The present invention includes methods and systems for improving oil quality of a contaminated oil mixture by removing contaminants from a contaminated oil comprising the steps of: pretreating a membrane contactor system having a first and a second surface with an hydrophobic liquid, wherein the hydrophobic liquid is contacted to at least one of the first and second surfaces; obtaining a contaminated oil that comprises oil and lipophobic contaminants; contacting the contaminated oil onto a first surface of one or more membrane contactors to coalesce the oil on the first surface; and collecting the coalesced oil from the contaminated oil on the second surface of the membrane contactor.

The present invention pertains to a pervaporation membrane process for the separation of high octane fuel components from a gasoline feed stream comprising feeding a mixed phase vapor-liquid feed to a cyclone separation means to separate the liquid from the vapor, then sending the saturated vapor to the membrane, thereby extending the useful life of the membrane.

A wastewater treatment system is disclosed that includes a desanding hydrocyclone, a deoiling hydrocyclone, an electrocoagulation apparatus that is adapted to receive a flow of treated wastewater from the desanding and deoiling hydrocyclones, a floc separator that is adapted to receive a flow of a first effluent from the electrocoagulation apparatus, and an ultrafiltration membrane apparatus that is adapted to receive at least a portion of a flow of a second effluent from the floc separator.

A wastewater treatment system is disclosed that includes a desanding hydrocyclone, a deoiling hydrocyclone, an electrocoagulation apparatus that is adapted to receive a flow of treated wastewater from the desanding and deoiling hydrocyclones, a floc separator that is adapted to receive a flow of a first effluent from the electrocoagulation apparatus, and an ultrafiltration membrane apparatus that is adapted to receive at least a portion of a flow of a second effluent from the floc separator.

The present invention provides for methods and systems that effectively separate dispersed FOG from emulsions and/or free-floating FOG from a waste stream to provide dewatered emulsions and/or separated fats, oils and greases from emulsions thereby providing value added separated product while reducing disposal of solid or liquid waste matter into landfills or water treatment facilities.

The present invention provides for methods and systems that effectively separate dispersed FOG from emulsions and/or free-floating FOG from a waste stream to provide dewatered emulsions and/or separated fats, oils and greases from emulsions thereby providing value added separated product while reducing disposal of solid or liquid waste matter into landfills or water treatment facilities.

Disclosed herein is a process for isolating phospholipids from milk by-products, such as acid whey, the process comprising: a) exposing milk by-products to filtration, thereby enriching for phospholipids; and b) solubilizing and removing whey proteins and caseins; thereby isolating phospholipids from the milk by-product. Also disclosed are products produced by this method.

The present invention includes an apparatus and method for removing oil from a oil-containing liquid comprising oil and gas comprising: a source of oil-containing liquid; and a membrane contactor system in fluid communication with the source of oil-containing liquid, the membrane contactor system comprising one or more membrane contactors having a first and a second surface, wherein the first surface coalesces oil and removes gas from the oil-containing liquid, and the oil and gas are collected on the second surface from the oil-containing liquid.

The present invention includes an apparatus and method for removing oil from a oil-containing liquid comprising oil and gas comprising: a source of oil-containing liquid; and a membrane contactor system in fluid communication with the source of oil-containing liquid, the membrane contactor system comprising one or more membrane contactors having a first and a second surface, wherein the first surface coalesces oil and removes gas from the oil-containing liquid, and the oil and gas are collected on the second surface from the oil-containing liquid.

Cyclonic separation devices and fluid stream separating apparatuses incorporating cyclonic separation devices are described. A cyclonic separation device may include an exterior housing having an exterior cylindrical portion and an exterior conical portion extending from the exterior cylindrical portion and an interior housing having an interior cylindrical portion and an interior conical portion extending from the interior cylindrical portion. The interior housing is positioned relative to the exterior housing to form a circulating chamber. The cyclonic separation device also includes a fluid inlet coupled to the exterior housing, where the fluid inlet positioned to inject a fluid stream into the circulating chamber at an orientation generally tangential to the cylindrical portions of the exterior housing and the interior housing. The cyclonic separation device further includes a low-density outlet coupled to at least one of the exterior conical portion or the interior conical portion.