Method and apparatus for promoting droplets coalescense in oil continuous emulsions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926194-B2
Application number	US-201916707434-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, comprising:
providing the mixture to a separation apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a permittivity measurement apparatus configured to measure the permittivity of the mixture;
a flow conditioner section comprising an electrode for generating an electric field and a flow conditioner having a permittivity range, the permittivity range comprising a function of a frequency of the electric field; and
a frequency selector configured to receive the mixture permittivity from the permittivity measurement apparatus and energize at least one first electrode of the flow conditioner section at a frequency;

measuring the permittivity of the mixture;
comparing the mixture permittivity to the permittivity range to make a comparison;
energizing the electrode of the flow conditioner section at a selected frequency based on the comparison between the mixture permittivity and permittivity range; and
directing the mixture through the 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 flow conditioner comprises a helicoidal-shaped flow conditioner comprises a helicoidal flow path or a branched flow conditioner comprising a plurality of branched flow paths.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising transmitting the mixture permittivity to a frequency selector configured to receive the mixture permittivity from the permittivity measurement apparatus and energize the electrode of the flow conditioner section at the frequency.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B01D17/045

  with coalescers · CPC title

• C10G32/02

  by electric or magnetic means · CPC title

• C10G33/08

  Controlling or regulating · CPC title

• B03C2201/24

  for measuring or calculating of parameters, e.g. efficiency · CPC title

• B01D17/12

  Auxiliary equipment particularly adapted for use with liquid-separating apparatus, e.g. control circuits · CPC title