Abstract: Method and apparatus for purification of liquids, particularly hydrophobic oil-water emulsions which includes heating the emulsified liquid to a process temperature where accelerated stratification occurs and passing the fluid through a fiberous media which is maintained at a selected compressed condition which allows flow through the media to separate the oil and water phases. Additionally, within the scope of the present invention organic fluids containing significant amounts of water can be heated utilizing a vacuum in order to reduce the water content to the range of 0 to as much as 8% prior to passage through the media at the process temperature.