API oil-water separator

An API oil separator is a device that large amounts of oil and suspended solids from the wastewater from oil refineries, (petro ) chemical should disconnect and other industrial plants.

The name of API refers here to the standard of the American Petroleum Institute, are designed according to which such devices.

Description of the operation

API separator uses the Stokes equation, to make the separation by gravity. The difference in specific gravity between the oil and the waste water is important for the operation.

Typically, the oil layer is skimmed off.

Parallel plate separators are similar to API separators but include oblique plate components.

History

The API separator was developed by the API and the Rex Chain Belt Company (now USFilter Envirex Products) developed. The first API separator was installed in 1933 in the refinery of the Atlantic Richfield Company in Philadelphia. Since then, almost all refineries have installed API oil separators in their wastewater treatment plants worldwide. However, many refineries today use plastic parallel plate packing to reinforce the separation by gravity.