API Separator
SPEC Engineering has been involved in developing oil/water separators right from the beginning. We are the leading specialist in this field. Presently we mainly use API and CPI separators in our designs, combining cost effectiveness with the best technical solution for each specific project.
These separation systems are used in for example:
- Oil refineries
- Down stream plants
- Off shore rigs
- Ballast water and slop oil treatment facilities
- LNG plants
Our abilities range from preparing the basic design to delivering a complete project on a turn-key basis.
The API
One of the earliest ways of separating oil from waste water was introduced
in the 1950s with the American Petroleum Institute (API) Separator. This type of separator is a rectangular, in most cases concrete tank through which the oil containing waste water flows at a typical rate of approximately 1 5mm/sec.
Surface area in combination with throughput determine the efficiency of separation. Therefore API separators have to be relatively large basins.
In the basic and smaller API separators, the floating oil is skimmed off at the exit side using a slotted pipe. Settled sludge is removed through a well, located at the exit side or by manual periodic draining and cleaning. Larger and more complex API separators incorporate baffles, chain-scrapers for sludge and/or surface oil.
The two crucial design advances were to pass the waste water between rows of parallel, flat steel plates, mounted in the direction of the flow and enclosed in a narrow deep tank of steel or concrete, and the setting of these plates at an angle, so that the rows sloped upwards at 450 from the bottom centre line of the tank in V-configuration.
The separated oil flowed up the invert sides of the plates and so to the top between the plate edges and the basin side. The plates were covered and completely enclosed by a curved steel plate, providing a semi-circular space along the length of the plates, completely filled by separated oil. Sludge and heavy particles fell to the tank base and were slowly carried by the current to a separation well at the discharge end.
Although the PPI separator offered an important improvement in separating oil from water, a major problem remained: the efficient removal of separated oil and sludge. The solution to these problems was found by a Shell engineering, Mr. Jan Cornelissen and by Mr. Jacob Pielkenrood, who jointly invented and developed an entirely new separator.
The CPI
Where the PPI used parallel horizontally positioned metal plates installed in a chevron configuration, the CPI used platesthat were arranged in a plate pack which was installed at an angle of 45°. Another main difference was the use of corrugated plates. The separated oil droplets would collect in the tops of the corrugations, while solids would deposit inthe troughs.
Separated solids would slide down and separated oil drops would adhere to the invert side of the plates and gently move upwards due to its lesser density than water.
Application
- Coarse Bubble
- Fine Bubble
- Aerated Grit
- Pre Aeration
- Post Aeration
- Process Aeration
- Channel Aeration
- Mixing Aeration
- Deep tank draft tube
- Deep tank shear tube
Features
- SA240-31 6L Stainless Steel Construction
- Corrosion Resistance
- Un-Breakable as the made with plastic
- 3-Year Warranty on Diffusers and Orifice
- Diffusers are non-clog
- Diffuser orifice are above water
- Diffuser assemblies includesunion/orif ice ball valves
Technical Design Guidelines
Oxygen Transfer Efficiency
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