Method and apparatus for promoting droplets coalescence in oil continuous emulsions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926192-B2
Application number	US-201916707412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2019
Priority date	Feb 5, 2018
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

Separation apparatuses for the separation of a mixture of two fluids, such as a water-in-oil emulsion, via electrocoalescence, are provided. A separation apparatus may include a series of flow conditioners each having a different permittivity, such that the flow conditioner having a permittivity that is similar or equal to the permittivity of the flowing medium is selected. Another separation apparatus may include a flow conditioner having a frequency-dependent permittivity, such that the frequency of the electric field generated is selected so that the permittivity of the flow conditioner is as similar as possible to or equal to the permittivity of the flowing medium. Another separation apparatus may include a replaceable flow conditioner that may be replaced with a flow conditioner having a permittivity that is as similar to or equal to the permittivity of the flowing medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of separating a mixture of two liquids via electrocoalescence, comprising:
providing the mixture to a separation apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a first flow conditioner section comprising at least one first electrode for generating a first electric field and a first flow conditioner having a first permittivity; and
a second flow conditioner section comprising at least one second electrode for generating a second electric field and a second flow conditioner having a second permittivity;

measuring the permittivity of the mixture;
comparing the mixture permittivity to the first permittivity and the second permittivity to make a comparison;
energizing the at least one first electrode of the first flow conditioner section or the at least one second electrode of the second flow conditioner section based on the comparison, such that only the first electric field or the second electric field is generated; and
directing the mixture through the first electric field or the second electric field.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture is a water-in-oil emulsion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first flow conditioner comprises a helicoidal-shaped flow conditioner comprising a helicoidal flow path or a branched flow conditioner comprising a plurality of branched flow paths.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second flow conditioner comprises a helicoidal-shaped flow conditioner comprising a helicoidal flow path or a branched flow conditioner comprising a plurality of branched flow paths.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a length of the first flow conditioner and a strength of the first electric field are selected such that the electroviscous number of the mixture in the first flow conditioner section is in a range of 1000 to 600000.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising transmitting the measured permittivity to a flow conditioner section selector configured to energize the at least one first electrode of the first flow conditioner section or energize the at least one second electrode of the second flow conditioner section.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Less Simone
• Duval Sebastien A
• Traidia Abderrazak
• Vilagines Regis D

Classifications

• C10G33/08

  Controlling or regulating · CPC title

• C10G32/02

  by electric or magnetic means · CPC title

• B03C11/00

  Separation by high-voltage electrical fields, not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• C10G33/02

  with electrical or magnetic means · CPC title

• B01D17/045

  with coalescers · CPC title