Patent ID: 7364661

Claim:
A method for separating a mixture of fluids into at least two phases, one of which has a higher density than the other, which method comprises: passing the mixture through a normally horizontal supply pipe with a feed inlet at its upstream end and an outlet at its downstream end; subsequently, passing the mixture through an inclined pipe having an inlet at its upper end that is connected to the outlet of the supply pipe, whilst maintaining a stratified flow in the inclined pipe so that the phase of fluid of lower density (“lighter phase”) is above the phase of fluid of higher density (“heavier phase”); extracting fluid with the lower density via a first discharge system having an inlet that is located such that is in fluid communication with the lighter phase; extracting fluid of higher density via a second discharge system located at the inclined pipe and having an inlet that is in fluid communication with the heavier phase; and wherein the interface between the lighter phase and the heavier phase is monitored in the inclined pipe by a level controller means that varies the flow of the fluid of higher density to keep the interface between set levels; wherein the fluid of higher density is extracted via a further discharge system having a second outlet that is in fluid communication with the heavier phase; wherein the second outlet is arranged in the bottom of the horizontal supply pipe.