Fracturing material separator apparatus

A separator apparatus for separating fracturing effluent received from an oil and gas well, the separating apparatus comprising:

• a vessel providing an enclosure for maintaining a liquid bed at a predetermined liquid level at an inlet end of the vessel;
• an inlet connected to the inlet end below the predetermined level of the liquid bed to admit the fracturing effluent into the vessel;
• a baffle supported in the vessel to slow a velocity of the fracturing effluent in the vessel and effecting settlement of a solid constituent of the fracturing effluent to a bottom of the vessel and a passage of a gaseous constituent of the fracturing effluent to a top of the vessel, the baffle comprising:
• a planar plate portion having a perimeter contour matching a characteristic profile of a lateral cross section of the vessel;
• a first edge forming an upper opening between the planar plate portion and a top portion of the vessel for passage of the gas constituent above the planar portion;
• a second edge forming a lower opening between the planar plate portion and a bottom portion of the vessel for passage of the fracturing effluent below the planar plate portion;
• a deflector supported by the planar plate portion and disposed downstream of the lower opening to impede the fracturing effluent passing through the lower opening and thereby slow the velocity of the fracturing effluent;
• and
• a first drain connected to the vessel for removing the solid constituent from the vessel;
• an outlet connected to the vessel for removing the gaseous constituent from the vessel;
• and
• a second drain connected to the vessel for removing a liquid constituent of the fracturing effluent from the vessel, wherein the separator apparatus is operable at a selected pressure of at least up to the formation pressure of the oil and gas well to collect and separate the fracturing effluent from a well site fracture stimulation.