Oil–water separator

The name is derived from the fact that such separators are designed according to API Publication 421, published by the American Petroleum Institute.

Oil leaks from running machinery, such as diesel generators, air compressors, and the main propulsion engine.

This type of oily water separator is very common for many industrial applications as well as in ships but it has some flaws that decrease efficiency.

Centrifugal oil–water separators are used for waste water processing and for cleanup of oil spills on sea or on lake.

Centrifugal oil–water separators are also used for filtering diesel and lubricating oils by removing the waste particles and impurity from them.

In operation the strong vortex is created when the oily water is injected tangentially into the inlet end of the separator.

Nut shell filters were designed to separate crude oil from oilfield produced water in the 1970s.

Typically, nut shell filters are used as a polishing step to achieve low oil concentrations (<10 mg/L).

Oil is collected in the interstitial spaces between the media and periodically removed during a backwash procedure.

Electrochemical emulsification involves the generation of electrolytic bubbles that attract pollutants such as sludge and carry them to the top of the treatment chamber.

A carefully managed environment is needed for the microorganisms which includes nutrients and hydrocarbons such as oil or other contaminates, and oxygen.

In pilot scale studies, bio-remediation was used as one stage in a multi-stage purification process involving a plate separator to remove the majority of the contaminants and was able to treat pollutants at very low concentrations including organic contaminates such as glycerol, solvents, jet fuel, detergents, and phosphates.