April 30, 2025

SWA Water’s NEW Hybrid CPI/DAF Unit: A Game Changer in Industrial Wastewater Treatment

In Australia and around the world, industries dealing with oil, gas, and various manufacturing processes require effective treatment of their industrial wastewater. Not only is it crucial for environmental protection and regulatory compliance, but it also plays a significant role in resource recovery and sustainable practices. That’s why we’re taking a closer look at a truly innovative CPI/DAF wastewater treatment system from SWA Water their New Design Hybrid CPI/DAF Unit. SWA Water has taken the established CPI and DAF technologies and cleverly integrated them into a single, high-performance unit, offering a compelling advancement in wastewater treatment efficiency and effectiveness.

Understanding the Core Technologies: CPI and DAF

To appreciate the brilliance of SWA Water’s hybrid design, it’s essential to understand the individual components.

CPI stands for Coalescing Plate Interceptor

This is a gravity-based separation technology widely used for removing free oil and settleable solids from wastewater. The unit typically consists of a series of inclined parallel plates. As wastewater flows through these plates, the less dense oil droplets rise and coalesce on the underside of the plates, eventually forming a layer that can be skimmed off. Similarly, heavier solids settle to the bottom and are removed as sludge. CPI units are known for their simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and ability to handle large flow rates.

Advanced DAF Wastewater Treatment with Hybrid CPI/DAF System

This is another widely used technology for separating suspended solids, oils, and greases from water. DAF system, air is dissolved under pressure into a portion of the treated effluent, creating “white water” saturated with microbubbles. When this white water is introduced into the main wastewater stream, these tiny bubbles attach to the contaminants, making them buoyant. The bubble-particle aggregates then rise to the surface, forming a froth layer that is continuously skimmed off. DAF is particularly effective at removing lighter, more finely dispersed contaminants that gravity separation alone might struggle with.

The Synergy of the Hybrid Design

SWA Water’s innovation lies in the intelligent combination of these two powerful technologies within a single, optimised unit. By integrating a CPI section upstream of a DAF section, the hybrid design leverages the strengths of both processes, leading to a more robust and efficient treatment outcome.

The CPI stage acts as a primary separator, removing the bulk of the free oil and larger settleable solids. This pre-treatment significantly reduces the load on the downstream DAF unit. By removing the heavier contaminants early on, the DAF system can then focus on the finer, more emulsified oils and lighter suspended solids that are more challenging to remove by gravity alone.

Enhanced Performance and Benefits

This integrated approach offers several key advantages for industrial wastewater treatment:

⦁ Improved Effluent Quality: The sequential removal of contaminants leads to a significantly higher quality of treated water, often exceeding stringent environmental discharge standards.

⦁ Enhanced Removal Efficiency: The hybrid system is more effective at removing a wider range of contaminants, including both free and emulsified oils, as well as various types of suspended solids.

⦁ Reduced Chemical Usage: By removing a significant portion of the contaminants through physical separation in the CPI stage, the need for chemical coagulants and flocculants in the DAF stage can often be reduced, leading to lower operational costs and a smaller chemical footprint.

⦁ Compact Footprint: Integrating two treatment processes into a single unit can often result in a smaller overall footprint compared to installing separate CPI and DAF wastewater treatment system, which is particularly beneficial in space-constrained industrial settings.

⦁ Lower Maintenance Requirements: The pre-treatment by the CPI can reduce the fouling and loading on the DAF system, potentially leading to lower maintenance requirements and increased operational uptime.

Real-World Application: The Fujairah Oil Terminal FZC

SWA Water’s New Design Hybrid CPI/DAF Unit represents a significant step forward in industrial wastewater treatment technology. By intelligently combining two proven methods, they have developed a DAF wastewater treatment system that offers enhanced performance, efficiency, and sustainability benefits. For Australian and international industries striving for responsible water management and compliance with environmental regulations, this innovative technology provides a compelling pathway towards a cleaner and more sustainable future.