GB737916A - Improvements in or relating to the electric treatment of emulsions of the oil-continuous type - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0737916/III/1> Emulsions, having a continuous phase of oil of animal, vegetable or mineral origin and only a minor percentage of dispersed-phase material, are broken electrically by advancing smooth-flowing side-by-side streams of the emulsion through electrode-bounded uniform-field zones of side-by-side unidirectional high-voltage electric fields, the treated oil issuing from such zones joining into a single stream therebeyond. The emulsions may be naturally-occurring or artificially made and may be aqueous emulsions of crude petroleum, of petroleum distillates such as gasoline, kerosene or diesel oil or of petroleum residua. The aqueous or oil phases may contain dissolved materials. In Fig. 5, emulsion is introduced into heat-insulated cylindrical vessel 50 as a radial spray by means of distributor 61. The radial spray passes through space 54 between live electrode 55 and grounded electrode 56, these electrodes being made up of concentric metallic rings. Thus, space 54 serves to break the emulsion partially so that the residual emulsion contains only a minor percentage (for example no more than 2 per cent) of dispersed-phase material. The emulsion then passes between a grid of interspaced electrodes 66 consisting of a plurality of concentric cylinders 67 interleaved by a plurality of concentric cylinders 69, and thereafter between a similar grid of interspaced electrodes 75. The treated oil is removed by means of collector 83 and pipe 85, while the coalesced water collects in the conical bottom of vessel 50 and is withdrawn continuously or intermittently through pipe 86.