RU2727600C1 - Method for separation of water-oil emulsion by means of electrohydraulic action, device and system for implementation thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: oil, gas and coke-chemical industries.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method for separation of water-oil emulsion by means of electrohydraulic action, device, as well as system for implementation of this method and can be used in oil industry. Method includes directed electro-hydraulic action on water-oil emulsion, using system, which contains at least one device for separation of water-oil emulsion. Device includes sealed housing 1 filled with fluid, in which two electrodes 2 are installed with clearance between them. Opposite walls of housing 4 in contact with water-oil emulsion are made from elastic material while other walls 6 are rigid. Electrodes 2 are connected to high voltage source 3. Device is hermetically installed in pipeline 5 so that elastic walls 4 of housing 1 are located along walls of pipeline 5.EFFECT: higher efficiency of separation of water-oil mixture in pipe at simultaneous simplification and improvement of reliability of structure.13 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The claimed invention relates to the oil industry, in particular to technologies for the preparation (purification) of oil and oil products, namely the separation of an oil-water emulsion.

An oil-water emulsion is a mixture of two mutually insoluble liquids: oil and / or oil products and water, while water is finely dispersed in oil. Each drop of water or globule in an oil-water emulsion is covered with an armor shell consisting of hydrocarbons. This shell prevents the connection of water globules with each other, i.e. separation and destruction of the emulsion.

At the moment, there are many systems and methods for separating an oil-water emulsion. The main method consists in introducing reagents (demulsifiers) into the water-oil emulsion with a calculated dosage, which, falling on the armor shells of the water globules in the emulsion, reduce their surface tension, which leads to the destruction of the shells and the merging of water globules with each other, as a result of which the oil-water emulsion is destroyed. The disadvantages of methods using only demulsifiers is the high cost of the process of separating an oil-water emulsion due to the use of expensive reagents.

A known method for separating an oil-water emulsion according to the patent of the Republic of Kazakhstan KZ 28329 "Method for purifying domestic and industrial waste water and liquids containing petroleum products" (priority date: 18.04.2013, publication date: 15.04.2014; IPC: C02F 1/00). The method is carried out by exposing the mixture to vibrational pulses with a frequency of 10-15 Hz, the source of which are electric discharges between electrodes with a voltage of 20-30 kV, introduced into an auxiliary liquid, separated from the mixture by an impermeable elastic membrane for them, while electrohydropulse shocks are obtained at a voltage of 20-50 kV with a pulse frequency of 1.5-1.7 Hz. Thus, the effect on the water-oil emulsion is provided with an alternating electromagnetic field of different frequencies (from low frequencies to high frequencies). In the process of electric impulse action, water globules begin to vibrate under the influence of an alternating magnetic field - this leads to the destruction of the shells of water globules and their fusion with each other, i.e. destruction of the emulsion. The method uses an electrohydropulse shock, otherwise the electrohydraulic effect is known as the "Yutkin Effect" - a method of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. A common feature with the claimed method is to ensure separation of the oil-water emulsion due to electrohydraulic action. The disadvantages of this method are the high cost and complexity of the equipment, significant power consumption, and the complexity of scaling at different frequencies. In addition, when using this method for an oil-water emulsion, it is necessary to select the frequency for different types of oil (differing in density, qualitative and quantitative composition) contained in the oil-water emulsion.

A device and system for separating emulsions according to the Chinese patent CN 2508830 "Pulse cyclonic high-voltage electrostatic continuous demulsifying device" is known (priority date: 12/13/2001, publication date: 09/04/2002; IPC: B01D 17/06). A pulse cyclone of emulsion continuous action with high-voltage electrostatic demulsification contains a pulse generator and a high-voltage power supply, an internal emulsifier housing located in an insulated cylinder. The inner case is connected to an electrode that is connected to a high voltage source. The insulated cylinder is also connected to an external lead electrode and a high voltage source. Both housings are equipped with outlet pipes. The conductive electrode is used as a solid electrolyte constituting a pair of electrodes for a pulsed high voltage electrostatic field, while the emulsion is additionally separated by a centrifugal field. As a result, the pulsed high-voltage electrostatic field, together with the field of centrifugal forces, significantly enhance the demulsification of the emulsion. The general features of the device and system according to CN 2508830 and the claimed device and system are the presence of electrodes connected to a high voltage source. The disadvantage of the device is the complexity of the design of the device and system for separating the emulsion, which reduces the reliability of the design.

A known method for separating an oil-water emulsion according to the RF patent for invention RU 2458726 "Method and device for oil dehydration" (priority date: 09.11.2010, publication date: 08/20/2012; IPC: B01D 17/06). The method of oil dehydration includes the effect of an electric discharge by means of a water hammer, carried out by an electric discharge, which is produced in a sealed cylindrical membrane radiator located in the lower half of the vessel of the first working zone and at an equidistant distance between its side walls, end and transverse elastic partition. The general features of the method according to the patent RU 2458726 and the claimed method is the use of electro-hydraulic action arising in the emitter (device body). The disadvantage of the method known from patent RU 2458726 is the low efficiency of separation of the oil-water emulsion.

A device for dehydrating oil is known according to the RF patent for a useful model RU 103737 "Device for dehydrating oil" (priority date: 09.11.2010, publication date: 04/27/2011; IPC: B01D 17/06), which consists of a container with placed in it electrodes installed in a sealed cylindrical diaphragm radiator. The cylindrical membrane radiator is located at the same distance from the walls of the container and the transverse partition made of elastic material. The general features of the device and system according to the patent RU 103737 and the claimed device and system are the presence of electrodes in a membrane radiator (device body), which is located in the working area, while the electrodes are connected to a current pulse generator (high voltage source). The disadvantage of the device and system according to patent RU 103737 is the low efficiency of separation of the oil-water emulsion. When all the walls of the body are made elastic (flexible), an enhanced directional electro-hydraulic effect is not provided, because the shock wave is distributed evenly in all directions from the emitter (device body). In addition, the capacity of the device has a complex design, consisting of three zones - A, B, C, which does not allow efficient use of the device in the pipeline.

The technical result of the invention is to improve the efficiency of separation of the oil-water emulsion in the pipe while simplifying and increasing the reliability of the structure.

The technical result is achieved through the use of a method for separating a water-in-oil emulsion, in which a directional electro-hydraulic action is carried out on a water-oil emulsion passing through a pipeline using a system for separating an oil-water emulsion, which includes at least one device for separating an oil-water emulsion, which contains a sealed housing filled liquid, in which two electrodes are installed with a gap between them, while the two opposite walls of the device body in contact with the water-oil emulsion are made of an elastic material, and the other walls are made of rigid, a high-voltage source to which the electrodes are connected, and the device is hermetically installed in pipeline in such a way that the walls of the device body made of elastic material are located along the walls of the pipeline.

Due to the presence of walls with different properties, the direction of the electrohydraulic action is provided, which increases the efficiency of separation of the water-oil emulsion in the flow pipeline (pipe). In addition, it is possible to carry out a complex action with an alternating electromagnetic field, provided by electrodes connected to a high voltage source, and hydraulic action - a sharp local increase in pressure. The device is installed directly into the pipe (pipeline), which ensures the simplicity and reliability of the system by eliminating the need to include storage tanks in the design of devices. This ensures the simultaneous transportation of the emulsion through the pipeline and its separation, which also prevents the need to install separate systems for separating the oil-water emulsion.

Dielectric liquids or poorly conductive liquids, for example, water with impurities, can be used as a liquid medium in a sealed body of a device for the formation of a high-voltage spark discharge. When using liquids with ionic conduction, the gap between the electrodes must be reduced to form a breakdown. The breakdown results in a powerful electromagnetic pulse and a sharp local pressure increase. These force fields with the help of the elastic walls of the body act on the emulsion, which subsequently collapses, while the effect is on the passing flow of the emulsion from two opposite sides. When using the presented system, device and method, it is possible to carry out directed action directly in the pipe (pipeline), for example, when transporting the emulsion, thus combining two long-term processes: pumping and purification (dehydration) of oil.

A method for separating a water-in-oil emulsion using electrohydraulic action may include introducing a demulsifier into an oil-water emulsion before and / or after the electrohydraulic action. As a result, the amount of demulsifier required to separate the oil-water emulsion is significantly reduced when using the claimed method, i.e. the separation efficiency is further increased.

Also, the technical result is achieved due to the fact that the device for separating an oil-water emulsion contains a sealed housing made with the possibility of filling with liquid, in which two electrodes are installed with a gap between them, made with the possibility of connecting to a high voltage source, while two opposite walls of the housing are made made of elastic material, and the other walls are rigid.

The design of the device ensures the formation of a pressure wave during electrical breakdown, which spreads evenly over the body of the device, but being reflected from the rigid walls enhances the effect of the elastic walls, which transmit an enhanced pressure wave to the water-oil emulsion.

Two opposite walls of the device body can be made of an elastic radiotransparent material to generate an electromagnetic field and enhance the demulsification effect.

The technical result is achieved due to the fact that the system for separating an oil-water emulsion includes at least one device for separating an oil-water emulsion, which contains a sealed housing made with the possibility of filling with a liquid, in which two electrodes are installed with a gap between them, with two opposite walls the body of the device is made of elastic material, and the other walls are made rigid, a source of high voltage, to which the electrodes are connected, and the device is hermetically installed in the pipe in such a way that the walls of the body of the device made of elastic material are located along the walls of the pipe.

As a result, the emulsion passing in the gap between the elastic wall of the device body and the pipe wall is subjected to enhanced and directed electro-hydraulic action to increase the efficiency of separation of the oil-water emulsion.

Two opposite walls of the housing of at least one device in the system for separating an oil-water emulsion can be made of an elastic radio-transparent material, which further increases the efficiency of breaking the oil-water emulsion.

At least one device of the system for separating an oil-water emulsion can be installed on the pipe axis perpendicular to it.

A system for separating an oil-water emulsion can include a control unit connected to a high voltage source. Also, the system for separating the oil-water emulsion can include a control unit connected to a high voltage source, which is connected to the electrodes through a switch.

The electrodes in the system can be connected to a high voltage source through a switch.

The system for separating a water-in-oil emulsion can include at least two devices for separating a water-oil emulsion, a high voltage source connected to the electrodes by means of a switch, a control unit connected to a high voltage source and configured to perform synchronous and / or asynchronous supply of voltage pulses to the electrodes devices for separating oil-water emulsion.

Also, the technical result is achieved due to the fact that the system for separating the water-oil emulsion includes at least two devices for separating the water-oil emulsion, each of which contains a sealed housing made with the possibility of filling with a liquid, in which two electrodes are installed with a gap between them, while two opposite walls of the device body are made of elastic radio-transparent material, and the other walls are made rigid, and the devices are hermetically installed in the pipe in such a way that the walls of the device bodies made of elastic radio-transparent material are located along the pipe walls, a high voltage source connected to the electrodes by switch, a control unit connected to a high voltage source and configured to perform synchronous and / or asynchronous supply of voltage pulses to the electrodes of devices for separating an oil-water emulsion.

The system, made with the possibility of synchronous and / or asynchronous impulse delivery, provides multiple electro-hydraulic action on the same front of the water-oil emulsion as it moves in the pipeline (pipe). As a result of an increase in the number of electrohydraulic shocks, the separation efficiency of the water-oil emulsion increases. The walls of the body of the device, made of an elastic radio-transparent material, allow, in addition to the electrohydraulic effect, to provide the formation of an electromagnetic field, which enhances the demulsification of the emulsion.

The high voltage source of the system can be configured to supply a pulse voltage to the electrodes in the range of 20-40 kV. The claimed invention is illustrated by drawings:

fig. 1 - a system for separating an oil-water emulsion (cross-section);

fig. 2 - system for separating oil-water emulsion (longitudinal section);

fig. 3 - section a-a, indicated in Fig. 1 (housing with flat rigid walls);

fig. 4 is a section through the body of the device with rounded rigid walls, which show:

1 - sealed housing;

2 - electrodes;

3 - high voltage source;

4 - walls made of elastic material;

5 - pipe;

6 - rigid walls.

The system for separating an oil-water emulsion (Fig. 1, Fig. 2) includes at least one device for separating an oil-water emulsion, which contains a sealed housing 1 made with the possibility of filling with a liquid, in which two electrodes 2 are installed with a gap between them, which are connected to the high voltage source 3. In this case, two opposite walls of the body 1 of the device are made of elastic material 4, and the other walls 6 are made rigid. Moreover, the device is hermetically installed in the pipe 5 in such a way that the walls of the body 1 of the device, made of elastic material 4, are located along the walls of the pipe 5.

According to another technical solution, the system for separating an oil-water emulsion includes at least two devices for separating an oil-water emulsion, each of which contains a sealed body 1, made with the possibility of filling with a liquid, in which two electrodes 2 are installed with a gap between them, with two opposite walls the body 1 of the device is made of elastic 4 radio-transparent material, and the other walls 6 are made rigid, and the devices are hermetically installed in the pipe 5 in such a way that the walls of the bodies of the devices, made of elastic 4 radio-transparent material, are located along the walls of the pipe 5, high voltage source 3, connected to the electrodes 2 by means of a switch (not shown in the figure), a control unit (not shown in the figure), connected to a high voltage source 3 and configured to perform synchronous and / or asynchronous supply of voltage pulses to the electrodes 2 of devices for separating water-oil emulsion these.

The device for separating an oil-water emulsion as part of the system or independently of it contains a sealed housing 1, made with the possibility of filling with liquid, in which two electrodes 2 are installed with a gap between them, made with the possibility of connecting to a high voltage source 3, with two opposite walls of the housing 1 are made of elastic material 4, and the other walls are made of rigid 6.

The elastic walls 4 of the device can be rubberized or made of polymer material. Rigid walls 6 in contact with the oil-water emulsion, the device body can be flat (Fig. 3), rounded (Fig. 4) or other streamlined shape.

The high voltage source can supply a pulse voltage to the electrodes, for example, in the range of 20-40 kV with a pulse frequency, for example, 10-15 Hz.

The device and systems operate in the implementation of the inventive method, in which the oil-water emulsion is passed through the pipe 5 (pipeline). An electric pulse with a frequency of 12 Hz and a voltage of 28 kV is supplied from a high voltage source 3 to electrodes 2. In the housing 1, filled with tap water, a short-pulse electric discharge occurs between the electrodes 2. As a result of the electrical breakdown that occurs between the electrodes 2, the liquid in the sealed housing 1 receives acceleration and moves from the place where the breakdown occurs to the walls of the sealed housing 1. The shock wave, reflected from the rigid walls 6 of the housing 1, is added to the shock wave going straight from the place of breakdown towards the elastic walls 4, enhances the hydraulic effect of the elastic walls 4 on the emulsion in the places of its flow between the device and the wall of the pipe 5 (pipeline). Since the electro-hydraulic action is concentrated in the direction of the elastic walls 4 of the device and directed towards the pipe walls, an effective directional electro-hydraulic action is ensured. As a result, even when a smaller voltage pulse is applied, the force of the electrohydraulic shock will concentrate on the elastic walls 4 and be directed to the oil-water emulsion, ensuring its destruction without the formation of stable emulsions. Together with the electrohydraulic effect, the influence of the electric field arising from the supply of electricity to the electrodes 2 through the elastic walls 4 to the water-oil emulsion is provided, which further enhances the demulsification efficiency. In case of insufficient destruction of the emulsion, several devices for separating the water-oil emulsion can be installed on one pipeline (pipe 5) or a demulsifier can be additionally introduced. Thus, an increase in the efficiency of separation of an oil-water emulsion is provided, while simplifying and increasing the reliability of the design of a device for separating an oil-water emulsion.

Claims (13)

1. A method for separating an oil-water emulsion, in which a directional electro-hydraulic action is carried out on the water-oil emulsion passing through a pipeline using a system for separating an oil-water emulsion, including at least one device for separating an oil-water emulsion, which contains a sealed body filled with a liquid, in which two electrodes are installed with a gap between them, while two opposite walls of the device body, in contact with the water-oil emulsion, are made of elastic material, and the other walls are made of rigid, high-voltage source to which the electrodes are connected, and the device is hermetically installed in the pipeline in such a way, that the walls of the device body, made of elastic material, are located along the walls of the pipeline. 2. A method for separating an oil-water emulsion using electrohydraulic action according to claim 1, wherein a demulsifier is introduced into the oil-water emulsion before and / or after the electrohydraulic action. 3. A device for separating an oil-water emulsion, comprising a sealed housing made with the possibility of filling with a liquid, in which two electrodes are installed with a gap between them, made with the possibility of connecting to a high voltage source, while two opposite walls of the housing are made of elastic material, and the others the walls are rigid. 4. A device for separating an oil-water emulsion according to claim 3, in which two opposite walls of the body are made of an elastic radio-transparent material. 5. A system for separating an oil-water emulsion, including at least one device for separating an oil-water emulsion, which contains a sealed housing made with the possibility of filling with a liquid, in which two electrodes are installed with a gap between them, while two opposite walls of the device housing are made of elastic material, and the other walls are made rigid, a high voltage source to which the electrodes are connected, and the device is hermetically installed in the pipe in such a way that the walls of the body of the device, made of elastic material, are located along the walls of the pipe. 6. The system for separating a water-in-oil emulsion according to claim 5, in which two opposite walls of the housing of at least one device for separating an oil-water emulsion are made of an elastic radio-transparent material. 7. The system for separating a water-in-oil emulsion according to claim 5, in which at least one device for separating an oil-water emulsion is installed on the pipe axis perpendicular to it. 8. The system for separating an oil-water emulsion according to claim 5, including a control unit connected to a high voltage source. 9. The system for separating an oil-water emulsion according to claim 5, in which the electrodes are connected to a high voltage source by means of a switch. 10. The system for separating a water-oil emulsion according to claim 5, comprising a control unit connected to a high voltage source, which is connected to the electrodes by means of a switch. 11. A system for separating an oil-water emulsion according to claim 5, including at least two devices for separating an oil-water emulsion, a high voltage source connected to the electrodes by means of a switch, a control unit connected to a high voltage source and configured to perform synchronous and / or asynchronous supply of voltage pulses to electrodes of devices for separating water-oil emulsion. 12. A system for separating a water-in-oil emulsion, including at least two devices for separating an oil-water emulsion, each of which contains a sealed body made with the possibility of filling with a liquid, in which two electrodes are installed with a gap between them, while two opposite walls of the body of the device are made made of an elastic radio-transparent material, and the other walls are made rigid, a high-voltage source to which the electrodes are connected, and the devices are hermetically installed in the pipe in such a way that the walls of the device body, made of an elastic radio-transparent material, are located along the pipe walls, a high voltage source connected with electrodes by means of a switch, a control unit connected to a high voltage source and configured to perform synchronous and / or asynchronous supply of voltage pulses to the electrodes of devices for separating an oil-water emulsion. 13. A system for separating an oil-water emulsion according to any one of paragraphs. 5, 8-12, in which the high voltage source is configured to supply a pulse voltage to the electrodes in the range of 20-40 kV.

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