Abstract:
Method for oil removal. The method includes adding a magnetizable material, with or without appropriately selected surfactants, of order micron (having no net magnetization) or nanometer size to magnetize the oil or water phase by either making a ferrofiuid, magnetorheological fluid, a magnetic Pickering emulsion (oil in water or water in oil emulsion), or any other process to magnetize either oil or water phases. The magnetized fluid is separated from the non-magnetic phase using novel or existing magnetic separation techniques or by permanent magnets or electromagnets thereby separating oil and water phases. The magnetized particles are separated from the magnetized phase using novel or existing magnetic separation techniques to recover and reuse the particles. The two magnetic separation steps can be repeated to further increase recovery efficiency of the liquid phases and the magnetizable particles reused in this continuous process.
Abstract:
This invention relates to desalting devices and desalting processes for removing asphaltenes and/or metals from crude oil to increase refinery processing of heavy materials. The desalters of this invention reduce and/or remove at least a portion of asphaltenes and/or metals form the crude oil. The separation occurs by mixing water with the crude oil to result in an aqueous phase having water and water soluble salts, an interface phase having asphaltenes and/or metals along with water, and a hydrocarbon phase having desalted, deasphalted and/or reduced metal crude oil.
Abstract:
An electrostatic coalescer includes an outer wall defining a flow path for receiving a process fluid. A plurality of electrode plates is disposed within the flow path. A controller includes an inductor and a signal generator. The inductor is coupled in parallel with the plurality of electrode plates. The inductor and the plurality of electrode plates define a resonant circuit. The signal generator is coupled to the plurality of electrode plates and operable to apply an alternating current signal to the plurality of electrode plates at a frequency corresponding to a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit in the presence of the process fluid.
Abstract:
This invention relates to devices and processes for removing asphaltenes and/or metals from crude oil to increase refinery processing of heavy materials. The desaiters of this invention reduce and/or remove at least a portion of asphaltenes and/or metals form the crude oil. The separation occurs by mixing water with the crude oil to result in an aqueous phase having water and water soluble salts, an interface phase having asphaltenes and/or metals aiong with water, and a hydrocarbon phase having desalted, deasphalted and/or reduced metal crude oil.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for two-step separation of water, salt and particles from a hydraulic fluid by the use of a control unit (1). The hydraulic fluid is carried into a reservoir oil tank (4) with an electrostatic coalescer (3) provided with a high- voltage transformer (2) with direct current to two electric grids (43, 44) whose electrostatic field gathers water into drops which settle into a collecting tank (5). The hydraulic fluid is circulated to a filter module (9) for removing any remaining water, salt and particles in filter elements (92) connected in parallel, having hygroscopic cellulose fibres which swell until saturation, the swelling being measured by a sensor (93) measuring the degree of saturation, alternatively conductivity.
Abstract:
In one aspect, a multiphase fluid separator (10) comprises: coalescer means (70) for increasing droplet size in a liquid having droplets of a first phase carried by a second phase; and fluid collecting means (38) for separating the first and second phases. The coalescer means (70) and the fluid collecting means (38) are configured to have a common liquid level (35a, 35b). In another aspect, a multiphase fluid separator (10) comprises a vessel (34) housing: (i) a compact electrostatic coalescer (70), and (ii) gas separating means (72; 80). The gas separating means is configured to separate gas from incoming fluid before the fluid enters the compact electrostatic coalescer (70).
Abstract:
A pipe separator for separation of fluids, for example separation of oil, gas and water in connection with the extraction and production of oil and gas from formations under the sea bed. It comprises an extended, tubular separator body (1) that has a diameter at the inlet and outlet ends that is mainly equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the transport pipe to which the separator body is connected. A cyclone (3) is arranged upstream of the separator body for separation of any gas present. An electrostatic coalescer (4) is incorporated in and constitutes an integrated part of the separator body (1).
Abstract:
A container (2) being supplied with waste liquid (11) containing ink pigment , water and cleaning liquid used in a printing machine is sectioned into a first chamber (a) and second chambers (b, c) by disposing metal electrode plates (30a, 30b) capable of circulating the waste liquid (11) in the container (2). A high voltage is applied from a high voltage source (7) to the metal electrode plates (30a, 30b) and the first chamber (a) is connected with an earth electrode (20) thus generating an electrostatic field between the metal electrode plates (30a, 30b) and the earth electrode (20). Water and ink pigment are aggregated electrostatically from the waste liquid (11) utilizing electrophoresis of the ink pigment caused by the electrostatic field thus separating the waste liquid in the first chamber (a) into cleaning liquid, water and ink pigment.
Abstract:
An electrostatic separator intended for separation of liquid phase systems, made up of mixtures of liquids of various electrical permittivity. In particular, the separator is intended for separation of an oil-and-water emulsion. The electrostatic separator contains a vessel, inside which there is suspended a system of electrodes energised from an external voltage source. The electrode system comprises at least one pair of conducting plates (8), which is attached to a supporting frame (7) and electrically connected with the high voltage winding of a feeding transformer (9), which is placed in the supporting frame (7). The supporting frame (7) is preferably a casting of an insulating material. The conducting plates (8) of the electrode system are preferably connected to the winding of the feeding transformer (9) through a capacitive electrical connection.
Abstract:
A device, located in a separator vessel having an inlet and a number of outlets, through which a mixture of fluids flows, for promoting electrostatic coalescence of a first conductive fluid emulsified in a second fluid, said device comprises a number of tubular electrostatic coalescer elements extending in the flow direction which are arranged in a matrix substantially covering the entire cross sectional area of said vessel, and means to apply an electrical field to the fluids flowing through said coalescer elements.