rj, are you sure? or just centrifugal force? One of my best travelin buds was the rep from the centrifugal fuel/water separators, I think it was Delavalve,we would end up on the same Navy ships when they were in overhaul periods with our clients, the ship yards. His machine was just like the cream separators I used growing up. Much larger of course but with simular cone shaped discs and all.
His machine on the ship my diesel generators was on were not very big and I am sure could not process Keven style gunk but I think they used very similar technolgy, just in reverse, lots of water and small amount of crude.