Cellulose Ether Flocculant for Crude Oil-Water Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flocculants used in oilfield water treatment are synthetic and non-biodegradable, failing to meet increasing environmental standards.
Innovation Solution
An oilfield composition comprising an O/W emulsion of crude oil and water, combined with a cellulose ether having specific structural and compositional properties, is used to separate crude oil from water, utilizing the cellulose ether's ability to aggregate and coalesce the oil.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional synthetic flocculants are used for water treatment, then oil and solid contaminants can be effectively removed, but environmental standards are not met due to non-biodegradability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter from synthetic polymers to natural cellulose ether derivatives, specifically controlling the degree of substitution and molecular weight to achieve both biodegradability and effective flocculation performance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite cellulose ether structures with specific combinations of hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups to create a material that combines the environmental benefits of natural polymers with the functional effectiveness of synthetic flocculants
2Object-affected harmful factors
If biodegradable materials are used instead of synthetic flocculants, then environmental standards are met, but flocculation effectiveness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cellulose ether molecule is designed with localized functional groups - hydrophobic regions that interact with oil droplets and hydrophilic regions that interact with water, creating local quality variations that enable effective flocculation while maintaining biodegradability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the dynamic balance between hydrophobic and hydrophilic characteristics of the cellulose ether by controlling substitution degrees, allowing the material to adapt its conformation and interaction mechanisms to achieve effective separation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition effectively clarifies water by separating crude oil from water, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic flocculants.
Implementation Method 1
Flocculants are typically used in water treatment processes to aid the removal of oil and suspended solids... Flocculants can promote the aggregation of solids and oil, which can subsequently be separated from the water
Implementation Method 2
a cellulose ether that has the structure... wherein each R1, R2 and R3 is independently H, a carboxymethyl group, a C1-C18 alkyl group, or a C2-C3 hydroxy alkyl group
Data Source
AI summary
An oilfield composition includes an O/W emulsion including crude oil and water; and a particular cellulose ether. A method of separating the crude oil and the water includes the steps of a) providing the O/W emulsion; b) providing the particular cellulose ether; c) combining the cellulose ether and the O/W emulsion, wherein the cellulose ether is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 parts by weight per one million parts by weight of the combination of the cellulose ether and the O/W emulsion; and subsequently, and d) separating the crude oil from the water.