Fluid treatment system, a fluid processing apparatus and method of treating a mixture

A method of treating a mixture of a first fluid and a second fluid, comprising:

• providing a separator comprising a separating chamber, an inlet for receiving the mixture, a first outlet for discharge of the first fluid from the separating chamber and a second outlet for discharge of the second fluid from the separating chamber;
• providing an inlet pressure transmitter, a first outlet pressure transmitter, and a second outlet pressure transmitter for monitoring the pressure at the inlet, first outlet and second outlet respectively and providing a signaling indicative of the pressures to a control device;
• providing an inlet flow monitor for monitoring fluid flow rate at the inlet;
• providing an outlet flow monitor for monitoring fluid flow rate at at least one of the first and the second outlets;
• providing a control device for receiving signals from the pressure transmitters and flow monitors and for processing those signals to provide an indication of blockage within the separator;
• receiving the mixture into the inlet of the separator;
• separating the mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid in the separator;
• discharging the first fluid through the first outlet of the separator;
• discharging the second fluid through the second outlet of the separator;
• monitoring the pressures in the inlet and first and second outlets of the separator;
• monitoring the fluid flows at the inlet and at least one of the first and second outlets of the separator;
• and
• determining a presence of a blockage in the separator depending upon the monitored pressures and flows,
• wherein the monitored pressures in the inlet and first and second outlets of the separator are used in the control device to compute a pressure differential ratio (PDR), storing in a memory of the control device a relationship between percentage reject flow and PDR,
• using processing means of the control device to perform calculations on the computed PDR to calculate a first percentage reject flow value based on the relationship between percentage reject flow and PDR the first percentage reject flow value indicating operating conditions in the separator when there is no blockage,
• wherein the monitored fluid flows are used in the control device to compute a second percentage reject flow value, the second percentage reject flow value indicating actual operating conditions within the separator,
• comparing the first and second percentage reject flow values to provide an indication of the blockage.