Apparatus comprising electrostatic coalescer and hydrocyclone for separating oil and water

摘要

Apparatus for separating oil and water in an oil-water mixture, the apparatus comprises an electrostatic coalescer 15, a line 14A that bypasses the electrostatic coalescer 15 and a cyclonic oil-water separator 16 located downstream of the electrostatic coalescer 15. The apparatus further comprises means 18 to monitor the relative proportions of oil and water flowing towards the electrostatic coalescer 15 and bypass line 14A, and means 20 & 20A to direct the oil-water mixture through either the electrostatic coalescer 15 or the bypass line 14A depending upon the relative proportions of oil and water. The bypass line 14A can feed a mechanical coalescer 17 which lies in parallel to the electrostatic coalescer 17 and upstream of the cyclonic oil-water separator 16. A combined cyclone and gravity gas-liquid separator 12 is used to remove gas from the oil-water mixture before it enters the electrostatic coalesce 15 and/or bypass line 14A.