CPI/TPI - CORRUGATED OR TILTED PLATE INTERCEPTOR

A corrugated or tilted plate interceptor (CTPI) is a type of wastewater treatment equipment used to separate and remove oil and suspended solids from wastewater. It is commonly employed in industrial and commercial applications, especially in locations where a high volume of oily wastewater is generated, such as automotive repair shops, car washes, and industrial facilities.

Process & Design Features

The CTPI operates base on the principles of gravity separation and coalescence. It consists of a series of incline or tilte plates with corrugate surfaces, which provide a larger surface area for the separation process to occur. The plates are typically made of materials resistant to corrosion and designe to promote the coalescence of small oil droplets into larger ones.

Process Steps

Inlet Zone: The oily wastewater enters the CTPI and is evenly distribute across the incline plates. The flow velocity is reduced, allowing sufficient residence time for separation to occur.
Coalescence: As the wastewater flows over the inclined plates, the oil droplets in the water tend to coalesce or come together due to their affinity for each other. This coalescence is facilitat by the larger surface area provid by the corrugated plates.
Gravity Separation: The coalesced oil rises to the top of the CTPI, forming a layer of “float” or “skim” on the surface. Mechanical skimmers or weirs are use to continuously remove and collect this oil layer.
Settling of Solids: In addition to oil separation, the CTPI also allows for the settling of heavier suspend solids, such as sediment and sludge, which accumulate at the bottom of the interceptor. These solids are periodically remove from the interceptor for further treatment or disposal.
Outlet Zone: The partially clarified water, with reduce oil and solids content, exits the CTPI through an outlet.