To effectively separate fine droplets of oil from water.
Water W mixed with oil, in which fine droplets of the oil are mixed, is allowed to flow upward from the lower part in an oil agglomeration cylinder 2. At this time, the fine droplets of the oil are repelled at the surface of a granular material 8a in a granular material layer 8 having water- and oil-repellent properties, and then the fine droplets bond with one another by the affinity of the oil and grow to coarse particles. Further, when the fine droplets of the oil pass through a fiber material layer 7, they bond with one another and grow to the coarse particles. The water W mixed with the oil, containing the coarse droplets Y1 of the oil is stored in a storage section 9. Thereby, the coarse droplets Y1 bond with one another to form an oil film Y2, which floats. The oil film Y2 continuously takes in the coarse droplets Y1 of the oil and the thickness of the oil film Y2 becomes thick, thereby a portion of the film Y2 flows out over an overflow wall 10. Accordingly, it becomes possible to separate the oil from the water. Furthermore, when clogging occurs, the liquid is allowed to flow out through drain pipes 13 and 14 so that the granular material 8a is allowed to fall downward and back washed, thereby the problem of the clogging can be solved.
TERASAWA SAKIKO
HIRAMATSU MIKIO
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