Primary produced-water separation
Address separable oil before downstream treatment, with a configuration matched to the inlet loading, operating envelope and the next process stage.
PRIMARY SEPARATION / COALESCENCE AND GRAVITY
CPI separators for produced water
SAC supplies corrugated plate interceptor solutions for oil–water separation, selecting the plate pack, vessel configuration and treatment interfaces around the feed and required outlet quality.
Discuss your applicationTHE OPERATING CHALLENGE
Understand how the oil is present
Produced water can contain free oil, dispersed droplets, stable emulsions and dissolved hydrocarbons. These forms do not respond equally to gravity separation. Free oil separates more readily; smaller dispersed droplets may need coalescence or a different downstream process. A CPI should therefore be selected from actual fluid characteristics, rather than a single inlet oil concentration or a general removal percentage.
THE SAC APPROACH
Bring droplets together before the next stage
A corrugated plate interceptor uses inclined plates to support oil-droplet coalescence and gravity separation. The plate arrangement shortens the distance droplets travel before reaching a surface. Droplets can collect and merge, forming larger drops that rise towards an oil collection zone. The vessel must provide suitable flow distribution, oil removal and solids management for this separation mechanism to work effectively.
SAC considers the flow range, oil and water density difference, temperature, oil viscosity, droplet characteristics and solids loading when framing a CPI duty. Inlet turbulence, upstream pumping and changing chemical conditions can affect the feed presented to the plates. Access for inspection and cleaning, sludge removal and the available installation space also influence the equipment specification and maintenance plan.
A CPI can operate as an enhanced gravity stage within a wider produced-water treatment train. Flotation, filtration or application-specific chemistry may be required for the remaining contaminants. Stable emulsions and dissolved oil should not be assumed removable by a plate pack alone. SAC connects equipment selection with feed evaluation and application testing to define the sequence, interfaces and realistic outlet objectives.
WHERE IT FITS
Separator improvement studies
Evaluate flow distribution, plate condition, oil collection and solids handling when reviewing an existing separation stage or defining a retrofit.
Integrated treatment packages
Combine CPI equipment with flotation, monitoring and selected polishing stages where the required water quality calls for a connected treatment train.
START THE TECHNICAL DISCUSSION
Make the requirement
clear from the start.
Share the operating basis so SAC can frame a focused evaluation and supply scope.
Contact SAC- What are the normal, minimum and peak water flow rates?
- How much oil is free, dispersed, emulsified or dissolved?
- What are the fluid temperature, density difference and oil viscosity?
- What solids, scale or fouling conditions could affect the plates?
- What outlet target, footprint, access and downstream interfaces must be met?
COMMON QUESTIONS
What does CPI mean?
CPI means corrugated plate interceptor. It is an oil–water separation configuration that combines a plate pack with gravity separation, oil collection and provisions for managing settled solids.
Can a CPI remove every oil emulsion?
No. Stable emulsions can resist droplet coalescence, and dissolved hydrocarbons are not separated simply by allowing oil droplets to rise. Additional treatment must be assessed for these fractions.
How is CPI different from IGF or CFU?
A CPI relies on coalescence and gravity. Flotation introduces gas bubbles to support oil and solids removal. They can serve different stages of a treatment train; the appropriate sequence depends on the feed and outlet requirement.
Bring us the operating challenge.
Tell us about the fluid, system constraints and required outcome. SAC will use these to define the next technical and commercial discussion.
Discuss your requirements