US1591472A - Multistage process for electrical dehydration of emulsions - Google Patents

Description

July 6 1926. 1,591,472

J. H. C. DE BREY MULTISTAGE PROCESS FOR ELECTRICAL DEHYDRATION OF EMUBSIONS Filed March 26, 1925 15101270507 J O de Bray Patented July 6, 1926.

1,591,472 PATENT OFFICE.

JAN-HEINRICII CHBISTOPH mi BBEY, Oil? THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS.

llIUIrTISTAGE PROCESS FOR ELECTRICAL DEHYDBATION OF EMULSIONS.

Application filed March 26, 1925. Serial no. 18,610.

My invention relates to an improvement for separating the phases of an emulsion especially of mineral oil by means of electric current. It is well sions generally consist of a multitude of Water globules of various sizes dispersed in a medium'of oil. The size of these water globules varies widely from 0.1 micron up to one millimeter in diameter, and usually one and the same emulsion contains globules of the most widely varying diameter.

Hitherto it has been the object of the ex- I 'isting processes for electric dehydration to separate all the water globules, the smallest as well as the largest, simultaneously from the oil, i. e. under the same electro-physical conditions. In those cases where the proc-. ess of dehydration has been carried out in consecutive steps it has nevertheless been customary to apply the. same electric ressure for the consecutive steps. It is, owever, obvious that this is not the right principle, as it is self-evident that it requires 0t er physical, that is, electrical, conditions for segregating lobules of, say 1 millimeter diameter than I ecopic particles of one micron diameter and ess.- the water particles are, the higher the electric pressure required to segregate them from the oil. Consequently, in order to obtain a complete dehydration of an emulsion,

i. e. not only the segregation of the comparatively larger globules but also of the smallest water particles, an electric pressure of 10.000 to 50.000 volts is required.

The application of these high electric pressures to emulsions of high water content meets with difliculties on account of the low electric resistance of these emulsions, which ractically cause an electrical short-circuit or the-high voltages. I have found a method whereby these difiiculties are obviated and which consists therein that the emulsion is being treated in steps at con"- secutive higher pressures, whereby during each step' rior to applying the next hi her pressuret e water freed by the preceding lower pressure step, is separated from the emulsion.

I can carry out my process in a periodical manner but I prefer to proceed continuously.

T e process can best be elucidated by the following-example, in which a number ofcontainers are referred to, although accordknown that emulor segregating the micro- In fact I have found that the smaller ing to my invention the process may be carried out in only one container.

The emulsion containers (a, b, c, d and e) each of which is equipped with an electrode 1 of suitable desigmzare put in cascade, as shown on-the accompanying sketch.

As illustrated in said sketch one end of the secondary of a transformer is connected to the electrode and the other end to the wall of the container.

, The emulsion, which contains 40% water, enters the first container (1," preferably at the bottom through the pipe 2 with cock 3. In this first container (1 the emulsion is exposed to an electric pressure .of 500- to 1000 volts. The larger water particles segregate easily under the influence of these low pressures, but the smaller particles remain untouched. The water, which is drained off continually from the bottom of container a through the pipe 1 will amount to about 75% of the total water content of the emulsion. Thus the water content of the e1nulsion at the top of this first container a will be about 14%. This 14% emulsion, which on account of its lower water content has a considerably higher electric resistance than to a considerably higher electric tainer a. flows preferably by gravity (but naturally it can also be pumped, if necessary) to a second container 6, where again it enters preferably at the bottom and where under the influence, of the electric pressure of 5000 to 10.000 volts it will again lose about of its water. This water is again drained ofi at the bottom, and the top of the emulsion container 6 will show a water percentage of about 4%.

Looking through the miscrosoope it can now be observed that all the larger water particles have disappeared and that the emulsion contains merely water globules of a diameter of 20 microns and less. This emulsion can now be. exposed to a higher electric pressure and this is eifected in a.

third container 0, where the process is rerunning respectively at 30.000 and 50.000

' cordance with its decreasing water content.

The process can be carried out with ordmary smusoidal alternate current, as also with the so-called pulsating alternate current, which is the object of my invention as described in my application for Letters Patent Serial No. 705958 filed April 11, 1924.

I claim:

1. A process for separating the phases of emulsions by means of the electric current, consisting in subjecting the emulsion to a multi-stage dehydrating process under successively higher electric pressures.

2. The process of separating the phases of emulsions by means of the electric our.- rent, consisting in subjecting the emulsion to a multi-stage dehydrating process with successively higher electric pressures in each successive dehydrating stage, the electric pressures increasing in accordance with the decreasing Water content of the emulsion.

3. The process of separating the phases of emulsions by means of the electric current, consisting in subjecting the emulsion to a multi-stage dehydrating process with successively higher electric pressures in each successive dehydrating stage, the electric pressures increasing in accordance with the decreasing water content of the emulsion, the separating water content being drained of? at each stage.

4. The process of dehydrating mineral oil emulsions, consisting in subjecting the emulsions in successive stages to relatively increase electric pressures and physically eliminating the Water separated from the emulsion at each stage.

5. An electric dehydrating process for mineral oil emulsions, consisting in the utilization of the electric current at successively higher electric pressures for treating the emulsion in successive stages, the water separated by the treatment bein divided from the emulsion following eac stage treatment.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JAN HEINRICH CHMS'E'UPH ale BREY.

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