The impact of different types of wave action on the destruction of stable gel-containing water-oil emulsions

Abstract

An original method of wave sample preparation of commercial stable gel-containing water-oil emulsions is developed to separate water and oil phases present in the composition for their subsequent analysis. Real samples of commercial stable water-oil emulsions, differing in composition (water content, «gel», iron sulphide and mechanical impurities) are studied. The effect of the intensity and duration of the wave action of different nature on the completeness of phase separation in the real samples of commercial emulsions of different composition are studied. A possibility in principal of isolating oil and water phases from the composition of stable water-oil emulsions stabilized by gel-like associates under wave action (magnetostatic and electromagnetic field, ultrasonic vibrations) is shown. When the water-oil emulsion is exposed to a permanent magnetic field with an induction range of 0.1 – 0.57 T for 1 – 3 minutes, the degree of water isolation from the emulsion samples under study varies from 48 % to 71 %, depending on the composition of the emulsion under study. Similar results are obtained under the effect of electromagnetic field with an induction of 0.1 – 1.0 T. For complete separation of water and oil phases from gel-containing water-oil emulsions, we proposed to use ultrasonic treatment combined with addition of a suspension prepared from aluminum oxide nanopowder in acetonitrile which provide complete destruction of «gel» and 100 % separation of water and oil phases.