GB680244A - Improved electrical process for breaking emulsions - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0680244/III/1> A process for breaking an emulsion comprises subjecting a stream of the emulsion to an electrical field in an initial zone and passing it to a secondary settling zone wherein demulsified constituents are separated, any unbroken emulsion being also separated and returned to the initial zone. Hydrocarbon oils containing salt may be desalted by forming an aqueous emulsion, which is then broken as above to separate the aqueous phase containing the salt. In Fig. 1 a hydrocarbon oil containing salt is introduced into the apparatus by line 1 and water by line 2, and the mixture is heated to 200 DEG F at 25 lbs. sq. in. pressure. The pressure is reduced to about atmospheric by passing through valve 3, and an emulsion is thus formed; this is passed into zone 10 between electrodes 4. The oil phase formed is passed by line 5 to the top of settling zone 20, and the water phase by line 6 to the bottom of this zone, and both streams flow longitudinally through the zone between baffle elements 7 which are sloped slightly upwardly to permit the aqueous phase to flow back to the bottom of the zone from where it is removed by line 12. The desalted oil is removed by line 11 and an emulsion phase withdrawn from the middle of the zone by line 13 is recycled to line 1 for further treatment in zone 10. In a modification, the separation zone is integral with the electrical zone and is positioned so that any unbroken emulsion tends to circulate back to the electrical zone. The oil and water mixture may be heated to 150 DEG -350 DEG F and maintained at a pressure of 25-200 lbs./sq. in. Demulsification agents such as surface active agents or electrolytes such as sodium hydroxide may be used to assist the breaking of the emulsion, and the voltage employed may be 5,000-35,000 volts.