Oil Water Separators

Oil water separators (coalescing plate separators) are enhanced gravity systems required to remove oils and solids from water. Commonly used in vehicle wash bays and mechanical workshops, oily water is pumped through to an inlet chamber where solids settle out and oil immediately rises to the surface. After the oily water is separated, an oil baffle prevents it from entering the outlet weir. The waste water is then discharged to sewer, the solids to the in-built hopper and waste oil to a drum underneath.

Typical sized separators treat between 1,000 and 3,000 litres per hour (larger flowrates are available). A diaphragm pump, which is normally electrically driven mechanical, but can be air-operated, is used to pump the in-flow at a controlled flowrate matched to the separator. The major manufacturer of oil water separators is Kwikflo, which All Pumps has extensive experience supplying, installing, servicing and maintaining.

A full range of Gas tight covers and frames are also available in Class B for light duty situations and D ratings for heavy duty loadings.

The Kwikflo coalescing plate separator is an enhanced gravity separator capable of removing oils & solids. It utilises the difference in specific gravity between two or three immiscible components of a liquid stream for separation.

Oily water influent is introduced into an inlet chamber by means of a pump. Heavy solids settle out and 100% oil slugs rise immediately to the surface. The remaining oily water mixture flows through a stack of closely spaced, corrugated polypropylene plates. Both the smaller oil droplets and the fine solids are progressively seperated. Downsteam a baffle or oil dam prevents the collected oil from entering the outlet weir.

Drains are provided in the sludge hopper for the removal of solids. Oil skimmers are provided for the manual or automatic removal of oil. Regular cleaning of the plate packs with hot water is the only maintainence requirement under normal operating conditions.