687results about "Dewatering/demulsification with electric/magnetic means" patented technology

An apparatus is provided for manipulating droplets. The apparatus is a single-sided electrode design in which all conductive elements are contained on one surface on which droplets are manipulated. An additional surface can be provided parallel with the first surface for the purpose of containing the droplets to be manipulated. Droplets are manipulated by performing electrowetting-based techniques in which electrodes contained on or embedded in the first surface are sequentially energized and de-energized in a controlled manner. The apparatus enables a number of droplet manipulation processes, including merging and mixing two droplets together, splitting a droplet into two or more droplets, sampling a continuous liquid flow by forming from the flow individually controllable droplets, and iterative binary or digital mixing of droplets to obtain a desired mixing ratio.

This invention relates to methods for reducing the presence of a compound in an ionically conductive material, e.g., for use in iontophoretic devices, wherein the presence of the compound interferes with detecting a selected analyte. Removal of the compound can typically take place either during or after the manufacture of the ionically conductive material or an assembly comprising this material. Also disclosed are methods for generating selectively permeable barriers on the reactive faces of electrodes. Further, this invention relates to hydrogels comprising one or more biocides, as well as assemblies containing such hydrogels.

Methods are provided for aligning carbon nanotubes and for making a composite material comprising aligned carbon nanotubes. The method for aligning carbon nanotubes comprises adsorbing magnetic nanoparticles to carbon nanotubes dispersed in a fluid medium to form a magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite in the fluid medium; and exposing the composite to a magnetic field effective to align the nanotubes in the fluid medium. The method for making a composite material comprising aligned carbon nanotubes comprises (1) adsorbing magnetic nanoparticles to carbon nanotubes to form a magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite; (2) dispersing the magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite in a fluid matrix material to form a mixture; (3) exposing the mixture to a magnetic field effective to align the nanotubes in the mixture; and (4) solidifying the fluid matrix material to form a nanotube / matrix material composite comprising the aligned nanotubes which remain aligned in the absence of said magnetic field.

The present invention relates to bead incubating and washing on a droplet actuator. Methods for incubating magnetically responsive beads that are labeled with primary antibody, a sample (i.e., analyte), and secondary reporter antibodies on a magnet, on and off a magnet, and completely off a magnet are provided. Also provided are methods for washing magnetically responsive beads using shape-assisted merging of droplets. Also provided are methods for shape-mediated splitting, transporting, and dispensing of a sample droplet that contains magnetically responsive beads. The apparatuses and methods of the invention provide for rapid time to result and optimum detection of an analyte in an immunoassay.

Provided is a method for purifying a biodiesel fuel while completely preventing or greatly reducing generation of waste water. The present invention relates to a method for purifying a biodiesel fuel characterized by applying an electric field to or heating a crude biodiesel fuel and a method for purifying a biodiesel fuel characterized by adding water (preferably containing a demulsifier such as an inorganic calcium salt or a magnesium salt) to a crude biodiesel fuel to form W / O emulsion, and breaking the emulsion by application of an electric field or heating, etc.

A system and method for treating and removing hydrocarbon and other contaminants in bilge and ballast water, utilizing a multiple progressive process that chemically and electrically treats-and removes contaminants. Wastewater, received by a sump, is transmitted to a holding tank and treated, over a period of time while-influent wastewater continues off loading. The wastewater is pumped to an oil / water separator tank that decants free-floating oil from the wastewater to an oil retention tank. The wastewater then undergoes an electrocoagulation process where emulsions are broken and compounds that further aid treatment are created. The treated water flows to a retention / separation tank where contaminant particles coalesce and separate. Water is decanted and transferred to a clean water holding tank through an ozone injection system and an activated carbon filter. Treated water is recirculated until it exits the system meeting discharge limits for organics and metals allowing release into the environment.

A chemical reaction is conducted in a fluid of a droplet inside a reaction receptacle or on a surface of a reaction substrate. Fluctuations of a magnetic field are applied to the droplet including an aqueous solution having magnetic body particles with a hydrophilic surface, and a physical force is transmitted to the surrounding aqueous solution through the magnetic body particles. The droplet is thus moved by the physical force to conduct an operation necessary for a chemical reaction.

Laser output including at least one laser pulse having a wavelength greater than 1.1 μm and shorter than 5 μm (preferably at about 1.1 μm) and having a pulsewidth shorter than 100 ps (preferably shorter than 10 ps) permits low-k dielectric material, such as SRO or SiCOH, to be removed without damaging the substrate. An oscillator module in cooperation with an amplification module are used to generate the laser output.

Methods are provided for aligning carbon nanotubes and for making a composite material comprising aligned carbon nanotubes. The method for aligning carbon nanotubes comprises adsorbing magnetic nanoparticles to carbon nanotubes dispersed in a fluid medium to form a magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite in the fluid medium; and exposing the composite to a magnetic field effective to align the nanotubes in the fluid medium. The method for making a composite material comprising aligned carbon nanotubes comprises (1) adsorbing magnetic nanoparticles to carbon nanotubes to form a magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite; (2) dispersing the magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite in a fluid matrix material to form a mixture; (3) exposing the mixture to a magnetic field effective to align the nanotubes in the mixture; and (4) solidifying the fluid matrix material to form a nanotube / matrix material composite comprising the aligned nanotubes which remain aligned in the absence of said magnetic field.

Improved performance in the phase separation of aqueous brines from hydrocarbons within an electrostatic desalter operation is obtained by the addition to the crude oil emulsions entering the desalter of an effective asphaltene dispersing amount of an alkyl phenol-formaldehyde liquid resin polymer, optionally in the presence of a lipophilic / hydrophilic vinylic polymer. The preferred resin is a nonyl phenol-formaldehyde resin having a molecular weight of from 1,000-20,000, and the preferred vinylic polymer is a copolymer of lauryl (meth)acrylate and hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate. Best results from the electrostatic desalter are obtained when also using a demulsifier chemical treatment along with the asphaltene dispersing treatments. Desalter efficiency is increased and desalter brine effluent quality is greatly increased.

A system and method for treating and removing hydrocarbon and other contaminants in bilge and ballast water, utilizing a multiple progressive process that chemically and electrically treats-and removes contaminants. Wastewater, received by a sump, is transmitted to a holding tank and treated, over a period of time while-influent wastewater continues off loading. The wastewater is pumped to an oil / water separator tank that decants free-floating oil from the wastewater to an oil retention tank. The wastewater then undergoes an electrocoagulation process where emulsions are broken and compounds that further aid treatment are created. The treated water flows to a retention / separation tank where contaminant particles coalesce and separate. Water is decanted and transferred to a clean water holding tank through an ozone injection system and an activated carbon filter. Treated water is recirculated until it exits the system meeting discharge limits for organics and metals allowing release into the environment.

A method of producing three-dimensional particle structures with enhanced magnetic susceptibility in three dimensions by applying a triaxial energetic field to a magnetic particle suspension and subsequently stabilizing said particle structure. Combinations of direct current and alternating current fields in three dimensions produce particle gel structures, honeycomb structures, and foam-like structures.

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.

It has been discovered that metals and / or amines can be removed or transferred from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase in an emulsion breaking process by using a composition that contains water-soluble hydroxyacids. Suitable water-soluble hydroxyacids include, but are not necessarily limited to glycolic acid, gluconic acid, C2-C4 alpha-hydroxy acids, poly-hydroxy carboxylic acids, thioglycolic acid, chloroacetic acid, polymeric forms of the above hydroxyacids, poly-glycolic esters, glycolate ethers, and ammonium salt and alkali metal salts of these hydroxyacids, and mixtures thereof. The composition may also include at least one mineral acid to reduce the pH of the desalter wash water. A solvent may be optionally included in the composition. The invention permits transfer of metals and / or amines into the aqueous phase with little or no hydrocarbon phase undercarry into the aqueous phase. The composition is particularly useful in treating crude oil emulsions, and in removing calcium and other metals therefrom.

The present invention relates to systems for controlling a drying cycle in a drying apparatus by monitoring the lipophilic fluid vapor concentration. The systems utilize a gas sensor capable of sensing the concentration of lipophilic fluid vapor in the drying apparatus drum or a combination of sensors / condition detectors, at least one of which is capable of sensing the concentration of lipophilic fluid vapor in the drying apparatus drum.

A method of augmenting the separation of immiscible heavier and lighter components of an emulsion including the steps of conducting the emulsion into a treatment vessel, providing an AC voltage source, employing from the source an AC voltage of at least one selected frequency F1 to establish at least one electric filed within the vessel through which the emulsion passes, and cyclically modulating the AC voltage with a method of modulation selected from: (a) amplitude modulation; (b) frequency modulation; and (c) combined amplitude and frequency modulation.

A method and a reactor for electrochemical conversion of a material (21) being insoluble in a fluid into a material being soluble in the fluid, which method comprises that a flow of the fluid is passed to a reaction zone which comprises an internal circuit consisting of: one or more working electrodes (12), one or more counter-electrodes (13), and one or more ion-selective electrolytes (11), and which internal circuit is applied with an electrical voltage difference sufficient for the electrochemical processes; and use thereof for removal of soot particles from flue gasses and removal of oil in waste water.

A substrate processing apparatus has a two-fluid nozzle having an inner cylindrical member and an outer cylindrical member. Gas flows in the inner cylindrical member which is a gas passage and the processing liquid downwardly flows in a processing liquid passage constituted of the inner and outer cylindrical members. The gas and the processing liquid are mixed in a mixing area below the inner cylindrical member to generate fine droplets, and the droplets are ejected from an outlet of a lower end of the outer cylindrical member onto a substrate. Charge is induced on the processing liquid by generating an electric potential difference between a first electrode provided in the gas passage and a second electrode provided in the processing liquid passage, to generate charged droplets. In the nozzle, the first electrode is isolated from the processing liquid with a simple construction, and the droplets can be charged efficiently.

The invention discloses a dielectrophoresis demulsification mechanism-based novel crude oil electric dehydration and desalination method and dielectrophoresis demulsification mechanism-based novel crude oil electric dehydration and desalination equipment. The core part of the equipment is an electrode component which may consist of vertically suspended corrugated-plate-shaped electrodes installed with the wave crests and wave troughs of each two adjacent electrodes corresponding one by one respectively, or may consist of corrugated-plate-shaped electrodes and flat-plate-shaped electrodes, which are combined alternately and arranged vertically, wherein the surface of each electrode is coated with a compact insulation layer. When a high-voltage current is applied onto the electrode component, horizontal and non-uniform electric fields are generated between electrode plates to arouse the dielectrophoresis agglomeration of dispersed phase water particles in crude oil emulsion. The method and the equipment disclosed by the invention can meet the dehydration and desalination requirements of crude oil emulsions with different water content, particularly the agglomeration growth and fine dehydration and desalination requirements of dispersed phase small water particles in crude oil emulsion of oil refineries. In addition, the method and the equipment help greatly reduce the use amount of chemical demulsification agent, reduce overall operation cost and improve economic benefit of the oil refineries.

The present invention provides an improved water purifier and method. In one possible embodiment, the present invention provides a turbine mounted in or to piping of a pool or spa filtering system. The turbine comprises one or more rotatable elements such as fins, paddles, blades, propellers, or the like which are responsive to water flow through the piping to produce rotation. The rotatable element may comprise magnets which rotate along with the rotatable element to produce a rotating magnetic field. The rotating magnetic field may be utilized for generating electricity utilizing various types of electric power generators. Electricity so produced may be utilized to power a water purification unit such as a chlorine generator, UV generator, or an ozone generator. In one embodiment, the output of the water purification unit is directed into turbulence, such as turbulence produced by the rotatable element, so that the purification efficiency is enhanced.

A composition for removing metals from masrolar D contains chelating agent, precipitant, optional surfactant and demulsifier, and at least one of mono-alcohol or biol polymer, quaternary ammonium salt, quaternary phosphonium salt and crown ether.

This invention discloses a method for removing catalyst powder from catalytically cracked oil slurry. The method comprises: mixing lightweight solvent oil and catalytically cracked oil slurry to obtain mixed oil with the density lower than water, preheating the mixed oil and water containing demulsifier and flocculant respectively, mixing, demulsifying, and separating the lower layer of water enriched with catalyst powder. The lightweight solvent oil is solvent oil (boiling point is 100-200 deg.C) that is miscible with catalytically cracked oil slurry. The amounts of water, demulsifier and flocculant are 5-30 wt. %, 10-500 ppm and 10-1000 ppm of catalytically cracked oil slurry, respectively. The method has such advantages as short removing time and high removing rate.

For example, a coil 2 is provide on the outer side of a water pipe 1 of a water channel, water to be treated 3 is fed, and a specific alternating current having a specific frequency or a specific peak current is supplied from an AC power supply 4 to the coil 2. As a frequency of the specific alternating current, one resonant frequency is selected out of a resonant frequency group having plural resonant frequencies. A resonant magnetic field is induced in the channel by the specific peak current. An oscillating electromagnetic field induced by such a specific alternating current is imparted to the water to be treated 3 and subjecting the water to be treated 3 to electromagnetic field treatment, whereby active treated water 5 that is simply and easily and highly efficiently activated can be obtained.

Apparatus and method in which an electric field and a magnetic field intersect in a flow path of an electrolytic fluid, producing a flow of ions and charged particles perpendicular to both the magnetic field and the electric field. Electrolytic fluid so treated is collected for use or further processing.

A method of removing metals and amines from crude oil comprising adding an effective metal removing amount of one or more hydroxycarboxylic acids selected from lactic acid and malic acid and salts thereof to said crude oil; adding wash water to said crude oil; mixing said crude oil, acid and wash water to form an emulsion; and resolving said emulsion into an aqueous phase and crude oil having a reduced metals content.

A method of augmenting the separation of immiscible heavier and lighter components of an emulsion including the steps of conducting the emulsion into a treatment vessel, providing an AC voltage source, employing from the source an AC voltage of at least one selected frequency F1 to establish at least one electric filed within the vessel through which the emulsion passes, and cyclically modulating the AC voltage with a method of modulation selected from: (a) amplitude modulation; (b) frequency modulation; and (c) combined amplitude and frequency modulation.

A system and method for treating flowing water systems with a plasma discharge to remove or control growth of microbiological species. The system and method protect other components of the water system from being damaged by excess energy from the electrohydraulic treatment. The system and method also recycle ozone gas generated by a high voltage generator that powers the plasma discharge to further treat the water. A gas infusion system upstream of or inside a plasma reaction chamber may be used to create fine bubbles of ozone, air, or other gases in the water being treated to aid in plasma generation.

A device, located in a separator vessel having an inlet and a number of outlets, through which a mixture of fluids flows, for promoting electrostatic coalescence of a first conductive fluid emulsified in a second fluid, said device comprises a number of tubular electrostatic coalescer elements extending in the flow direction which are arranged in a matrix substantially covering the entire cross sectional area of said vessel, and means to apply an electrical field to the fluids flowing through said coalescer elements.

The present invention relates to raw oil dewatering and desalting process, and is especially combined stationary ultrasonic wave-electric field process of dewatering and desalting various kinds of oil product. The technological scheme is that stationary ultrasonic wave field and electric field are combined for oil dewatering and desalting aim. That is, raw oil is first added with fresh water and demulsifier and mixed in static mixer or other mixer, then acted with stationary or traveling ultrasonic wave, and finally dewatered and desalted in a conventional electric desalter. The present invention is one improved and reinforced oil product dewatering and desalting process and has raised oil product adapting capacity and low water and salt content of product.