or may be configured to lift a first fluid to a fluid-lift portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) An apparatus comprising:
 a) a separator including:
 i) a separator channel; 
 ii) an influent portion configured to allow the passage of a first fluid into the separator channel; 
 iii) an effluent portion disposed above the influent portion; and 
 iv) a fluid-lift portion between the influent portion and the effluent portion; and 
   b) a discharger:
 i) disposed below the fluid-lift portion; and 
 ii) having a portion:
 (1) external to the separator channel; and 
 (2) including a downward angle relative to the effluent portion configured to minimize the passage of a second fluid into the discharger as the second fluid buoyantly travels in the separator channel from the influent portion to the effluent portion, the second fluid:
 (a) having a density that is less than the density of the first fluid; and 
 (b) configured to lift the first fluid to the fluid-lift portion. 
 
 
   
     
     
         2 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharger includes a discharge channel having a discharge outlet disposed below the fluid-lift portion. 
     
     
         3 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including an injector:
 a) disposed below the discharger; and   b) configured to introduce the second fluid.   
     
     
         4 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including an injector:
 a) disposed below the discharger; and   b) configured to introduce the second fluid as a plurality of bubbles.   
     
     
         5 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional discharger. 
     
     
         6 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a catchment receptacle configured to connect to the effluent portion. 
     
     
         7 ) The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the catchment receptacle includes an effluent outlet. 
     
     
         8 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following is in the approximate shape of a column:
 a) the separator channel; and   b) the discharge channel.   
     
     
         9 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharger channel and the separator channel are at least one of the following:
 a) substantially concentric to each other;   b) substantially parallel to each other; or   c) substantially unparallel to each other.   
     
     
         10 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to accept material, the material including at least one of the following constituents:
 a) dissolved constituents;   b) a hydrophobic compound;   c) an organic compound;   d) a biologically-created compound;   e) undissolved constituents;   f) a single cellular organism;   g) a multicellular organism;   h) phytoplankton;   i) algae;   j) grass;   k) free floating plant matter;   l) zooplankton;   m) bacteria;   n) yeast;   o) virus;   p) detritus;   q) suspended sediment;   r) waste;   s) fungus; or   t) a combination of the above.   
     
     
         11 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fluid and second fluid is at least one of the following:
 a) a liquid; or   b) a gas.   
     
     
         12 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be disposed across a fluid-fluid surface. 
     
     
         13 ) The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the fluid-lift portion is disposed between the fluid-fluid surface and the effluent portion. 
     
     
         14 ) The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to generate a concentration gradient for a target material between the influent portion and the effluent portion. 
     
     
         15 ) The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the concentration gradient includes a larger concentration at the effluent portion than at the influent portion. 
     
     
         16 ) An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a membrane is disposed between the separator channel and the discharger. 
     
     
         17 ) An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the separator is configured to accommodate at least one of the following reactions between the first fluid and the second fluid:
 a) a chemical reaction;   b) a radioactive reaction;   c) a physical reaction; or   d) a combination of the above.   
     
     
         18 ) A process comprising:
 a) passing a first fluid into an influent portion of a separator channel, the first fluid including a target material;   b) introducing a second fluid into the influent portion to contact the first fluid, the second fluid:
 i) having a density that is less than the density of the first fluid; and 
 ii) configured to lift the first fluid through the separator channel to a fluid-lift portion of the separator channel; 
   c) accepting at least some of the target material in an effluent portion of the separator channel employing the passage of the second fluid buoyantly traveling in the separator channel from the influent portion to the effluent portion; and   d) employing a discharger configured to accept filtered first fluid, the discharger:
 i) disposed below the fluid-lift portion; and 
 ii) having a portion:
 (1) external to the separator channel; and 
 (2) including a downward angle relative to the effluent portion configured to minimize the passage of the second fluid into the discharger. 
 
   
     
     
         19 ) The process according to  claim 18 , further comprising introducing the second fluid at a rate configured to approximately minimize damage to the target material. 
     
     
         20 ) The process according to  claim 18 , further comprising creating a back-lift pressure sufficient to approximately maximize the discharge rate of the first fluid discharged through the discharger.