The Voraxial Separator is a device that uses centrifugal force in order to separate different liquids. Because gravity will have a different effect on different liquids due to differing densities – it is a great solution to separate different liquids without causing unneeded ecological problems. This technology is relatively new and it is relevant at the moment with the current oil spill in the United States of America. Enviro Voraxial Technology (the firm responsible for the device) has approached British Petroleum with their device and touted it as a method to mop up the spill without causing greater strain to the wider environment. Their idea is to mount the device on the decks of ships and then send the ships out into the middle of the slick.
The device will keep the oil for later disposal and pump out clean water. It has been shown to work exceedingly well during testing and the method will work for large volumes of sludge as long as the device is large enough. It has the capacity to pump mega litres of clean water out per hour (again – this depends on the size of the device) and the water is cleaned to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards. This means that any animals that happen to wonder into the cleansed water will not suffer the same fate as those who wander into the sludge.
It may just be the thing to help pull British Petroleum out of their predicament at the moment. This is if they are willing to invest in large enough processing plants that utilize the technology. Once the leak is plugged they still have to contend with one hell of a massive cleanup. They are already liable for prosecution from all manner of individuals who have been affected by the oil spill. Anything they can do to save face will ensure their long term survivability as a company.