A sludge collector arrangement has a settling tank having side walls sloping downwardly and inwardly towards the base of the tank to from a V-base. A sludge collection unit located in the bottom of the tank has one funnel part facing in one direction and another funnel part facing in the other direction so that when the unit is driven backwards and forwards in the V-base, sludge is driven into one or other of the funnel parts. The funnel parts communicate with a central chamber and a port in a wall of the chamber allows sludge to be drawn by a suction pump from the chamber for subsequent disposal.

A method and system for controlling an interface emulsion layer within an oil treatment vessel includes injecting a water flow through a plurality of radial eductors arranged about a radial eductor manifold located in the brine water layer. Each radial eductor is oriented vertically to the radial eductor manifold and the horizontal axis of the oil treatment vessel. The water flow through the plurality of radial eductors causes a swirling flow pattern in a volume of water around each radial eductor that is effective for promoting a collapse of the interface emulsion layer. The water flow through each radial eductor, which may be a recycled water flow, may be in a range of about 1 to 5 feet per minute.

A method of separating a multiphase fluid, the fluid including a relatively high density component and a relatively low density component, that includes introducing the fluid into a separation region; imparting a rotational movement into the multiphase fluid; forming an outer annular region of rotating fluid of predetermined thickness within the separation region; and forming and maintaining a core of fluid in an inner region. Fluid entering the separation vessel is directed into the outer annular region and the thickness of the outer annular region is such that the high density component is concentrated and substantially contained within this region, the low density component being concentrated in the rotating core. A separation system employing the method is also provided. The method and system are particularly suitable for the separation of solid debris from the fluids produced by a subterranean oil or gas well at wellhead flow pressure.

A method of separating a multiphase fluid, the fluid including a relatively high density component and a relatively low density component, that includes introducing the fluid into a separation region; imparting a rotational movement into the multiphase fluid; forming an outer annular region of rotating fluid of predetermined thickness within the separation region; and forming and maintaining a core of fluid in an inner region. Fluid entering the separation vessel is directed into the outer annular region and the thickness of the outer annular region is such that the high density component is concentrated and substantially contained within this region, the low density component being concentrated in the rotating core. A separation system employing the method is also provided. The method and system are particularly suitable for the separation of solid debris from the fluids produced by a subterranean oil or gas well at wellhead flow pressure.

A method and system for the treatment of a biomass stream to separate organic extracts/biomolecules (such as proteins, lipids and/or carotenoids) from the biomass stream, wherein the water content of the biomass stream is decreased by bringing the biomass stream into contact with a compressed liquefied gas solvent, to create a low-water content biomass stream and introducing the low-water content biomass stream to an extraction apparatus that recovers one or more organic products with little or no measurable solvent residue.

A separation apparatus that includes a weir tank having a plurality of cells and fluid removal apparatus for each cell to remove the fluid from each cell. The fluid removal apparatus includes an actuator and an extension arm whose movement is caused by the actuator. In addition to the actuator and the extension arm, the fluid removal apparatus includes a plunger attached to the extension arm for selectively engaging a first opening in each cell. Furthermore, a method of removing fluid from the separation apparatus via the fluid removal apparatus.

The present disclosure provides a concentric sloping plate enhanced vertical compact flotation unit, relates to the technical field of oily waste water treatment, and is mainly used for efficient treatment of oily waste water such as oilfield produced water, refining and chemical waste water and tanker ballast water. The compact flotation unit includes a tank, an oil receiving structure, a swirling inner cylinder, a swirl breaking structure, a flow equalizing structure, sloping plate sedimentation components and a center cylinder. An exhaust port is formed in the top of the tank, a slag discharge port is formed in the bottom of the tank, and the side surface of the tank is provided with an oil spill port, a water outlet pipe and a water inlet pipe.

One or two continuous recirculation loops are utilized for the well-site equipment that separates produced fluids into sand, liquid, and gas during drill out and flow back that occurs after fracturing a subterranean formation. When one recirculation loop is utilized, the recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between the recirculation chamber of the disclosed sand removal apparatus and a shaker device. When two recirculation loops are utilized, the first recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between a recirculation chamber of the disclosed sand removal apparatus and a shaker device, and the second recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between the recirculation chamber and a gas separator.

A pretreatment for use with systems and methods for extracting and separating a bio-molecule, such as a lipid and/or a protein, from a biomass includes the step of contacting the biomass with a drying gas to substantially dewater the biomass to 20% water content by mass or less. Such pretreated biomass, mixed with one or more compressed liquefied gas solvents, may then be introduced into individual filter cells in a rotary pressure filter to separate lipids from proteins.

A system is provided for separating particulates dispersed within a base fluid wherein at least one of the particulates and the base fluid is an organic liquid. The system relies on a microfluidic separation device comprising a microchannel in fluid communication across a microporous body with a collection chamber. Particulates and a portion of the base fluid traverse the microporous body under the influence of an external force field and are collected in the collection chamber. A first fluid flow having a first flow rate through the microchannel together with the microporous body operationally generate a second fluid flow within the collection chamber as base fluid and particulates traverse the microporous body and enter the collection chamber, and as base fluid re-traverses the microporous body and re-enters the microchannel, the second fluid flow having a flow rate which is a fraction of the first flow rate.