1. A device for separating constituents of a fluid mixture, comprising an elongate vessel oriented at an acute angle to horizontal, wherein:
the vessel is operable to receive the fluid mixture and direct the fluid mixture to flow in a convection cell spanning substantially a length of the vessel;
the convection cell is formed by gravitational forces acting on the fluid mixture; and
the convection cell is operable to deposit a heavy constituent of the fluid mixture about a lower end of the vessel and a light constituent of the fluid mixture about an upper end of the vessel.
2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a first outlet about the upper end and a second outlet about the lower end.
3. The device of claim 2 further comprising an inlet between the first and second outlets.
4. The device of claim 3 further comprising a filter residing at least partially between the inlet and the first outlet or at least partially between the inlet and the second outlet.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the filter is adapted to pass water and filter oil.
6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a filter, wherein the convection cell operates to separate at least a portion of a constituent from the fluid mixture prior to passage of the fluid mixture through the filter.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the filter comprises at least one of a membrane or a prepacked screen.
8. The device of claim 7 further comprising a bypass adapted to selectively allow fluid to bypass the filter.
9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second elongate vessel oriented at an acute angle to horizontal, wherein:
the second vessel is operable to receive a fluid mixture output from the first mentioned vessel and direct the fluid mixture output to flow in a convection cell spanning substantially a length of the second vessel; and
the second vessel is operable to deposit a heavy constituent of the fluid mixture output about a lower end of the second vessel.
10. The device of claim 9 wherein the first mentioned vessel and the second vessel are substantially helical and nested with one another.
11. The device of claim 9 wherein the first mentioned vessel and the second vessel are substantially linear and nested with one another.
12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second elongate vessel oriented at an acute angle to horizontal, wherein the second vessel is operable to receive a portion of the fluid mixture.
13. A fluid separator, comprising an elongate receptacle having an inlet operable to receive a fluid mixture, wherein:
the receptacle is oriented at an angle to horizontal such that gravitational force causes a portion of the fluid mixture to settle to a lower sidewall of the receptacle, flow along the lower sidewall to a lower end wall of the receptacle, and turn at the lower end wall to flow along an upper sidewall of the receptacle toward an upper end of the receptacle; and
the flow along the lower sidewall has a larger amount of a heavy constituent of the fluid mixture than the flow along the upper sidewall.
14. The fluid separator of claim 13 further comprising an outlet about the upper end operable to output a portion of the fluid mixture containing less heavy constituent than the fluid mixture introduced through the inlet.
15. The fluid separator of claim 13 further comprising a filter residing at least partially between the inlet and the upper end or at least partially between the inlet and the lower end.
16. The fluid separator of claim 13 wherein the receptacle is an elongate cavity formed in the Earth adjacent a well.
17. The fluid separator of claim 13 wherein a length to width aspect ratio of the receptacle is at least about 2:1.
18. The fluid separator of claim 13 wherein the angle to horizontal is between about 30\xb0 and about 70\xb0.
19. A method of separating constituents of a fluid mixture, comprising receiving the fluid mixture in an elongate receptacle oriented at an acute angle to horizontal such that gravitational force causes a portion of the fluid mixture to settle to a lower sidewall of the receptacle, flow along the lower sidewall to a lower end wall of the receptacle, and turn at the lower end wall to flow along an upper sidewall of the receptacle toward an upper end of the receptacle, wherein the flow along the lower sidewall has a larger amount of a heavy constituent of the fluid mixture than the flow along the upper sidewall.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising withdrawing a portion of the fluid mixture from the upper end, wherein the withdrawn portion has less heavy constituent than the fluid mixture initially received in the receptacle.
21. The method of claim 19 further comprising withdrawing a portion of the fluid mixture from a lower end of the receptacle, wherein the withdrawn portion has more heavy constituent than the fluid mixture initially received in the receptacle.
22. The method of claim 19 further comprising filtering a constituent from at least one of the portion of the fluid mixture flowing along the lower sidewall or the portion of the fluid mixture flowing along the upper sidewall.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein filtering the constituent comprises filtering oil from the fluid mixture flowing along the lower sidewall.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein filtering the constituent comprises passing the portion of the fluid mixture through at least one of an ionically treated membrane, a molecularly sized porous membrane, or a prepacked screen.
25. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
withdrawing a portion of the fluid mixture from at least one of the upper end or the lower end of the receptacle; and
receiving the portion of the fluid mixture in a second elongate receptacle oriented at an acute angle to horizontal such that gravitational force causes a portion of the fluid mixture to settle to a lower sidewall of the second receptacle, flow along the lower sidewall of the second receptacle to a lower end wall of the second receptacle, and turn at the lower end wall of the second receptacle to flow along an upper sidewall of the second receptacle toward an upper end of the second receptacle, wherein the flow along the lower sidewall of the second receptacle has a larger amount of a heavy constituent of the fluid mixture than the flow along the upper sidewall of the second receptacle.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A collapsible clothes hanger, comprising:
a hook, a first arm, a second arm, a first pants bar element, and a second pants bar element;
said first arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said first arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said second arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said second arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said first pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said first arm;
said second pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said second arm;
wherein said second end of said first pants bar element and said second end of said second pants bar element are connected to and rotatable about one another; and
wherein said first arm and said second arm are adapted to rotate towards one another and enclose said first pants bar element and said second pants bar element, so as to selectively arrange the hanger in a collapsed configuration or a deployed configuration;
said first end of said first arm comprises one or more clevis arms and wherein said first end of said second arm comprises one or more clevis arms;
said clevis arms on said first arm being adapted to mate with said clevis arms of said second arm, and
wherein each clevis arm has an aligned slot receptacle adapted to engage with a pin member on said hook such that said first arm and second arm are able to rotate about said pin member.
2. The hanger of claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said first arm further comprises a slot shaped such that said hook is capable of passing through said slot when rotated.
3. The hanger of claim 1, wherein:
said upper surface of said first arm further comprises a slot shaped such that said hook is capable of passing through said slot when rotated;
said hook further comprises a stopper disposed on an upper end of said hook, and wherein said slot further comprises a cut-out adapted to engage with said stopper when said hook is rotated such that engagement of said stopper with said cut-out secures said hook in position.
4. The hanger of claim 1, wherein said first arm and said second arm each further comprise:
a groove on said upper surface thereof;
a channel on said upper surface thereof extending from said groove toward said second end of said arm;
an elastic cord having a first and a second end, wherein a first anchor is disposed at said first end and a second anchor is disposed at said second end;
said first anchor and said second anchor being adapted to engage said grooves on said upper surfaces of said first arm and said second arm; and
said elastic cord adapted to be accepted into said channel of said first arm and said second arm and extend along an upper surface of said first and second pants bar element.
5. The hanger of claim 1, wherein said hook further comprises an aperture adapted to engage with one or more protrusions disposed on said first arm so as to releasably lock the hanger in a deployed configuration when said aperture is engaged with said one or more protrusions of said first arm.
6. The hanger of claim 1, wherein said first pants bar element comprises a locking member adapted to engage with a locking aperture on said second pants bar element, so as to releasably lock the hanger in a collapsed configuration.
7. The hanger of claim 1, wherein said first and second pants bar element are rotatable about one another by means of an indentation on said first pants bar element that is adapted to receive a knob on said second pants bar element wherein engagement of said indentation and said knob results in a hinged connection.
8. The hanger of claim 1, wherein said first pants bar element further comprises a channel adapted to receive a sliding pin on said second pants bar element that is adapted to slide within said channel, wherein the engagement of said sliding pin within said channel serves to constrain the rotation of said first and second pants bar element.
9. The hanger of claim 8, wherein said channel comprises a first and second end, wherein a terminal indentation is disposed at said first and said second end, so as to releasably secure said sliding pin within said terminal indentation to prevent further sliding of said sliding pin within said channel.
10. A collapsible clothes hanger, comprising:
a hook, a first arm, a second arm, a first pants bar element, and a second pants bar element;
said first arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said first arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said second arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said second arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said first pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said first arm;
said second pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said second arm;
wherein said second end of said first pants bar element and said second end of said second pants bar element are connected to and rotatable about one another; and
wherein said first arm and said second arm are adapted to rotate towards one another and enclose said first pants bar element and said second pants bar element, so as to selectively arrange the hanger in a collapsed configuration or a deployed configuration; and
said upper surface of said first arm further comprises a slot shaped such that said hook is capable of passing through said slot when rotated;
said hook further comprises a stopper disposed on an upper end of said hook, and wherein said slot further comprises a cut-out adapted to engage with said stopper when said hook is rotated such that engagement of said stopper with said cut-out secures said hook in position.
11. A collapsible clothes hanger, comprising:
a hook, a first arm, a second arm, a first pants bar element, and a second pants bar element;
said first arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said first arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said second arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said second arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said first pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said first arm;
said second pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said second arm;
wherein said second end of said first pants bar element and said second end of said second pants bar element are connected to and rotatable about one another; and
wherein said first arm and said second arm are adapted to rotate towards one another and enclose said first pants bar element and said second pants bar element, so as to selectively arrange the hanger in a collapsed configuration or a deployed configuration;
a groove on said upper surface thereof;
a channel on said upper surface thereof extending from said groove toward said second end of said arm;
an elastic cord having a first and a second end, wherein a first anchor is disposed at said first end and a second anchor is disposed at said second end;
said first anchor and said second anchor being adapted to engage said grooves on said upper surfaces of said first arm and said second arm; and
said elastic cord adapted to be accepted into said channel of said first arm and said second arm and extend along an upper surface of said first and second pants bar element.
12. A collapsible clothes hanger, comprising:
a hook, a first arm, a second arm, a first pants bar element, and a second pants bar element;
said first arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said first arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said second arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said second arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said first pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said first arm;
said second pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said second arm;
wherein said second end of said first pants bar element and said second end of said second pants bar element are connected to and rotatable about one another; and
wherein said first arm and said second arm are adapted to rotate towards one another and enclose said first pants bar element and said second pants bar element, so as to selectively arrange the hanger in a collapsed configuration or a deployed configuration; and
wherein said hook further comprises an aperture adapted to engage with one or more protrusions disposed on said first arm so as to releasably lock the hanger in a deployed configuration when said aperture is engaged with said one or more protrusions of said first arm.
13. A collapsible clothes hanger, comprising:
a hook, a first arm, a second arm, a first pants bar element, and a second pants bar element;
said first arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said first arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said second arm having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, and an open underside, wherein said first end of said second arm is connected to and rotatable about said hook;
said first pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said first arm;
said second pants bar element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second pants bar element is connected to and rotatable about said second end of said second arm;
wherein said second end of said first pants bar element and said second end of said second pants bar element are connected to and rotatable about one another; and
wherein said first arm and said second arm are adapted to rotate towards one another and enclose said first pants bar element and said second pants bar element, so as to selectively arrange the hanger in a collapsed configuration or a deployed configuration; and
wherein said first and second pants bar element are rotatable about one another by means of an indentation on said first pants bar element that is adapted to receive a knob on said second pants bar element wherein engagement of said indentation and said knob results in a hinged connection.