Electrical process in the breaking of dilute oil-in-water emulsions. Completion report, 1 July 1973-30 June 1974

Technical Report · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:6580728

Orr, C Jr; Keng, E Y.H.

Oils, greases, and waxes frequently occur in industrial waste waters. Simultaneously, soaps and detergents enter most waste waters from domestic and other sources. When the mixtures of waste particles in water, known as emulsions, come in contact with the soaps and detergents, they generally become quite stable. One way to break such emulsions and thereby separate out the wastes is to add chemicals that will cause the oil droplet to agglomerate into larger drops. This study sought to assess the usefulness of electrical measurements, particularly the so-called zeta potential, in guiding the treatment process to chemicals and application rates that can break measured emulsions. When the zeta potential, which for a highly stable emulsion may be as negative as -0.090 volt, is made to approach -0.015 volt, the stability of the emulsion deteriorates rapidly. Past this poin oil-in-water emulsions often break spontaneously. The larger drops will then rise to the water surface and form a distinct oil layer that can be easily removed. Laboratory applications of various chemicals to emulsion samples and subsequent zeta potential measurement should thus provide a ready guide to those trying to remove oily waste water discharge.

• Research Organization: Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta (USA). Environmental Resources Center
• OSTI ID: 6580728
• Report Number(s): PB-235908
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LIQUID WASTES
DEMULSIFICATION
EMULSIONS
DETERGENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
GREASES
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
OILS
SOAPS
WASTE WATER
WATER POLLUTION
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
WAXES
ADDITIVES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIFIERS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LUBRICANTS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
SURFACTANTS
WASTES
WATER
WETTING AGENTS
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)