Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Exxon Production Research Company

Other

Alliedsignal Inc.

Nl Chemicals Technologies, Inc.

Norman N Li

Robert P Cahn

Adam L Shrier

Martin Leo Gorbaty

Gopal H Singhal

Richard M Minday

Taras Hucal

Santi Kulprathipanja

Richard W Neuzil

Claude E Cooke, Jr

William M Salathiel

Edward C Hsu

Robert J Petersen

Thomas W Muecke

Charles R Dawson

Dennis E O'Brien

Mark A Kuehne

William J Asher

Jane C Li

Qun Song

A reverse osmosis membrane is disclosed that has a hydrogel disposed on its surface, wherein the hydrogel is formed from a crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone or a copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone. The hydrogel-coated membrane resists fouling by feed water contaminants. The permeate flux rate and salt rejection of the underlying membrane are not negatively affected by the hydrogel coating.

Reverse osmosis membrane with hydrogel coating

Reverse osmosis membranes with improved water flux and excellent solute rejection characteristics are formed by interfacial reaction of an essentially monomeric polyamine reactant having an average of at least two amine functional groups with an essentially monomeric amine-reactive reactant having an average of at least 2.05 acyl halide functional groups, the polymerization reaction being conducted in the presence of a monohydric phenol on the surface of a porous substrate. A specific example is a high flux composite membrane prepared by coating a porous substrate with an aqueous solution containing about 0.1-20 wt % m-phenylenediamine and 0.1-9.9 wt % phenol, and interfacially contacting the coated substrate with a nonaqueous solution of about 0.01-10 wt % trimesoyl chloride for a time sufficient to form a polyamide coating, followed optionally by one or more washing and drying steps to remove the nonaqueous solvent and most or all of residual unreacted chemicals.

High flux reverse osmosis membrane

A fluid feed mixture, either liquid or gaseous in nature, may be subjected to a gas enrichment separation process. The process is effected by contacting the mixture with the upstream face of a mixed matrix membrane which comprises an organic polymer having a solid particulate adsorbent incorporated therein, the permeability coefficient of the organic polymer being compatible with the permeability coefficient of the adsorbent. The permeate which emanates from the downstream face of the membrane comprises a fluid product mixture in which the proportion of the first fluid component of the feed mixture, which possesses a greater steady state permeability in relation to the second fluid component, is greater than the proportion present in the original fluid feed mixture.

Separation of gases by means of mixed matrix membranes

Separation of fluids by means of mixed matrix membranes

The instant invention is a major energy saver in the form of a blanket which allows personal heat control, particularly cooling. More specifically, the blanket is provided with internal ducts through which a stable foam is circulated as a cooling fluid in such a way that the inside of the blanket facing the person being cooled is maintained at a temperature slightly below body temperature, while the outside of the blanket is insulated to minimize heat exchange with the environment. Compared to the use of a liquid as the circulating cooling fluid, foam is very light and thus minimizes the weight of the blanket, but it has better heat transfer properties and heat capacity than a gas. Cooling of the recirculating cooling fluid is done separate from the blanket in a refrigeration unit connected to the blanket by a feed and return duct. The refrigeration unit can operate by means of a heat pump, or use a stored refrigerant such as ice, or employ a continuous coolant, such as tap water. The integrity of the circulating foam is maintained by passing a certain fraction of the circulating fluid through a foam regeneration unit which both reconstitutes foam which has started to collapse and agglomerate, and regenerates foam which has completely broken when the unit is out of service for extended periods.

Individual comfort control device

The instant invention is directed to shear thickening fluids which comprise a water-swellable material (clay), present in a sufficient concentration so as to be capable of forming a stiff paste upon interaction with the water used, and water wherein the clay and water are kept separated by an intervening hydrocarbon-surfactant composition. The intervening oil phase prevents the interaction between the water and the clay phases and results in a stable, nonreacting, pumpable composite until such time as the oil envelope is ruptured by application of a sufficiently high shear force. Upon such rupture, the materials interact rapidly forming a semi-rigid stiff paste. Various well-control problems, such as oil and gas with blowouts, can be controlled by use of the above-described composite. The composite is pumped down the well pipe. Exiting the orifices of the drill bit or a nozzle supplies the shear force needed to rupture the oil envelope thereby permitting the interaction between the clay and the water resulting in the formation of a stiff paste which can stop or prevent unwanted flow in or near the wellbore.

Well treating fluid

An improved process for electrically coalescing water-in-oil emulsions in an AC electrical field, wherein the improvement comprises using insulated electrodes having a dielectric constant which is at least about 3 and having a hydrophobic surface in contact with the emulsion. This invention results in faster coalescense of the emulsion than can be obtained with insulated electrodes having a lower dielectric constant, even if the electrode-emulsion interface is hydrophobic. Formation of spongy emulsion and decomposition of the oil phase under the high voltages required for rapid coalescense is minimized and even eliminated.

Electrical coalescense of liquid emulsions

Improved electrodes for electrically coalescing water-in-oil emulsions in an AC electrical field, wherein the improvement comprises insulated electrodes having a dielectric constant of at least about 3 and a hydrophobic surface in contact with the emulsion. This invention results in faster coalescense of emulsions than can be obtained with insulated electrodes having a lower dielectric constant even if the surface of the electrode at the electrode-emulsion interface is hydrophobic. Formation of spongy emulsion and decomposition of the oil phase under the high voltages required for rapid coalescense is minimized and even eliminated.

Electrodes for electrical coalescense of liquid emulsions

Method of using a well treating fluid

This invention relates to a process for the removal of dissolved species from aqueous solutions, which comprises contacting said aqueous solution with an emulsion, said emulsion comprising an exterior phase which is characterized as being immiscible with said aqueous solution and yet permeable to said dissolved species, and an interior phase which contains a reactant capable of converting said dissolved species to a nonpermeable form. The dissolved species permeate the exterior phase, into the interior phase where they are converted into nonpermeable forms and thus retained in the interior phase of said emulsion. The aqueous solution, depleted in said dissolved species, is separated from said emulsion and the emulsion cycled for reuse. In one preferred embodiment said dissolved species are ions, and an ion exchange compound is incorporated in the exterior phase of the emulsion, to promote the permeation of said ions through the exterior phase.

Water in oil emulsions useful in liquid membrane

In a method of treating a subterranean formation, a well treatment composition comprising a dispersion of a water-in-oil emulsion in an aqueous medium is injected into the formation. The water-in-oil emulsion has an internal aqueous phase and an external phase containing a liquid hydrocarbon and a surfactant soluble in the hydrocarbon. The compositions can be designed to perform various well treatment applications including hydraulic fracturing and acidizing and can also be used to encapsulate or to transport well treatment materials and chemicals into the wellbore or formation. Treatment methods may also employ dispersions of a reactive simple or multiple emulsion. The distinct phases of the compositions may be selected to form treatment solutions upon mixing. Thus, improved acidizing may be achieved through an in situ reaction format.

Well treatment with emulsion dispersions

In a liquid membrane process for removing ions from solution which comprises contacting a feed solution containing a first ion with an emulsion, said emulsion comprising an external phase which is immiscible with said solution and contains a complexing agent, said complexing agent being capable of forming a first complex with said first ion, which is soluble in said external phase, and an internal phase, the improvement which comprises providing a second ion, in the internal phase, of the emulsion, said second ion being capable of converting said first complex to a second complex by replacing said first ion in said first complex, said second complex being also soluble in said external phase, whereby the first ion diffuses from said solution into said internal phase, and said second ion diffuses from said internal phase into said solution. More particularly, the instant invention comprises maintaining the concentration of the second ion, in the feed solution, at a sufficiently low level to allow formation of the first complex at the interface of the external phase of the emulsion and the solution, and maintaining the concentration of the second ion, in the internal phase of the emulsion at a concentration, sufficiently high, to convert said first complex into a second complex. Preferably, the first ion is a metal ion--for example, copper, or a complex ion, such as H.sub.g Cl.sub.4 =comprising a metal constituent and said second ion is either hydrogen or hydroxyl ion.

Use of liquid membrane systems for selective ion transfer

This invention relates to emulsions containing a polyamine derivative as the sole surfactant and strengthening agent. The emulsions comprise an aqueous interior phase surrounded by an oily exterior phase which contains a polyamine derivative having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein n for the polyisobutylene portion varies from 10 to 60, x varies from 3 to 10, and y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrogen-containing nitrogen radicals, hydrogen and oxygen-containing nitrogen radicals, and alkyl radicals having up to 10 carbons, alkyl radicals having up to 10 carbons which contain nitrogen, oxygen or both, and mixtures of said polyamine derivatives.

Novel liquid membrane formulations

A method of treating a subterranean formation wherein a well treatment composition comprising a dispersion of a water-in-oil emulsion in an aqueous medium is injected into the formation. The water-in-oil emulsion has an internal aqueous phase and an external phase containing a liquid hydrocarbon and a surfactant soluble in the hydrocarbon. The compositions can be designed to perform various well treatment applications including hydraulic fracturing and acidizing and can also be used to encapsulate or transport well treatment materials and chemicals into the wellbore or formation.

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Edison, NJ, United States of America

Norman N Li