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AFL INDUSTRIES,INC. RIVIERA BEACH,FLORIDA SERVICE OPERATION PRINCIPLE Page 1 OF 4 MANUAL PRODUCT: VERTICAL TUBE COALESCING SEPARATOR-ALL MODELS BASIC OPERATING PRINCIPLE In a nearly motionless state,free oil and water separate because of the natural effects of gravity.Water,being heavier,will settle, and oil,being lighter,will rise.Solids,depending on their density and velocity,will also settle out due to gravity.AFL's gravity separators utilize this natural process in a carefully engineered structure.The separators provide a volume through which polluted water and solids flow.The oil accumulates on the top and can be skimmed off,the settleable solids collect on the floor for periodic removal,and the water passes through and is discharged.See assembly drawing in this brochure provided on the unit.The gravity separator model which your company has purchased is a Vertical Tube Coalescer Separator(VTC).The following is a description of the various VTC components and how they function in the system. See Fig. 1.0 for typical flow pattern and components. INLET CHAMBER The basic purpose of the inlet chamber is to remove gross solids and trash from the influent stream and to distribute the flow evenly throughout the separating chambers. INLET PIPE The inlet pipe(s)provided with elbows,direct the flow towards the separator bottom in order to reduce channeling and turbulence in the separating chamber.No flow control device is provided.As a result,care must be taken to insure that a flow rate greater than the designed flow rate is not fed to the unit. If larger than designed flow rates are permitted to enter the VTC,less time is available to separate the oil and water.The result can be a poor quality effluent. INLET SLUDGE/DIFFUSION BAFFLE The inlet sludge/diffusion baffle separates the inlet, and sludge chambers,and redirects the flow to the middle of the vertical coalescing tubes,thereby, forcing the solids to accumulate on the floor.The gross solids accumulated are removed through a sludge draw-off(optional)pipe or by dropping a pump suction hose through a manway. SEPARATING CHAMBER The separating chamber is essentially an area where polluted water stands nearly motionless for a period of time so gravity separation of oil,water and solids can occur. In the VTC,this chamber is filled with oleophilic,oil attracting Delta- Tubes. These AFL designed Delta-Tubes distribute the flow throughout the entire width and depth of the chamber and greatly reduce the turbulence,thereby,enhancing oil and water separation.The coalescing action of the Delta-Tubes provides additional assistance in separating oil and water. Small oil globules are attracted to the tubes,combine with other globules,and then float through the Delta-Tubes to the water surface. SLUDGE CHAMBER The sludge chamber is designed to contain settleable solids which have collected on the separator floor and prevent them from passing under the oil retention baffle and out of the VTC.The sludge will build up on the floor of the chamber and can be removed through the sludge draw-offs stem installed b AFL in Below Ground and Flush to Grade or pumped g g Y Y Y P P or gravity flow through sludge drain valves provided by AFL in Above Ground units. SUPERSEDES: I-O-M: 2.00-1