Combustion Engineering, Inc.

National Tank Company

Floyd L Prestridge

Gary W Sams

Merle B Inman

Kerry L Sublette

Bruce C Johnson

Kenneth W Warren

Harry G Wallace

Charles R Ferrin

Adolph August Schuetz

Harry L Wheeler

Dennis K Manning

Ronald L Longwell

A method of augmenting the coalescence of water in an emulsion having a heavier water component that is relatively electrically conductive and a lighter oil component that is relatively non-conductive, including the steps of tangentially injecting the emulsion into the interior of a cylindrical vessel and tangentially withdrawing the emulsion from the vessel interior to cause the emulsion to flow circumferentially within the vessel to thereby impart centrifugal force on the emulsion to create a first area within the vessel adjacent the vessel sidewall in which the heavier water component of the emulsion is maintained and a second area within the vessel interior towards which the lighter oil component migrates and imposing an electrical potential on a concentrically positioned electrode within the vessel interior and thereby on the areas within the vessel having the circumferentially flowing emulsion to cause at least a portion of the water component of the emulsion to coalescence, the lighter, relatively non-electrically conductive oil component in the vessel interior first area adjacent the electrode permitting a higher voltage potential to be imported on the electrode.

Method for augmenting the coalescence of water in a water-in-oil emulsion

A method and apparatus for augmenting the coalescence of water in a water-in-oil emulsion. The apparatus includes a tubular vessel having a cylindrical side wall and opposed ends. A tangential inlet in the cylindrical side wall is adjacent one of the vessel ends. A tubular electrode having an external diameter less than the internal diameter of the vessel extends concentrically within the vessel from the one end less than the entire length of the vessel. An elongated electrode extends axially and concentrically within the tubular electrode from the one end. An outlet is provided in the one end between the tubular electrode and the elongated electrode. The inlet and outlet serve to cause fluid to initially flow through the vessel in a circumferential path outside the tubular electrode and thereafter axially through the tubular electrode to the outlet. An electrical potential is applied between the electrodes and the vessel.

Method and apparatus for oil/water separation using a dual electrode

A method and apparatus of augmenting the coalescence of water in a water-in-oil emulsion in which the emulsion is tangentially ejected into the interior of a cylindrically walled vessel to cause the emulsion to flow circumferentially within the vessel and to thereby cause the water component of the emulsions to migrate towards the vessel cylindrical wall, the vessel having an axially positioned electrode therein. A voltage, preferably a pulsating DC voltage, is imposed between the electrode and the vessel to thereby subject the swirling water-in-oil emulsion to an electrical potential to cause the water components to coalescence from smaller to larger droplets. The water-in-oil emulsion is passed from the vessel where the water component can be more effectively separated from the emulsion by gravitational or centrifugal separation.

Apparatus for augmenting the coalescence of water in a water-in-oil

A pair of electrodes in the configuration of parallel plates represents how multiple pathways are formed through which emulsions of relative polar and relative non-polar liquids are passed. The electrode plates are comprised of materials which render the plates varying in electrical conductivity to establish multiple electric fields which degrade in the direction of emulsion flow.

Resolution of emulsions with multiple electric fields

A system for removing brine from oil well production (12) in which fresh water (50) or less saline water (50) is passed in counterflow to the oil well production (12) through electric fields established between a plurality of composite electrodes (26). The electrodes (26) are of a laminar construction having a centrally located conductive member (30) surrounded by an electrically nonconductive region (28). With a nonmodulated voltage supply (144) connected to conductive member (30) a plurality of electric fields, some having uniform gradient and others having nonuniform gradient, are established between adjacent composite electrodes (26) in the direction of flow of both the oil well production (12) and the dilution water (50). Composite grids (26) have an inherent current regulating characteristic that reduces the tendency for arcing and suppresses sustained arcing should an arc occur.

Distributed charge composition electrodes and desalting system

Electrodes, in the form of plates, are held parallel to each other to form passageways in which electrostatic fields are generated when the plates are charged by a source of variable voltage. The variable voltage is programmed to establish an initial electrostatic field strong enough to mix polar and nonpolar fluids. The mixture is then flowed through the electrostatic field which is of the strength needed to coalesce the polar fluids which have united with a contaminant in the nonpolar fluid.

Electrostatic mixer/separator

The shell of a cylindrical vessel, horizontally extended, contains three compartments through which emulsions of polar and non-polar liquids are sequentially passed for separation. The heating and the electric field in the first two compartments are optional. The third compartment contains an inclined plate separator connected to an electrical system to generate electric fields within the passages of the separator to coalesce and separate the polar liquid from the non-polar liquid.

Electrically enhanced inclined plate separator

The electrodes between which AC and DC electrostatic fields are sustained in a liquid mixture are connected to ground potential through rectifiers arranged to maintain the strength of the DC electrostatic field as the dielectric strength of the liquid mixture decreases.

Circuit for maintaining the strength of an electrostatic field generated

Voltage control system for electrostatic oil treater

A plurality of electrostatic fields is arranged to progressively separate the liquids from their emulsions having a low dielectric strength. The emulsions are first passed through one of the electrostatic fields between insulated electrodes. With the breaking of the emulsion begun by the first electrostatic field, the emulsion is next flowed in an electrostatic field between uninsulated electrodes. The final stage is the passing of the almost completely broken emulsion through an electrostatic field between electrodes which are arranged to systematically degrade their field.

Separation of emulsions with electric field

Flow paths for liquids are disclosed in vessels, the paths oriented with electrodes which are electrically energized to establish electrostatic fields through the paths, one of the liquids is more polar than the other liquids in the paths, one of the fields is intense enough to generate the force to move drops of the polar liquid fast enough to shear the drops to smaller sizes and disperse the smaller drops. A second one of the fields is less intense than the first field yet intense enough to generate the force to move the dispersed drops into coalescense. Various spacing and means of energizing the electrodes are disclosed to place the forces on the liquids in sequence and at different intensities.

Process for application of electrostatic fields to mixing and separating

Flow paths for liquids are disclosed in vessels, the paths oriented with electrodes which are electrically energized to establish electrostatic fields through the paths. One of the liquids is more polar than the other liquids in the paths. One of the fields is intense enough to generate the force to move drops of the polar liquid fast enough to shear the drops to smaller sizes and disperse the smaller drops. A second one of the fields is intense enough to generate the force to move the dispersed drops into coalescense. Various spacing and means of energizing the electrodes are disclosed to place the forces on the liquids in sequence and at different intensities.

Apparatus for application of electrostatic fields to mixing and

Fluids are separated by passing their mixture through an electric field which is varied in strength. As coalescense of a first fluid dispersed in the second fluid begins, the mixture is flowed in a path which carries the coalescing fluid through the field which progressively changes strength. Fluid shear forces are avoided between the coalescing fluid and the fluid in which the coalescing fluid is dispersed. The size of the coalescing fluid drops increase and separate from the remaining fluid mixture under the force of gravity.

Method and apparatus for separation of fluids with an electric field

An ion exchange compound in a fluid organic carrier is cycled between mixing and separating from a weak acid stream and a strong acid stream. The weak acid stream is cycled between directly contacting ore to chemically dissolve metal and exchanging the metal for hydrogen ions of the exchange compound. The strong acid stream is cycled between exchanging its hydrogen ions for the metal bonded to the exchange compound and yielding the metal to a recovery system. The mixing and separation of the organic carrier with the two acid streams is by a pump, an electric field and a centrifuge.

Process for mixing and separation in a solvent extraction system

Fluids are separated from each other by passing their mixture through an electric field and centrifuge in sequence. The drops of a first fluid dispersed in a second fluid are coalesced by the force of an electric field to a predetermined size. The mixture is then passed into a centrifuge which develops the force to move the coalesced drops away from the other fluids of the mixture without reaching the value at which fluid shear forces, between the coalesced fluid and the fluid in which the coalesced fluid is dispersed, will fragment the coalesced drops.

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Sapulpa, OK, United States of America

Floyd L Prestridge