Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Anthony M Gleason

Donald J Mintz

Arnold James Kelly

In order to separate the dispersed phase from a continuous background fluid phase together forming a phase mixture (for example, contaminant particles from a continuous liquid phase), charge is injected into the mixture with a charge injection device (1) which issues charged mixture into a separation vessel (6) through a gas or vapor space (11). The injected charge induces an electric field within the liquid mixture in the vessel (6) which causes migration of contaminants towards the walls of the vessel (6) and precipitation on the wall surfaces. The clarified liquid is discharged from the vessel through outlet (7). The contaminant separation technique is effective and simple to achieve technically, and has the added advantage of operating effectively even with extremely small contaminant particle sizes, for example of the order of sub-micron or micron size.

Separation of dispersed phase from phase mixture

Separation of dispersed phase (e.g., solid, gel, liquid or gas contiminant) from a continuous fluid background phase (liquid or gas) is achieved by injecting free charge into the phase mixture, which both induces an electric field within the mixture and effects charging of the dispersed phase. The interaction between the induced electric field and the charged contaminants causes migration of the contaminant and collection on preferably densely packed collector surfaces within the phase mixture. The dense packing reduces the migration path length and therefore increases the contaminant separation effectiveness. The collector surfaces can be provided by a bed of beads.

Separation of dispersed phase from continuous fluid phase

In order to inject a net unipolar charge, for example using a charge injector (1), into a liquid containing a dispersed contaminant without risk of blockage or arcing in the charge injector which could arise if the contaminated liquid were passed through the charge injector (1) itself, instead a substantially contaminant-free liquid is passed through the charge injector (1) and then the charged contaminant-free liquid brought into contact with the contaminated fluid in a mixing chamber (33), for example. The invention finds particular application in the electrostatic removal of contaminant from a liquid, where the mixing chamber is provided within a separation vessel (6), preferably containing a bed of densely packed beads (32). In the mixing chamber, the contaminants migrate under the influence of the electric field induced in the liquid mixture and conglomerate on the exposed surface of the beads.

Method and apparatus for charging a contaminant-laden liquid

For separating wax particles and/or water droplets from a hydrocarbon mixture boiling in the lubricating oil range, net positive or net negative free excess electric charge is introduced, e.g. by a charge injector (44), into the wax/water-laden oil mixture. The oil is brought into contact with at least one collector surface, which can be provided by a bed of closely packed beads (33) in a separation vessel (6) or, for separating wax particles, a rotating collector drum (61). The introduced charge attaches itself to the wax particles/water droplets and at the same time causes an induced electric field to be set up within the oil mixture. The electrophoretic effect produced by the interaction between the charge and the induced field causes the wax/water to collect on the collector surface and accumulate there, for separation from the oil mixture.

Method and apparatus for separating wax/water from hydrocarbon mixture

This invention relates to a process for the free radical polymerization of at least one monomer into a polymeric substance by a charge injection means, wherein the monomer or the solution of monomer and oil is disposed within the chamber of a cell of an electrostatic atomizing device which includes the aforementioned cell and chamber a discharge spray means in communication with the cell, the formed polymer being transported to the discharge spray means and atomized into droplets, and a mechanism for passing a charge through the monomer or solution of monomer within the chamber, wherein the charge is sufficient to induce free radical polymerization of the monomer.

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Westfield, NJ, United States of America

Anthony M Gleason