Working Principle
The ecoSep® Oil Water Separator utilizes three consecutive purification steps:

Purification Step 1: Sedimentation (Grit Chamber)
The upstream grit chamber removes solids from the influent, thus ensuring unimpeded functioning of the oil separator itself. The grit chamber is the first concrete tank of a standard two-tank design.

The grit chamber also compensates for influent temperature fluctuations, influent oil concentration influxes and initializes the separation of light fluids.

A perforated 90-degree outlet tube retains floating solids from entering the separation chamber.

Purification Step 2: Gravity Separation
The water then enters the gravity separator via a float-actuated shut-off valve on the inlet pipe. Being lighter than water, the oil floats on the surface.

The ecoSep can separate light liquids that have a specific gravity below 0.95

Oil Spill Control
The automatic shut-off valve stops the flow from the grit chamber either when the maximum oil storage capacity is reached, or when a certain liquid level in the separation chamber is exceeded.

In its closed position, the valve is tight up to 16 feet of total dynamic head pressure.

This makes the ecoSep the only separation system to provide maximum security for the facility owner against unexpected, unpredictable and catastrophic petroleum spills.

Purification Step 3: Final Effluent Polishing (Coalescing Media)
In the residual oil media, fine droplets that are too small to be separated by gravity alone are accumulated into bigger drops that rise to the surface. This coalescing media is made of reticular (net like) soft polyurethane foam. The media-cartridge is very easy to lift out and reinstall once it is cleaned/rinsed with a garden hose.

The separated water that leaves the ecoSep has a residual contamination of free petroleum content of less than 5 mg/liter.