Method and apparatus for separation of multiphase fluids, and applications thereof

An apparatus for the separated of multi phase fluid of liquid-liquid phase and/or liquid-gas phases and/or gas-liquid phases where one or more of the phases is suspended in water with bubbles/drop/particle sizes in the sub micron and micron area and/or fine particular organic or inorganic matter is present in one or more of the phases, comprising a device integrated in a cyclone having an axis and an outer wall or flotation tank having an axis and an outer wall, the device comprising a tube which forms a spiral shape and through which the multiphase fluid stream in order to bring about a preliminary separation by coalescing the spiral tube comprises an inlet and an outlet for the multiphase fluid, the outlet of the spiral tube is placed tangentially in said cyclone or flotation tank wherein additional separation is generated;

• and wherein the spiral tube is located in at least a part within the cyclone or flotation tank and is centered on the axis of the cyclone or flotation tank and forms a vortex finder of the cyclone or flotation tank said vortex finder formed from said spiral tube is spaced from the outer wall of the cyclone or flotation tank and defines an annular region outside said vortex finder and inside the outer wall of the cyclone or flotation tank and said spiral tube forms a tangential fluid phase outlet on the inside of the outer wall of the cyclone or flotation tank.