Analysis of Methods for Improving the Efficiency of Coalescence Process in Electric Oil Desalination and Dehydration Plants

Abstract

The methods for increasing the efficiency of the coalescence process in electric desalination and dehydration of oil are analyzed. It is shown that one of the main reasons for the decrease in the efficiency of operation of the electric dehydrators is failure to take account of several phenomena that accompany the formation of chains of water droplets between the electrodes when water-oil emulsions break up. In this case, the dispersion phenomenon in the region directly adjoining the electrodes makes the most contribution to formation of a large quantity of fine water droplets and to deterioration of the electric dehydrator performance. To increase the electric dehydrator efficiency, it is proposed that the size of the electrode and its potential be so chosen that no dispersion occurs near the electrode or the electrode surface is protected with a coating that transmits electric charge in a quantity sufficient to sustain the coalescence process, but insufficient for the dispersion process.