July 15, 2025

Why Choose SWA Water’s CPI Oil Separators?

SWA coalescing plate oil water separator

SWA Water offers more than just equipment but they also provide end-to-end solutions for industrial wastewater treatment, including advanced systems like the coalescing plate oil water separator. Their process, from initial assessment to ongoing support, is designed to ensure seamless integration and optimal performance for various industrial applications.

Customised Design Solutions

A key advantage of SWA Water is their commitment to custom-engineered wastewater treatment systems. They understand that each business has unique requirements. Their process involves:

Site investigations: Thorough assessments to understand specific wastewater characteristics and site constraints.
Pilot trials: Where necessary, trials are conducted to validate treatment effectiveness for particular effluents.
Compliance assessments: Ensuring the proposed solution meets all relevant regulatory standards.
Process optimisation: Focusing on enhancing efficiency for diverse industrial applications, including Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Power Stations, Steel Processing, Automotive Manufacturing, Textiles, and the Food Industry.

This tailored approach ensures that the designed system is not merely a generic solution but one precisely suited to the client’s operational needs.

Australian Manufacturing Excellence for the World Market

SWA Water takes pride in manufacturing a wide range of specialised equipment right here in Australia for local and international clients. This commitment to local production ensures:

Local innovation: Incorporating cutting-edge techniques and technologies.
Quality manufacturing: Adhering to rigorous Australian and International standards.
Environmental responsibility: Contributing to sustainable practices within each client’s country.

SWA’s comprehensive product range includes chemical, mechanical, and biological treatment equipment, reflecting SWA’s broad expertise in water and wastewater treatment processes.

Seamless Turnkey Construction and Support

The prospect of integrating new industrial infrastructure can be challenging. SWA Water mitigates this by offering turnkey plant construction and equipment installation. This includes:

Commissioning: Expert setup to ensure systems operate at peak performance from day one.
Maintenance: Proactive and responsive support to minimise downtime.
Ongoing support: Continuous assistance to ensure long-term operational efficiency.

SWA’s global experience, with projects spanning six continents, underscores SWA’s capability to deliver robust solutions on a worldwide scale.

Outstanding Performance of CPI Oil Separators

SWA Water’s CPI Oil Separators are renowned for their exceptional performance in separating free oil from wastewater. Installed on six continents, these separators consistently achieve impressive results, typically reaching <1 mg/l outlet free oil content in normal installations.

A recent test highlighted their capability, demonstrating an outlet oil concentration of <11 mg/l from an inlet concentration of 200,000 mg/l, providing significant protection against accidental spillages.

Coalescing Plate Separator Real Results – Tested in the field under real operating conditions

Project	Location	CPI Size	Flowrate (m3/h)	Inlet Oil (mg/l)	Outlet Oil (mg/l)
Fujairah Oil Terminal	UAE	CC50	50	2,000	<1
ENOC Fujairah	UAE	CC50	50	2,000	<1.0
Nth Bangkok CCPP	Thailand	CC70	70	2,000	<0.1
Bangpa-in CCPP	Thailand	CC20	20	4,000	<0.9
Chana CCPP	Thailand	PP150	145	5,000	<0.5
PTTUT (CUP2)	Thailand	CC60	60	5,000	<0.3
Julius Nyerere Hydro	Tanzania	CC30	30	5,000	<0.5
Shell Monas	Indonesia	CC60	60	10,000	<1.0

Predictable Outlet Oil Concentrations

The efficiency of CPI Oil Separators can be quantified, providing clear expectations for treated water quality:

For inlet oil <5,000 mg/l, outlet free oil is generally <1 mg/l.
For inlet oil <50,000 mg/l, outlet free oil is generally <5 mg/l.
For inlet oil <100,000 mg/l, outlet free oil is generally <10 mg/l.

Understanding CPI Oil Separator Mechanics

CPI (Coalescing Plate Separators) work on a fundamental principle of fluid dynamics. They provide a large surface area through numerous closely spaced parallel plates, typically angled at 45 degrees downwards. Under controlled laminar flow conditions between these plates, oil, being lighter than water, rises and adheres to the underside of the plate above it. It then follows this plate to the separator’s surface for removal.

By precisely controlling the flow rate and considering factors like the specific gravity (density) of the oil and the operating water temperature, the rise velocity of the oil can be accurately calculated. This allows for the prediction of the size of oil droplets separated and, consequently, the treated water’s oil content.

Diverse Range of CPI Oil Separators to Suit Every Project

59 Plate Packs made by SWA Water Australia

2 X SWA CC120 DS CPI OIL SEPARATORS – PTTEP THAILAND

SWA CC120 DS coalescing plate oil water separator.

SWA Water offers a comprehensive portfolio of CPI Oil Separators, each designed to address specific operational challenges:

CC Range: Standard units for free oil with SG < 0.9 and low suspended solids, ideal for above-ground installations, separating oils with a rise rate > 0.3 m/h to achieve < 5 mg/l treated water oil content. Sizes range from 10 – 400 m³/h.
HC Range (High Oil Concentration): Custom-designed for high feed oil concentrations (50,000 – 250,000 mg/l) to achieve <10 mg/l free oil. Applicable across various separator types.
HV Range (High Viscosity Oils): Designed for high viscosity oils (SG < 0.9, low suspended solids), featuring a mechanical scraper for effective oil removal. Operates similarly to the CC Range, with sizes from 10 – 400 m³/h, and options for Ex Rated drive motors.
CFI Range (Cross Flow Interceptor Plate Packs): Features a cross-flow arrangement suitable for large flows and concrete tank installations, including upgrading API separators. Individual plate packs range from 500 – 2,000 m³/h, with parallel installations for higher flow rates.
BG Range (Below Ground Installations): Rectangular (CC Range) or cylindrical style separators for discreet below-ground installation. Suitable for flow rates from 100 – 10,000 m³/h, with multiple units for larger capacities.
DS Range (Double Skinned Oil Separator Tanks): A variant of the BG range, incorporating a double skin with leak detection, available in rectangular (CC or CF) or cylindrical styles.
CPP Range (Custom Designed Plate Packs): SWA Water can custom design plate packs in any configuration (CC, CF) to integrate with existing tanks or new designs, for flow rates from 10 – 2,000 m³/h.

oil water separator projects of swa water.

Coalescing Plate Separator Custom Options

SWA Water offers extensive customisation options to meet precise project requirements, including:

Materials
- SS304 (standard)
- SS316
- Duplex
- Super Duplex
- GRP
Covers
- Removable gas-tight covers
Tanks
- Integral waste oil tanks
Pump Sets
- Delivery pump set
- Treated Water discharge pump set
- Waste Oil transfer pump
Controls & Monitoring
- Control panel & instrumentation
- On-line oil analyser
- Automatic diversion for out-of-spec effluent
Tank Protection
- Tank coating
- Cathode protection
Access
- Access walkways

Why Partner with SWA Water?

Choosing SWA Water means benefiting from:

Robust design: No moving parts, leading to low maintenance and operational costs.
High efficiency: Consistent achievement of low outlet oil content.
Australian made: Assurance of quality and support.
20-year warranty: A testament to product durability and confidence in their engineering (conditions apply).

SWA Water guarantees the performance of their coalescing plate oil water separator based on your specific operating conditions, including flow rate, influent oil concentration, suspended solids, specific gravity of oil and solids, operating temperature, and required discharge oil concentration.

For businesses and organisations seeking a reliable, high-performance solution for oil-contaminated wastewater, SWA Water offers a proven track record and comprehensive expertise for Coalescing Plate Oil Water Separator.