Hydrocyclone systems and methods for separating multi-phase compositions

A method of separating a multi-phase composition having an aqueous phase, an oleaginous phase, and a solid phase, the method comprising:

• passing the multi-phase composition to a separator operable to separate the multi-phase composition into a lesser-density fluid, a medium-density fluid, and a greater-density fluid, the separator comprising:
• a separator casing defining a chamber having a permeate outlet;
• and at least one hydrocyclone disposed within the separator casing, the at least one hydrocyclone comprising a hydrocyclone inlet, a reject outlet, an accepted outlet, and a tapered section downstream of the hydrocyclone inlet and disposed between the reject outlet and the accepted outlet, the tapered section comprising a ceramic membrane forming walls of at least a portion of the tapered section of the at least one hydrocyclone, the ceramic membrane comprising a retentate side oriented toward an interior of the at least one hydrocyclone and a permeate side in fluid communication with the chamber defined by the separator casing;
• collecting the lesser-density fluid from the reject outlet of the at least one hydrocyclone;
• collecting the medium-density fluid from the accepted outlet of the at least one hydrocyclone;
• and collecting the greater-density fluid from the permeate outlet of the separator casing, in which the greater-density fluid at the permeate outlet has a greater concentration of solid particles compared to the multi-phase composition introduced to the separator,
• in which:
• the separator casing comprises a flexible wall dividing the chamber into a first compartment comprising the permeate outlet and a second compartment comprising a medium-density fluid outlet, where:
• the permeate side of the ceramic membrane is in fluid communication with the first compartment;
• and the accepted outlet of the at least one hydrocyclone is in fluid communication with the second compartment;
• and
• the method further comprises:
• determining a flowrate of the multi-phase composition introduced to the at least one hydrocyclone;
• and increasing or decreasing a flowrate of the medium-density fluid passed out of the medium-density fluid outlet based on the determined flowrate.