A frac sand separator system includes a sand separator having an inlet fluidly connected to a well for receiving a fracking return mixture from the well. The sand separator is configured to separate water of the fracking return mixture from particulate matter of the fracking return mixture. The sand separator includes an outlet. The frac sand separator system includes a collection container fluidly connected to the outlet of the sand separator for receiving the particulate matter from the sand separator. At least one outlet valve is fluidly connected between the outlet of the sand separator and the collection container. The frac sand separator system includes a computing device operatively connected to the at least one outlet valve. The computing device includes a processor configured to automatically open the at least one outlet valve such that the particulate matter is released from the sand separator into the collection container.

This invention relates to a process for treating acid mine drainage (AMD). The process includes the steps of adjusting the pH of the AMD to be in the range of 3 to 5; adding maghemite nanoparticles to form a slurry; and a) aerating the slurry obtained in step 3), or b) simultaneously heating and mixing the slurry obtained in step 3). Thereafter maghemite nanoparticles loaded with one or more metals and sulphate and precipitated metals is separated from the slurry.

Contaminants can be removed from liquids in accordance with systems and methods herein. One exemplary method can involve introducing an input liquid into a pressurized chamber. The method can also involve oxidizing an organic or inorganic contaminant in the input liquid by heating the input liquid in the pressurized chamber, to create an output liquid that has less of the organic or inorganic contaminant than is present in the input liquid. And the method can involve outputting the output liquid from the pressurized chamber.

A method for efficiently removal of oxidised selenium from liquid, such as FGD wastewater. The method involves adding a non-iron-based reducing agent (e.g. sodium dithionite) and preferably Fe(II) ions to the liquid at a pH of above 7.5 or 8 and precipitating elemental selenium from the liquid.

Formation of CaSO.sub.4 and Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 containing deposits is reduced in a pressure oxidation autoclave and/or adjacent circuits during pressure oxidation of gold-containing ore. The gold-containing ore is combined with water to create an aqueous slurry that is heated and introduced into the autoclave. The method includes providing a scale inhibitor that is free of an organic polymer and includes an inorganic phosphate according to formula (I), (XPO.sub.3).sub.m, wherein X is Na, K, H, or combinations thereof, and m is at least about 6, an inorganic phosphate according to formula (II), Y.sub.n+2P.sub.nO.sub.3n+1, wherein Y is Na, K, H, an organic phosphonate; or combinations thereof, and n is at least about 6. The method includes the step of combining the scale inhibitor and at least one of the gold-containing ore, the water, and the aqueous slurry to reduce scale.

Disclosed herein is a device and methods for enhancing oil separation from produced water. One such method includes mixing a multiphase fluid having at least a water phase and an oil phase with a flotation gas, according to at least one operating condition, so as to produce an enhanced multiphase fluid having bubbles of the flotation gas therein. The oil phase is then separated from the water phase using a separator. At least one property associated with the enhanced multiphase fluid is monitored. The operating condition is adjusted as a function of the monitored property so as to increase a percentage of the oil phase separated from the water phase by the separator over a percentage of the oil phase that would be separated from the water phase without adjustment of the operating condition.

A system and method for generating base water and precipitate, including combining produced water with seawater to precipitate barium sulfate from barium in the produced water and from sulfate in the seawater, and separating the precipitate to give the base water and the precipitate. The base water may have less than a specified amount of sulfate and be utilized for hydraulic fracturing fluid. The precipitate may give a weighting agent for drilling.

A water treatment system comprises a source of water including one or more contaminants, an electrocoagulation cell including a housing defining a fluid flow conduit, an anode disposed within the fluid flow conduit, and a cathode disposed within the fluid flow conduit, the housing including an inlet fluidly connectable to the source of water and an outlet, a solids/liquid separation system having an inlet fluidly connectable to the outlet of the housing of the electrocoagulation cell, a solids-rich outlet, and a solids-lean outlet, and a ballast feed system configured to deliver a ballast to the solids/liquid separation system.

A method for treating process water of a flotation arrangement, the flotation arrangement including a flotation arrangement including a mineral flotation line and a process water treatment arrangement for treating underflow of the of the mineral flotation line. The method includes the steps of a) dewatering underflow from the flotation in a gravitational solid-liquid separator; b) subjecting supernatant from step a) to cleaning flotation for collecting at least fine particles and residual flotation chemicals, for separating at least fine particles and residual flotation chemicals from the supernatant into cleaning flotation overflow, and for forming purified process water as cleaning flotation underflow; c) removing cleaning flotation overflow as tailings, and d) recirculating purified process water into the mineral flotation line.

An oil, water, and solid impurity separation device capable of realizing crude oil gathering and transferring is provided, which includes: a centrifuge including a liquid mixing inlet communicated to an inside thereof, and pure crude oil outlets disposed at two sides of the liquid mixing inlet and used for injecting a filtered liquid; a strainer, an input end of which is connected with one pure crude oil outlet through a pipeline, a vacuum power assembly for providing power is arranged on the pipeline; a filtering assembly, an input end of which is connected with an output end of the strainer, two individual branches are formed by an output part of the filtering assembly and an oil discharging assembly, as well as the output part of the filtering assembly and an impurity discharging assembly, respectively; one branch is an oil outlet, and another branch is an impurity outlet.