Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Donald J Mintz

Anthony M Gleason

Arnold James Kelly

Dennis G Peiffer

Warren A Thaler

Cyrus A Irani

Ilan Duvdevani

Cornelius Hendrick Brons

Robert J Chimenti

Douglas G Ryan

Anthony E Cerkanowicz

Floyd E Smith

A process for flocculating solid fines from a solution comprising said solid fine and an organic liquid which comprises the steps of:

Use of amine neutralized sulfonated polystyrenes for particle

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

In the treatment of a contaminated liquid, an additive, such as finely divided adsorbent particles, is introduced into the liquid so that it combines physically, chemically or electrically with the contaminant to form a dispersion suspended in the liquid. Then, net unipolar charge is introduced into the liquid and, in a separation vessel, migration of the dispersion takes place under the interaction between charge on the dispersion and an induced electric field in the liquid. The migrating dispersion conglomerates on one or more collector surfaces which can be the internal surfaces of the separation vessel and, preferably also, the exposed surfaces of densely packed beads in the separation vessel. The treatment process is especially intended for use where the contaminant is dissolved in the liquid phase.

Clarifying a contaminated fluid

In order to separate wax from lubricating oil, it is necessary both to introduce free excess charge which is net positive or net negative into the wax-laden oil, preferably by charge injection, and to reduce the solubility for the wax (for example by cooling the lubricating oil) sufficiently so that dissolved wax forms a dispersion of wax particles and crystals in the oil. The resulting electrophoretic effect results in wax particle agglomeration and particle size growth in the oil itself and/or on collector surfaces in contact with the charged oil. The charge injection and the wax solubility reduction such as by cooling can occur simultaneously, or one before the other in either order. Cooling can conveniently be effected wholly or in part by mixing with the oil an auto-refrigerant liquid which vaporizes to reduce the oil temperature. Ideally the auto-refrigerant liquid additionally has oil solvent properties, propane being an example of a suitable such liquid additive. The cooling can also be at least partially effected by heat exchange with a cooling fluid, for example, using a cooling jacket surrounding a separation vessel in which the wax agglomeration and growth occurs or a heat exchanger in the wax-laden oil feed to the separation vessel.

Separating wax from hydrocarbon mixture boiling in the lubricating oil

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.

Polymerization reaction by charge injection

The instant invention is directed to shear thickening fluids which comprise a water swellable clay capable of rapidly forming a paste having a strength of at least 2000 lbs/100 ft.sup.2 upon interaction with the aqueous phase employed and present in sufficient concentration to form such a paste, a nonaqueous phase comprising a hydrocarbon material and surfactant, and an aqueous phase comprising water and a water-soluble polymer, wherein the clay and the aqueous phase are kept separated by the intervening hydrocarbon-surfactant phase. The intervening oil phase prevents the interaction between the water-polymer phase and the clay and results in a stable, non-reacting, pumpable composite, until such time as the oil barrier is ruptured by deliberate application of a sufficiently high shear force. Upon such rupture, the materials interact resulting in a semi-rigid high strength paste.

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Summit, NJ, United States of America

Donald J Mintz