Oil-Water Separation Technology Using Phase Separation Reactor

摘要

A phase separator apparatus includes a fluid flow pathway and a phase separator. The fluid flow pathway includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid flow pathway is configured to flow multiphase fluid including an oil phase and a water phase from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The phase separator is spatially positioned relative to the fluid flow pathway to receive the multiphase fluid flowing from the fluid outlet. The phase separator includes a mounting substrate and a separation layer attached to the mounting substrate. The separation layer includes a material switchable between oleophilic and hydrophobic under a first condition and oleophobic and hydrophilic under a second condition. The separation layer is configured to separate the oil phase and the water phase when the separation layer is under either the first condition or the second condition.