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Emulsion Separation CheatSheet

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16 views1 page

Emulsion Separation CheatSheet

Uploaded by

aashu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Interview Cheat Sheet: Emulsions, Droplet Growth

& Desalting
1. Emulsion Basics
- Emulsion = dispersion of one liquid in another (oil + water).
- Continuous phase vs dispersed phase.
- Stable due to emulsifying agents (asphaltenes, surfactants, solids).

2. De-Emulsifiers
- Break protective films at oil–water boundary.
- Cause droplets to flocculate → coalesce → settle.
- Difference: Surfactants stabilize, De-emulsifiers destabilize.

3. Droplet Growth (Coalescence)


- Formula: t ∝ d■.
- Larger droplets take much longer to grow further.
- Growth faster if dispersed phase fraction (ϕ) ↑, viscosity ↓, heating or chemicals help.

4. Droplet Settling
- Settling velocity: v ∝ d².
- Settling time: t ∝ 1/d².
- Bigger droplets settle faster, requiring less time.

5. Separation Methods
- Gravity, Thermal, Chemical, Electrical, Thermo-electrical, Centrifuging, Filtration.

6. Crude Desalting
- Steps: Wash → Mix → Break → Coalesce → Settle.
- Preheat crude, add wash water + demulsifier, electrostatic field, gravity separation.
- Goal: remove salts + water to reduce corrosion, fouling, and improve throughput.

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