A
centrifugal water–oil separator,
centrifugal oil–water separator or
centrifugal liquid–liquid separator is a device designed to separate oil and water by
centrifugation. It generally contains a cylindrical container that rotates inside a larger stationary container. The denser liquid, usually water, accumulates at the periphery of the rotating container and is collected from the side of the device, whereas the less dense liquid, usually oil, accumulates at the rotation axis and is collected from the centre.