Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Robert J Fiocco

Gerard P Canevari

Kenneth W Becker

Richard R Lessard

James D Bushnell

Edward Niessen

Anita George-Ares

A formulation of chemical surfactants, solvents and inorganic salts is effective for dispersing heavy oils in both salt and fresh water. The formulation comprises a mixture of a sorbitan ester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, a polyoxyethylene adduct of a sorbitan monoester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, an alkali metal salt of a dialkyl sulfosuccinate, a polyoxyethylene adduct of a sorbitan triester of a monocarboxylic acid, a solvent comprising a hydrocarbon and/or a glycol ether and an inorganic salt containing a soluble divalent cation such as calcium or magnesium.

Chemical dispersant for oil spills (LAW898)

An improved dispersant formulation for dispersing oil which contains a mixture of a sorbitan monoester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, a polyoxyethylene adduct of a sorbitan monoester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, an alkali metal salt of a dialkyl sulfosuccinate, a polyoxyethylene adduct of a sorbitan triester or a sorbitol hexaester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid and a solvent comprising at least one of a propylene glycol ether, ethylene glycol ether, water, alcohol, glycol, and a paraffinic hydrocarbon.

Chemical dispersant for oil spills

An improved dispersant formulation for dispersing oil which contains a mixture of a sorbitan monoester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, a polyoxyethylene adduct of a sorbitan monoester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, a water-dispersible salt of a dialkyl sulfosuccinate, a polyoxyethylene adduct of a sorbitan triester or a sorbitol hexaester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid and a glycol ether which has a maximum water solubility of 25 ml/100 ml as solvent.

The present invention is predicated on the discovery that emulsion prone zones generally occur in extractors at the end or region where feed is introduced and spent solvent is withdrawn. The build-up of feed droplets in this zone occurs because of slow coalescence rate, higher liquid loadings, lower interfacial tension, smaller density difference, and the like, in this zone. Accordingly, the present invention, in its simplest sense comprises a vertical extractor column having a settling zone located at one end of a mixing zone and having coalescence media located in the settling zone. Importantly, the coalescence media is positioned so as to promote the drainage of coalesced droplets to the side of the extractor where they drain back into the mixing zone. Preferably weir means are located in the settling zone between the coalescence media and the mixing zone for collecting coalesced droplets. A valve and conduit are provided for optional removal or cycling of at least some of coalesced droplets to a region in the mixing zone other than the emulsion prone zone therein.

Extractor apparatus

The present invention comprises a reciprocating plate extractor column having a coalescence media located at least in the zone within the column where emulsions are likely to be formed. Preferably, the coalescence media is one which will be wetted by the dispersed phase under conditions of use. More preferably, however, the coalescence media will be a combination of two materials, one of which is wetted by the dispersed phase and one of which is wetted by the continuous phase. Also, in one embodiment of the present invention, anti-bypass means are included to direct the flow of fluid from the coalescence media toward the zone containing the reciprocating plates.

High capacity reciprocating plate extractor

The present invention comprises a method for removing residual hydrocarbon fluids from pipe systems by contacting the hydrocarbon with a solution containing a hydrocarbon-stripping agent which is capable of decreasing the wetting characteristics of the residual hydrocarbon on the internal surfaces of the pipe system whereby the film retracts from the surface and forms droplets which are thereafter removed with the water solution. Specific hydrocarbon-stripping agents are disclosed.

Chemical treatment for improved pipe line flushing

A liquid-liquid contacting apparatus of the type having at least two vertically spaced apart sieve tray assemblies includes vertical weirs between groups of sieve holes (preferably rows) in the sieve tray and, for each sieve tray located with the apparatus, a sloped collector-coalescer plate which provides a coalescence surface for dispersed phase droplets and directs the dispersed phase to the rows of sieve holes on the sieve trays. Additionally, the collector-coalescer plate prevents the dispersed phase droplets from impacting directly on the sieve holes where new drops of dispersed phase are being formed. This arrangement of sieve holes, weirs and collector-coalescer plate provides for steady controlled flow of dispersed phase throughout the apparatus over an exceptionally wide flow range and within a narrow, efficient fluid flow velocity through the sieve holes, e.g., a velocity of from about 0.6 to about 1.0 ft/sec.

Cascade sieve tray for extraction and deasphalting

An improved sealed-sieve tray extraction tower has pipe means located in at least a portion of the downcomer or upcomer zones, as the case may be, for delivering at least a portion of a first continuous phase through the downcomer or upcomer zone such that it is not broken into fine droplets thereby minimizing the potential for dispersion of the continuous phase.

Tray apparatus for deasphalting and extraction

An improved extractive separation process is described. This process is directed at splitting the feed and/or recycle stream to the extraction zone, to improve extraction zone performance. A further improvement may be achieved if at least a portion of the recycle stream is added to the extraction zone above the point where all the feed stream is added to the extraction zone.

Extractive separation process

An improved cascade weir type extraction zone is described in which at least one of the weir means is disposed above the associated tray. This improved extraction zone is of particular utility in lube oil processing operations.

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Summit, NJ, United States of America

Robert J Fiocco