Investigations of separation of oil-in-water emulsions with the use of organic deemulsifiers

Abstract

Consulta en la Biblioteca ETSI Industriales (8308)

[EN] Phase separation of oil-in-water emulsions has been investigated in this project by using chemical treatment. It constitutes a management method for a Toxic and a Hazardous waste such as used oil-in-water emulsions. Different experiments have been done with samples of both fresh and used oil-in-water emulsions. Fresh emulsions have been prepared in various concentrations by mixing tap water with two cutting fluids as Emulkol PS and Emulkol WO, while used emulsion was a mixture of different oil-in-water emulsions used in a factory as cutting fluids with unknown composition. Different amounts of various organic deemulsifiers have been added to these emulsions. These deemulsifiers belong to two different producers: Floquat deemulsifiers from Floerger SNF SA (France) and Oilbreak deemulsifiers from Stockhausen (Germany). Following this method, optimum amounts of deemulsifiers needed to produce phase separation have been determined. Optimum amounts are considered like this because they provide the best results with the smallest amounts and also because they do it in the shortest separation time. Each oil-in-water emulsion needs a specific product to obtain good results. Detailed conclusions concerning particular cases and general conclusions concerning the method have been presented. Chemical method means a simple management treatment of oil-in-water emulsions since it does not require any special plant, only a mixer and a separator. Besides, it needs small amount of energy and its cost depends mainly on the cost of deemulsifier.