Demulsification using an electric field after crude oil desalination by ethylene glycol extraction

摘要

Solvent desalination with preferable economic efficiency is becoming an emerging technology. However, emulsion is still a tricky problem. This paper tried to apply electric field in crude oil desalination with ethylene glycol for the purpose of ameliorating emulsion and promoting a desalination rate. It was found that the salt content after primary electric desalination was 7.5 mg/L and the desalination rate approached 84% at 120 degrees C and 1,000 V/cm. The determination of rheological property and light transmittance rate was done to investigate the effect of field intensity and temperature on demulsification. The analysis of desalination mechanism indicated that dipolar and dielectrophoretic force played important roles in demulsification.