Treatment Solutions

Industrial Oil-Water Separator Systems and Services

Industrial oil-water separator systems featuring large filtration units used for oil water separation, including coalescing separators and API separators, as part of oily wastewater treatment and industrial wastewater solutions by ProChem Water. Oily wastewater is one of the most persistent challenges in industrial operations, whether from machining and metalworking, petrochemical processes, power generation, or washdown and cooling systems. Effective oil-water separation is about protecting downstream treatment assets, recovering valuable oil, and keeping your operations running smoothly. At ProChem Water, we design and support complete oil-water separator systems, from API-style gravity units to high-efficiency coalescing and modular skid systems. Every solution we deliver is engineered for performance, compliance, and longevity, built to integrate seamlessly with your existing treatment train and backed by our full-service lifecycle support.

Why Oil-Water Separation Matters

Oil contamination impacts far more than your discharge. It also affects every stage of your process. ProChem’s oil-water separation systems are engineered to help you stay compliant, reduce operating costs, and protect critical infrastructure. By removing oil before it reaches downstream systems, you prevent fouling, membrane damage, and costly downtime. Cleaner influent also reduces chemical demand, maintenance frequency, and process interruptions, ensuring your system runs efficiently and predictably. Beyond compliance, effective separation brings measurable value. Our systems consistently achieve strict O&G or TPH limits, often below 10 mg/L, while enabling recovery of reusable oils that can be sold or repurposed as secondary fuel. In short, oil-water separation is a control measure that stabilizes operations, preserves assets, and transforms waste into opportunity.

Oil-Water Separator Technologies

No two oily waste streams are identical. ProChem designs separator systems based on oil type, solids load, flow regime, space constraints, and effluent goals. We combine proven separation principles with modern engineering for dependable, field-tested performance.
  • Gravity & API Separators: Large, chambered units that allow oil to rise and solids to settle by gravity, following the principles of Stokes’ Law. Enhanced versions include plate or lamella packs for higher efficiency in smaller footprints.
  • Coalescing Plate Systems: Corrugated or packed-plate media promote droplet collision and growth, enabling faster oil rise and better solids removal in compact designs.
  • Skid-Mounted & Modular Systems: Pre-engineered, factory-tested systems that integrate coalescing media, skimmers, instrumentation, and control panels for fast installation and consistent results.
  • Nut Shell & Media Filters: Used for polishing after primary separation, these filters capture residual free oil through adsorption or coalescence and regenerate easily via backwash cycles.
  • Centrifugal Separators: Compact systems that use high-speed rotation to accelerate oil-water separation by density difference, ideal for smaller flows or specific industrial processes.
  • Hybrid Configurations: Many systems blend multiple stages: gravity, coalescing, filtration, and DAF, to handle variable loads and emulsified oils with greater consistency.
Every ProChem separator system is built to fit the specific chemistry and hydraulics of your plant, not the other way around.

Smart Design, Reliable Performance

Designing an effective oil-water separator means understanding both the chemistry and physics of your wastewater. ProChem engineers account for every variable that influences performance, efficiency, and maintenance. Our design approach includes:
  • Accurate feed characterization: Oil types, droplet size, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), solids load, and flow variability.
  • Hydraulic optimization: Even, low-turbulence flow distribution using baffles, stilling zones, and diffusers to minimize remixing or short-circuiting.
  • Coalescer and plate pack configuration: Plate pitch, angle, and material are matched to oil chemistry and maintenance needs for optimal performance.
  • Skimming and sludge handling: Integrated skimmers and sludge withdrawal systems ensure continuous removal and easy access for cleaning.
  • Monitoring and controls: Automated oil sensors, level detectors, and flow monitoring maintain performance with minimal operator input.
  • Material and corrosion resistance: Construction options in stainless steel, coated steel, or FRP protect against aggressive industrial environments.
  • Redundancy and serviceability: Parallel trains, bypasses, and accessible internals simplify maintenance and sustain uptime.
Each design is validated through modeling and field data, ensuring separation efficiency that holds up under real operating conditions.

ProChem Water’s Oil-Water Separator Services

We deliver complete oil-water separation solutions: engineered, tested, and supported to meet the toughest industrial demands. Our approach goes beyond supplying equipment; we design systems that integrate seamlessly into your process, achieve target oil removal, and remain reliable throughout their service life.
  • Treatability & Pilot Testing: We analyze and pilot your wastewater to confirm the right separation approach before scaling up.
  • System Design & Engineering: Full design packages including tank geometry, media configuration, skimming, control logic, and integration with your existing treatment line.
  • Fabrication & Skid Assembly: Modular or fixed systems are built and pre-tested in our facility for fast deployment and minimal on-site work.
  • Installation & Commissioning: Field installation, calibration, startup, and performance validation against target oil removal efficiency.
  • Operation & Maintenance Support: Periodic inspections, cleaning, coalescer replacement, calibration, and spare parts supply to ensure long-term reliability.
  • Retrofits & Upgrades: We modernize older systems with new coalescers, improved skimmers, polishing filters, or automation controls.
  • Performance Guarantees: Our systems are backed by verified performance, typically achieving <10 mg/L oil content, along with full lifecycle support.
Built for demanding industrial environments, our oil-water separator systems combine proven design with ongoing technical support to ensure consistent performance over time. The result is dependable separation, easier maintenance, and long-term operational confidence.

Applications and Industry Experience

ProChem systems are installed across a wide range of industries, each with unique waste characteristics and compliance demands.
  • Metalworking and machining: Removal of oils from coolant, rinse water, and washdown streams.
  • Petrochemical and refining: Separation of free and emulsified oils from process wastewater, sumps, and drains.
  • Vehicle, train, and aircraft wash bays: Treating oily washwater and floor drainage.
  • Power generation and fuel handling: Managing oily wastewater from turbines, condensate, and maintenance areas.
  • Marine and offshore operations: Treating produced water, bilge, and ballast systems to meet maritime discharge standards.
  • Industrial reuse and ZLD systems: Pretreatment of oily wastewater before advanced membrane or thermal recovery systems.
Our experience across these industries allows us to design separator systems that perform reliably under real-world conditions, handling variable flows, complex chemistries, and stringent discharge limits while maintaining efficiency and compliance over the long term.

Benefits and Return on Investment

A well-engineered separator system strengthens performance across every dimension: regulatory, operational, and financial. It keeps your facility in consistent compliance with oil and grease limits while protecting downstream systems from fouling, overload, and premature wear. With cleaner process water, you’ll see fewer cleanings, lower chemical demand, and smoother plant operation overall. ProChem’s modular, space-efficient designs and lifecycle service programs ensure long-term reliability and uptime. Many clients achieve measurable ROI within months—through reduced disposal costs, extended equipment life, and improved process stability that directly impacts the bottom line.

Getting Started with ProChem

Evaluating or upgrading your oil-water separation system begins with understanding your wastewater. Our process makes it straightforward:
  1. Characterize your influent: Provide flow rates, oil type and load, solids, and variability data.
  2. Submit samples for lab testing: We assess TPH, TSS, droplet size, and emulsification behavior.
  3. Pilot or bench testing: Validate the best separation method using small-scale modules.
  4. System design & proposal: We deliver a complete design: gravity, coalescing, or hybrid, with performance and cost projections.
  5. Fabrication, installation & commissioning: Pre-assembled systems are built, tested, and tuned on-site.
  6. Operation & optimization: We continue to support your system with maintenance, upgrades, and performance audits.
ProChem Water is ready to partner with your facility to deliver reliable, regulatory-compliant oil-water separation that enhances performance and protects your bottom line. Connect with us today to request a pilot test, discuss your wastewater challenges, or explore a custom oil-water separator system built for your operation.