A compact hydraulic particle separator apparatus is disclosed. The disclosed apparatus comprises an upper chamber and a lower chamber separated by a partition. A liquid fluid flow upwelling through the partition from the lower chamber is caused to mix with tangential jet of fluid flowing introduced above the partition in the upper chamber produces an upwardly-flowing cyclonic flow within the upper chamber. Particle mixtures containing low- and high-density particles and other solids are introduced into the upper chamber through a feed tube having a mouth that is offset from the center of the upper chamber. Low-density particles are immediately entrained in the cyclonic flow and swept upward and exit the apparatus.

A tank system may be conventional and fixed, or mobile, such as a fracking fluid or other tank trailer. A drain port thereof is fitted with an adapter connecting a snorkel system to drain liquids from near the top of the liquid level in the tank. A snorkel head at the extreme distal end of a tube near the longitudinal center of the tank is suspended by a system of buoys. A flow field controller plate resists formation of vortices near the snorkel head, so it can operate as near the surface as possible, withdrawing the highest grade oil efficiently. At its exit, the proximal end of the tube drains oil through an inner conduit of an adapter at a penetration in the wall of the tank. The adapter forms an annulus around the inner conduit draining tank bottoms directly from the tank.

An apparatus for reducing the water content of waste water sludge includes a column for receiving waste water sludge, an outlet at a lower end of the column, a first closure for closing the outlet of the column, a controller for controlling the opening and closing of the closure. The controller is adapted to open and close the first closure to periodically discharge amounts of settled fines from the lower end of the column. A water outlet is adapted to receive water overflowing from an upper end of the column.

An apparatus for reducing the water content of waste water sludge includes a column for receiving waste water sludge, an outlet at a lower end of the column, a first closure for closing the outlet of the column, a controller for controlling the opening and closing of the closure. The controller is adapted to open and close the first closure to periodically discharge amounts of settled fines from the lower end of the column. A water outlet is adapted to receive water overflowing from an upper end of the column.

A system for automatically discharging sand from a sand separator. The system includes a first and second valves and a choke valve disposed in a discharge line from a sand separator. A pressure transducer measures pressure in the line between the first and second valves. A controller operates the valves to initiate and terminate the discharge sequence. An emergency shutdown valve is positioned upstream of the sand separator and is operative to shut down the system if the pressure reading by the transducer exceeds a predetermined amount.

A method and a system for purification of oil, said method comprising the steps of: —providing separation aid and oil to be purified to at least one sedimentation tank; —waiting for allowing a sludge phase to sediment to a bottom part of the sedimentation tank, said sludge phase comprising the separation aid together with impurities from the oil; —removing an oil phase not comprising said sludge phase from the at least one sedimentation tank; and —filtering said oil phase through a depth filter for removing any possible remaining separation aid and impurities.

A method and a system for purification of oil, said method comprising the steps of: —providing separation aid and oil to be purified to at least one sedimentation tank; —waiting for allowing a sludge phase to sediment to a bottom part of the sedimentation tank, said sludge phase comprising the separation aid together with impurities from the oil; —removing an oil phase not comprising said sludge phase from the at least one sedimentation tank; and —filtering said oil phase through a depth filter for removing any possible remaining separation aid and impurities.

A separation device for a fluid purification device is provided, the separation device comprising: at least three concentric enclosures including an outermost enclosure and an innermost enclosure and defining at least two concentric cavities; a plurality of spiral-shaped channels formed in each of the at least two concentric cavities, so that fluid can flow through said plurality of spiral-shaped channels; a fluid inlet, for receiving fluid, located in an upper section of an outermost cavity among the at least two concentric cavities, the fluid inlet corresponding to a gas outlet; a solids outlet, for discharging solids comprised in the fluid, located in a lower section of the separation device; and a liquid outlet, for discharging liquid comprised in the fluid, located in an upper section of at least one inner cavity among the at least two concentric cavities.

A separation device for a fluid purification device is provided, the separation device comprising: at least three concentric enclosures including an outermost enclosure and an innermost enclosure and defining at least two concentric cavities; a plurality of spiral-shaped channels formed in each of the at least two concentric cavities, so that fluid can flow through said plurality of spiral-shaped channels; a fluid inlet, for receiving fluid, located in an upper section of an outermost cavity among the at least two concentric cavities, the fluid inlet corresponding to a gas outlet; a solids outlet, for discharging solids comprised in the fluid, located in a lower section of the separation device; and a liquid outlet, for discharging liquid comprised in the fluid, located in an upper section of at least one inner cavity among the at least two concentric cavities.

A means to exploit the Dean Vortices for dynamic filtering on a macro scale intended for application in utility and industrial processes is disclosed. This method relies on an apparatus of computed construction to optimize the centripetal force and minimize the effect of gravity on the separation and effectiveness of the Dean Vortices. The method is also supported by an apparatus of construction which results in an optimized elliptical flow channel that enhances the formation and persistence of the Dean Vortices.