Chemical & Process Technology: Oil - Water Separator for Household

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Oil - Water Separator for Household

Display problem ? Click HERE

In oil and gas production, formation water and condensed water present in oil and gas. These water cause hydrate formation in offshore transfer pipeline, severe slugging, corrosion, etc. They are contaminant shall be removed to meet the oil and gas specification. Water separated from oil and gas is normally contaminated with oil which can be in dispersed and diluted form. If the contaminated water is separated from a 2 phase or 3 phase separator , the oil contaminant level can be as high as 3000 ppmw. This level is far higher than the acceptable level of 30-40 ppmw. The contaminated water required further treatment.

Recommended :
Subscribe FREE - Processing Magazine

Contaminated water treatment are complicated. There are physical separation which includes solid-liquid separation, liquid-liquid separation, diluted component removal, etc as well as chemical treatment and biological treatment. In the physical separation, the normal technology used are hydrocyclone, corrugated plate pack unit, floatation unit, etc.

Similarly, the wastewater from daily usage i.e. wash water from kitchen is contaminated with oil. The oil and water may be separated with above mentioned unit. Following video clips presented a basic plate pack unit which separated oil from water before the water is discharged to public drainage. The separation principle is basically promote oil droplet coalescence in plate pack follow by gravity separation. The oil level in treated water can reach 20 ppmw level and possibly discharge directly to public drainage network (subject to local rules). The separated oil can be collected and storage in a storage tank and ready to be pumped to waste treatment plant for extraction.