140results about "Dewatering/demulsification regulation/control" patented technology

Performance of equipment, such as a desalter, in a refinery is monitored in real-time and on-line to minimize fouling of downstream equipment. Using an instrument to measure particles and droplets in-process allows monitoring of the various operations to optimize performance. Such measurement can also be used during crude oil blending to detect asphaltene precipitates that can cause fouling and can be used for monitoring other fouling streams.

The present invention concerns a method of providing advisory controls for a desalter system. The method allows a user to continuously monitor performance of the desalter system, to continuously monitor position of the emulsion band (or rag layer), to control the emulsion band using demulsifiers, and to recommend to users how to maintain optimal pressure drop at the mix valve of the desalter system. This is achieved by using a first principles based model combined with an ultra-sound sensor. The ultra-sound sensor measures the position, quality and size of the emulsion band. The first principles based model takes into account the geometry of the desalter system, physical properties of the crude oil and water, as well as the operating conditions. Thus, the method provides users with sensing of an emulsion layer through ultrasound measurements and also gives recommendations on appropriate corrective actions to be initiated during upsets.

A method and apparatus for an improved dewatering tank system that allows for safely controlling a water stream exiting the dewatering tank system. The apparatus can include a sound velocity detector, a control system, and a control element. The sound velocity detector can include a transducer, a detector, and a transmitter. The control system can include a computer and a program product. The apparatus can optionally include a dewatering tank, a drain line, and a controllable valve. The apparatus allows for transmitting sound energy through the water stream flowing in the drain lined that is connected to the dewatering tank, calculating the velocity of the sound energy as the sound energy travels through the water stream, monitoring the velocity of the sound energy for a period of time, and controlling the position of the controllable valve depending on the calculated velocity of the sound energy.

Systems and methods for treating a rag layer in a gas oil separation plant. The method includes withdrawing the rag layer from a vessel proximate an oil water interface; conveying the rag layer to a separation device, the separation device operable to effect electrostatic coalescence on the rag layer to separate oil and water; and recycling separated oil from the separation device back to the gas oil separation plant process.

Methods for demulsifying an emulsified petroleum source having a predetermined resin-to-asphaltene ratio without substantial aggregation or precipitation of asphaltenes may include adding a resin supplement to the emulsified petroleum source to form a resin-supplemented emulsion having a resin-to-asphaltene ratio above a predetermined critical value. An acidic-to-basic ratio of acidic functional groups to basic functional groups in the supplemented emulsion may be adjusted to be from about 0.25 to about 4.0. The resin-supplemented emulsion may be contacted with carbon dioxide to form an initial mixture having an emulsified oil phase and an emulsified aqueous phase. The initial mixture may be stabilized to facilitate rupture of the resin-supplemented emulsion, to cause phase separation, and to allow removal of a separated oil phase. The resin-to-asphaltene ratio being above the predetermined critical value in the supplemented emulsion maintains asphaltene suspension during demulsification, such that asphaltene agglomeration and precipitation are avoided.

The invention discloses a double-field coupled dewatering device and a parameter optimization method. The parameter optimization method comprises the steps that firstly, parameters to be optimized aredetermined; the double-field coupled dewatering devices are simulated one by one; the optimum ranges of the parameters to be optimized are determined according to the simulation results; then the optimum parameter combination of the parameters to be optimized is determined; the double-field coupled dewatering devices are simulated one by one; the separation efficiency of the double-field coupleddewatering device is obtained under different combinations of optimization parameters; and the optimum combination of optimization parameters is determined according to the separation efficiency. Through simultaneously considering the influence of single parameter on separation efficiency and the influence of the interaction between parameters on separation efficiency, and combining with the numerical simulation results of double-field coupling, the combined optimization of structure parameters or operation parameters of the double-field coupled dewatering device can be realized by using Desing-Expert software for analysis. The method can provide a reasonable solution to the parameter matching problem of the coupled dewatering device, and the optimum parameter combination of the double-field coupled dewatering device is obtained.

A dynamic water / oil demulsification system for a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) includes:an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of one or more of each of a dehydrator vessel, desalter vessel and / or water / oil separator vessel, each of which vessels receives a water-oil emulsion;sensors that monitor and transmit data corresponding to properties of the water-oil emulsion in or downstream of the respective vessel(s); anda processor / controller associated with the in-line microwave treatment subsystem that initiates the application of microwave energy to the emulsion(s) based on the data from the sensors.