Anchorage Tank & Welding, Inc. and Facet USA, Inc., one of the world leaders in filtration technology, have teamed together to produce a locally manufactured product. The Anchorage Tank Oil Water Separator is an enhanced gravity system for removing oil droplets from water. This design utilizes the difference in specific gravity between the oil and the water to separate one from the other, resulting in wastewater discharge that far exceeds current EPA regulations and meets predicted future regulations.

The coalescing plates are made of injection molded calcium carbonate impregnated polypropylene that allows the oil to wet the surface and encourage coalescence. The plates are provided with integral moldings that not only support them, but also ensure they are accurately spaced.

The oily water flows through the spaces between the plates, following a sinusoidal path, flowing alternately upward and downward. The oil droplets rise, due to their buoyancy, impinge on the undersides of the plates and are captured. (Their rise rate is governed by Stoke's Law.) As more and more droplets are captured, they coalesce into larger droplets and eventually form an oil film. Because the MPak^® coalescing

plates slope upward from every angle, this film then migrates upward along the surface of the plates to the oil ports, where they rise to the surface of the water in the separator.

The oil ports are positioned uniformly throughout the width and length of the MPaks^® in vertical columns providing the coalesced droplets with direct access to the surface of the separator. This unique design allows for effective oil capture and its rapid release to the surface.

The upper side of the plates constitute a solids removal system. In addition to the oil ports in the peaks of the plates, solids removal holes are provided in the valleys of the plates. Solids which enter the packs settle on the upper sides of the plates, slide down through the solids removal holes and exit the bottom of the pack. Although MPaks^® are relatively self-cleaning, solid particles may fill the lower portion of the pack. If this happens, then they may be flushed out using Facet's cleaning wand. (Note: It is not always necessary to remove the packs from the system.)