In the desalter operation of a petroleum refinery, a method which measures and regulates the stability of the oil-in-water emulsion. A device located downstream of the desalter monitors the electrical charge of oil droplets in the effluent brine. This charge reflects emulsion stability. The amount of charge streaming past a point defines a current. When a predetermined streaming current threshold is crossed, the monitoring device electrically sends a signal proportional to the excess to a metering pump or valve which adds a predetermined proportional quantity of emulsion breaker to the petroleum/water mixture in the desalter.
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