Gas assisted coalescing plate separators: Combining existing technologies to remove dispersed oil in production water
Conference
·
OSTI ID:377176
- NATCO, Houston, TX (United States)
Removal of dispersed oil from production water is an issue that has been addressed by a wide variety of products over the years. Parameters affecting the oil droplet rise velocity found in Stokes Law are principles on which conventional oil in water separators have been designed. Produced water cleanup via dissolved gas flotation relies on decreasing the density of the oil droplets by attachment to small gas bubbles ({approximately}40 microns). The reduced density pair then rises to the oil/water interface at an accelerated rate, reducing the residence time required to outlet oil concentration. meet a specified outlet oil concentration. Coalescing plate separators remove dispersed oil by decreasing the distance a droplet must travel; reaching an oleophilic surface. At this surface, several smaller oil droplets coalesce forming larger droplets. The droplets with larger diameters rise to the interface at a faster rate than smaller droplets. Uniting these two proven technologies involves bubbling gas through a coalescing plate pack. Separation of oil is enhanced in two ways. Firstly, gas bubbles are attached to oil droplets that have had a chance to coalesce in the plate separator. Secondly, the gas initiates a mild turbulence within the plate separator. If not excessive, this creates enough liquid motion to induce oil droplet collisions which are frequently followed by coalescence. These effects result in lower effluent oil concentrations for a gas assisted coalescing plate separator than either technology alone. Laboratory testing has shown reduced effluent oil concentrations in treating inlet water with oil concentrations exceeding 1500 ppm by the suggested process.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Amoco Production Co., Houston, TX (United States); Conoco, Inc., Stamford, CT (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 377176
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9509296--; ON: DE96001221
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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