Principles and Theory of Hydraulic Separation

Because oil and water really do mix, industries look for a simple, cost-efficient, low maintenance device to separate them. The HYDRASEP® Oil Water Separator incorporates all new technology that results in a quicker, more effective method of separating oily water mixtures while saving maintenance costs.

System Principles

HYDRASEP® has introduced the "Bubble Spin" principle for the separation of immiscible liquids. Inclined or coalescing plate separators are designed based on Stoke's Law. Stoke's Law defines separation of fluids not in motion. HYDRASEP® is specifically designed for fluids in motion. The dynamics of motion impose an external force on the suspended particles, which causes the particles to spin, breaking their bond with the carrying liquid. Thus the particles will cluster together and form their own layer at a predetermined height.

System Description

The animation on our home page shows the HYDRASEP® separator process and its main internal components. The animation on our home page shows the HYDRASEP® separator process and its main internal components. The mixture is introduced into the "inlet" section where its velocity is slowed down and where heavy solids, if present, are allowed to settle. The mixture then enters the "separator" section, which consists of a serpentine series of channels subdivided into multiple parallel sub-channels. These channels are specifically designed to control the velocity of the fluids (thus eliminating turbulence) and provide the required time for a particle to separate itself from the carrying liquid. An internally built "accumulator" regulates and dampens fluid surges in the flow. It works in conjunction with the channels to optimize the effects of the external forces imposed on the particles, thus improving the separation process.

The "recovered product" section is designed to prevent separated liquids from remixing. Recovered product can be removed without interfering with the operation of the separator. The "treated flow" section is designed to allow effluent to be discharged, recycled, or transferred to further treatment. All sections of the HYDRASEP® separator are specifically designed to work as an integrated system to provide the highest quality of Laminar Flow Separation.

Applications
  • Industrial wastewater treatment
  • Process water treatment
  • Process fluids recovery and reuse
  • Ground water remediation with LNAPL/DNAPL
  • Refineries
  • Crude oil production
  • Biodiesel Processing:
    • Removal of solids and water from waste oil feedstock
    • Acid esterification stream treatment
    • Methyl Ester / glycerin separation
    • Methyl Ester / washwater separation
    • Methyl Ester recovery from washwater
    • Methyl Ester recovery from waste / storm water
  • Mining
  • Spill recovery
  • Transformer facilities
  • Transportation-operations & maintenance:
    • Airports
    • Rail yards
    • Truck terminals
    • Marine terminals
    • Maintenance facilities
  • Liquid bulk storage terminals
  • Food processing and rendering plants
  • Storm water runoff - industrial & commercial

Major Advantages
  • Simplicity of operation; uses no filters, meshes or coalescing plates
  • Minimum maintenance; saving labor and parts costs
  • Operates as a continuous or intermittent flow separator
  • No possibility of remixing of "clean water" with separated oils

HYDRASEP® Options
  • Pressurized units built to ASME code
  • Expanded effluent chamber to accommodate internal pumps
  • Freeze protection for cold climates
  • Corrosion protection
  • Stainless steel, internal and/or external construction, special coatings
  • Automatic oil pump-out sensors
  • PLC based controls
  • Remote monitoring and alarms
  • Catch basin for trash and grit removal

Refer to a specific product for its options

We have run around 20,000 gallons through the Hydrasep and it is working well.

North Alabama Biodiesel