Abstract:
A method for treating an interface rag includes the steps of removing a volume of rag at a controlled rate from an upstream rag source and passing the rag through a high pressure pump and a heater. The heater heats the rag to a temperature of at least 350°F to thermally decomposing any chemicals that had been added to the interface rag to promote separation. Diluent is then mixed with the heated rag to cool the rag to a temperature less than 300°F and produce a 30 API rag. The cooled diluted rag is then treated in an electrostatic treater or sent directly to a hydrocyclone cluster. The electrostatic treater is preferably a vertical electrostatic treater with a conical-shaped lower portion and a means for agitating the solid-laden water within the treater to prevent the solids from settling on the bottom of the treater.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for extracting oils and fats from oil-bearing substances without using degrading temperatures. The apparatus may comprise an extraction chamber containing an oil-bearing substance, an oil-collecting chamber, a recovery pump, a first jacket adjacent at least a portion of the extraction chamber, and a second jacket adjacent at least a portion of the oil-collecting chamber. The method involves heating a solvent and reducing pressure to facilitate a low-temperature vacuum boil, delivering the heated solvent into the extraction chamber configured to facilitate the low-temperature vacuum boil of the solvent within the extraction chamber, pumping the solvent in vapor form out of the extraction chamber with the recovery pump, delivering the oil and fat extracted in the extraction chamber to the oil-collecting chamber, pumping solvent in vapor form out of the oil-collecting chamber with the recovery pump, and delivering the solvent received by the recovery pump to the first and second jackets to provide heat to the chambers.
Abstract:
A method is described for the microwave emulsion treatment of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions, said method comprising the steps of a) in the laboratory, determining, for an W/O emulsion (604), (705), (713), (805), (812) the optimum conditions of the variables: water content, salt content, pH value of the aqueous phase, initial temperature, microwave application power, final temperature and drop size distribution to be adjusted in the industrial plant, as a function of the features of the tested crude oil such as viscosity, density, asphaltene content, total acidity, such conditions being those required for obtaining at least 90% separation efficiency of said emulsion in the presence of microwave radiation: b) utilizing such information for the initial adjustment of application conditions of the said method to phase separation units in refineries and production units; c) perform on line tests of the variables of step a) of the process response in the streams effluent from separation units, being said response the water content and salt content tests, so as to feedback the information to the best adjustment of the process conditions for microwave application; and d) additionally, utilizing the on line or laboratory tests of the effect of the method as a tool for the monitoring of the efficiency of the breaking of the W/O emulsion.
Abstract:
A cavitation device is used to heat, concentrate and recycle or otherwise reuse dilute and other oil well fluids, brines and muds, and solution mining fluids, all of which commonly contain ingredients worthy of conservation. The cavitation device is powered by a Diesel engine whose exhaust may be used to heat the incoming fluid, and the product of the cavitation device is directed to a flash tank.
Abstract:
Process for separation of oil, water and gas in a separator by breaking of water-in-oil emulsions in a composition comprising a water, oil and optionally a gaseous phase, including the following steps: a) dissolving a gas comprising one or more components into said composition prior to said operator, wherein the amount of said water phase is at least about 1 weight-% based on total composition, b) introducing said composition into said separator, wherein pressure in said separator is of at least about 2 bar, and c) reducing the pressure in said separator in order to facilitate the separation of oil, water and the optional gaseous phase.
Abstract:
A process and apparatus for separating fluids of different density, primarily gas, oil and water from an oil well production flow (12), including a rotary separation turbine (11) separating at least the gas phase, but preferably also the liquid phases, and preferably returning water (16) to the separation step to increase the water cut of the mixture being separated.
Abstract:
Dilute solutions of fermentation sales may be concentrated by extracting water using low-miscibility, low-molecular-weight secondary and tertiary amines, e.g. triethylamine (TEA), diisopropyl amine (DIA), N,N-diethylmethylamine (DEMA), and mixtures thereof. At 30 DEG C-55 DEG C, which coresponds to typical fermentation temperatures, these low-molecular-weight amines or their mixtures, can extract large amounts of water from dilute aqueous solutions containing fermentation salts. Thus, dilute fermentation salt solutions can be concentrated by selectively removing water. At these low temperatures, the amine phase contains 20-35 % water and a much reduced quantity of fermentation salt. When the temperature is raised, water phases out of the amine, allowing the amine to be recycled and reused to extract additional water. Using this approach, about 82,5 % of water can be removed from a 3 % dilute solution using conventional multistage, countercurrent extraction, thus providing a 15 % concentrated fermentation salt solution.
Abstract:
A process and apparatus for separating fluids of different density, primarily gas, oil and water from an oil well production flow (12), including a rotary separation turbine (11) separating at least the gas phase, but preferably also the liquid phases, and preferably returning water (16) to the separation step to increase the water cut of the mixture being separated.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for processing contaminated material are provided. The apparatus is intended to process many types of contaminated material, all of which consist of: one or more hydrocarbons, and water and/or one or more inert solids. The objective of the invention is to reduce waste disposal costs by separating the ingredients of the contaminated material (i.e., hydrocarbons, and water and/or inert solids) and directing the separated ingredients to distinct containers. The apparatus broadly comprises a coalescer unit, an organics recovery unit, and a solids separation unit. The contaminated material is first heated and blended into a coalescent slurry by the coalescer unit. The coalesced slurry is then processed by the organics recovery unit which separates the hydrocarbons, solids and water from one another based upon their respective specific gravities. The hydrocarbons are discharged from the organics recovery unit into a hydrocarbon recovery container. The solids and water are discharged to the solids separation unit. The solids are discharged from the solids separation unit into a solids recovery container. The water is pumped from the solids separation unit to a water recovery container.