Demulsification Performance Research Articles

A simple two-step reaction for synthesizing demulsifiers for a high salt crude oil emulsion

In this paper, two demulsifiers (PDA-L and GDA-L) were synthesized by grafting lauric acid on polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether or glycerol triglycidyl ether. The structure of PDA-L and GDA-L were analyzed by FTIR and 1HNMR, and the demulsification performance in water-in-oil emulsion was detailly evaluated by the bottle test. The results showed that PDA-L exhibited higher demulsification efficiency (DE) compared to GDA-L, attributed to its more appropriate amphiphilic characteristics. Judging by the results, when the dosage of PDA-L was 500 mg/L, the DE could achieve 100 % within 4 h at a temperature of 50 °C, and it also had excellent demulsification performance in a wide pH range (4–10) and high salinity. The competitive adsorption behavior of asphaltenes and PDA-L at the oil–water interface was studied by interfacial tension and three-phase contact angle. Moreover, the effect of PDA-L on the interfacial film strength was studied by coalescence time of droplets and viscoelastic modulus. Based on previous tests, a possible demulsification mechanism was proposed. PDA-L features a hydrophilic core and two extended hydrophobic alkyl chains, allowing it to readily move to the oil–water interface. This process facilitates the replacement of asphaltene and the formation of an unstable composite film, thereby promoting demulsification.

Thermally Regulated Flocculation-Coalescence Process by Temperature-Responsive Cationic Polymeric Surfactant for Enhanced Crude Oil-Water Separation

Polymeric surfactants play a crucial role in the flocculation-assisted coalescence process due to their unique bridging effect. However, the steric hindrance induced by their large molecules severely impedes the coalescence of oil droplets. Herein, temperature-responsive polymeric surfactants (quaternary ammonium chitosan-g-PNIPAM, Q-g-PN) with thermally-modulated structure were designed by integrating thermal responsive moieties onto cationic chitosan. The as-prepared Q-g-PN exhibited enhanced oil-water separation efficiency through a thermally regulated flocculation-coalescence process. At low temperatures, the thermal-responsive Q-g-PN remains in a flexible hydrophilic extended state, facilitating the flocculation of dispersed oil droplets through bridging via electrostatic interaction. At high temperatures, the Q-g-PN structure collapses into a hydrophobic coil state, reducing steric hindrance and enhancing hydrogen bonding to asphaltenes, thus effectively promoting oil droplet coalescence. Bottle tests demonstrated that the demulsification performance of Q-g-PN could reach up to 94% with the Q-g-PN concentration only of 0.001wt% via the proposed temperature-regulated flocculation-coalescence process, which was further confirmed by investigating oil droplet behavior and phase transition of Q-g-PN during through molecular dynamic (MD) simulation of the reaction process. This work presents new insights into enhancing oil-water separation efficiency by regulating the flocculation-coalescence process through precise modulation of the molecular interactions between polymer surfactants and emulsion droplets.

Preparation of novel nanoparticle demulsifier and its demulsification for surfactant-stabilized crude oil emulison

The application of nanoparticle (NP) demulsifiers in processing the emulsified crude oil production fluid is of great significance for improving production efficiency and reducing energy consumption in crude oil extraction. In this work, a novel NP demulsifier (PPA@KAO) was prepared by chemically modifying the mineral kaolinite (KAO) nanoparticles using γ-Methacryloyl propyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and polyether-polyquaternium (PPA). The morphology and structure of the PPA@KAO demulsifiers were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, TG, XPS and Zeta potential. The contact angle measurements, interfacial tension (IFT) characterization, and the distribution of nanoparticles in the oil-water phase showed that PPA@KAO have good amphiphilicity and interfacial activity. The demulsification performance of PPA@KAO demulsifiers for a sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) stabilized crude oil emulsion was studied with bottle method. It was found that the oil-water separation could be completed within 20 min, with a demulsification efficiency of 96.75 % at a dosage of 3 g L−1，pH of 6 and temperature of 30°C. Such a result indicates that the PPA@KAO NP demulsifier can achieve rapid and efficient demulsification for the surfactant-stabilized crude oil emulsion at room temperature. The demulsification mechanism of PPA@KAO for the SDBS-stabilized crude oil emulsion was well revealed, which provides an important synthetic strategy of how obtaining an effective NP demulsifiers by regulating the amphiphilicity and surface functional groups of the nanoparticles.

Two-step synthesis of ionic liquid demulsifiers for demulsification of water-in-oil emulsion

Stabilized water-in-oil emulsions present significant challenges for oil production. However, current demulsifiers often face limitations such as high demulsification temperatures, low efficiencies, and complex synthesis processes, making the resolution of this challenge a demanding task. In this study, we successfully synthesized two ionic liquid demulsifiers, PEDA-Br and GEDA-Br, employing a straightforward two-step procedure. The objective was to enable effective treatment of water-in-oil emulsions at low temperatures with high efficiency. The structure of the demulsifiers was characterized utilizing Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectra (1H NMR). Bottle tests were then conducted to evaluate their demulsification efficiency (DE) in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. The results demonstrated that GEDA-Br achieved a DE of 98.92 % at a concentration of 500 mg/L and a temperature of 50 °C after 2 h. Additionally, both PEDA-Br and GEDA-Br exhibited DE values exceeding 95 % at a salinity level of 10,000 mg/L, and both proved effective across a broad pH range of 4 to 12. These findings highlight their robust resistance to high salinity and both acidic and alkaline conditions. The study also examined the demulsification mechanism in terms of interfacial tension (IFT), elastic modulus of the interfacial film, three-phase contact angle (TCA), and microscopic observations. The excellent interfacial activity, ability to reduce interfacial tension, and electrostatic neutralization capability are responsible for its outstanding demulsification performance.

Probing the interactions between asphaltenes and a PEO-PPO demulsifier at oil–water interface: Effect of temperature

HypothesisAsphaltenes are primary stabilizers in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions that cause corrosion and fouling issues. In oil sands industry, oil/water separation processes are generally conducted at high temperatures. A high temperature is expected to impact the interactions between asphaltenes and emulsion breakers (EBs), consequently influencing demulsification performance. ExperimentsThe adsorption and interactions of asphaltenes and a PEO-PPO type EB (Pluronic F68) at the oil–water interface were investigated at various temperatures, using tensiometer, quartz crystal microbalance with energy dissipation (QCM-D), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The effect of temperature on EB’s demulsification performance was explored through bottle tests. Additionally, demulsification mechanisms were studied using direct force measurements with the droplet probe AFM technique. FindingsDynamic interfacial tension and QCM-D results demonstrate that the PEO-PPO type EB exhibits higher interfacial activity than asphaltenes and can disrupt rigid asphaltene films at the oil–water interfaces. Elevated temperatures accelerate the displacement of adsorbed asphaltenes by EB molecules, leading to sparse interfacial films, rapid droplet coalescence, and improved demulsification efficiency (supported by AFM and bottle test results). This work provides valuable insights into interfacial interactions between asphaltenes and EB at different temperatures, enhancing the understanding of demulsification mechanisms and offering useful implications for the development of efficient EBs to enhance oil/water separation performance.

Hydrophobic modification of biomass chitosan for treatment of oily wastewater and its demulsification mechanism

Traditional demulsifiers are commonly produced using raw materials like ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, which deplete significant petroleum resources and involve hazardous and complex manufacturing processes. In this investigation, a hydrophobically modified chitosan (HMC) was synthesized by grafting dodecyl diethanolamine onto natural chitosan to facilitate the separation of O/W emulsions. Characterization of HMC was conducted using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy (1H NMR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The demulsification efficacy of HMC was assessed through a bottle test in an O/W emulsion containing 0.2 % crude oil. Results showed that at a HMC dosage of 40 mg/L, the light transmission (WT) and oil removal efficiency (WR) of the resulted water phase were 93.4 ± 0.8 % and 99.8 ± 0.1 %, respectively. Furthermore, the competitive adsorption between natural surfactants and HMC at the interface was investigated using interfacial tension (IFT), three-phase contact angle (CA), droplet coalescence time (CTA), and interfacial film substitution. A potential demulsifying mechanism was also proposed, emphasizing HMC’s hydrophilic core and dispersed hydrophobic alkyl chains that enable rapid diffusion to the oil–water interface, replacing interfacial active components to induce demulsification by destabilizing the composite film. The advantages of HMC demulsifier over commercial demulsifiers lie in its superior environmental benefits, diverse range of sources, higher efficiency, and outstanding demulsification performance.

The Effect of Hydrophobic Modified Block Copolymers on Water-Oil Interfacial Properties and the Demulsification of Crude Oil Emulsions.

The demulsification effect of three types of block copolymers, BP123, BPF123, and H123, with the same PEO and PPO segments but different hydrophobic modification groups on crude oil emulsions and the properties of oil-water interfaces were investigated using demulsification experiments, an interfacial tensiometer, and surface viscoelastic and zeta potential instruments in this paper. The results showed that the hydrophobic modification group of the block copolymers had great effects on the demulsification performance. The H123 block copolymers with the strongest hydrophobicity had the best demulsification effect on the crude oil emulsions. The properties of the oil-water interfaces indicated that the modified block copolymers achieved the demulsification of crude oil emulsions by reducing the strength of the oil-water interfacial film and the interfacial tension.

Microscopic Aggregation and Film‐Forming Characteristics of Lubricant Additives on Oil–Water Interface: MD Simulation and Experiments on Water Separability

ABSTRACTThe anti‐emulsification property of lubricating oil is an important index to measure the quality of oil. In this paper, the behaviour of surfactants such as lubricating oil additives at the oil–water interface and the influence of the position of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) in the block polyether demulsifier on the demulsification effect were investigated by molecular simulation and experimental verification. The properties of seven lubricating oil additives with different functions and two pairs of isomers were investigated by molecular simulation, and their demulsification effects were verified by experiments. Some simulation results such as interface thickness and density distribution can accurately predict the experimental demulsification effect. Moreover, it was found that the position isomerism of surfactants affected the demulsification performance by changing the lipophilic balance and interface properties. The demulsification performance of sequenced copolymers is generally better than that of anti‐sequenced copolymers. The accurate prediction of molecular dynamics simulation makes the selection of lubricating oil demulsifier more extensive and has practical application value.

Synergistic demulsification of oil-in-water emulsion using bidirectional pulse electric field and fiber coalescence

The methods of demulsification using bidirectional pulsed electric field (BPEF) and fiber coalescence exhibit limited effectiveness under conditions of high emulsification degree of oil-in-water (O/W) mixture or low oil content. However, there is an urgent requirement for efficient O/W emulsion separation. This study investigated the synergistic demulsification of oil-in-water emulsion using BPEF combined with fiber coalescence. It explored the impact of coalesced fiber parameters, output parameters of bidirectional pulse power supply, and water quality parameters on the demulsification performance of O/W emulsion. The demulsification performance of BPEF coupled with viscose fiber was superior to that of coupling polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber, and the 10 % fiber filling rate exhibited a better synergistic demulsification effect than the 5 % fiber filling rate. The optimal synergistic demulsification performance was achieved with a 10 % viscose fiber filling ratio, 400 V pulse voltage, 50 Hz frequency and 30 % duty ratio. The O/W emulsion with an oil content of 4100 mg/L could be reduced to 9.28 mg/L, resulting in a demulsification efficiency of 99.77 %, which was 55.98 % higher than that of BPEF. The study showed that utilizing BPEF in conjunction with fiber coalescence could be a promising approach for synergistic demulsification of O/W emulsions.

Demulsification of water in crude oil emulsions via phosphonium-based ionic liquids: Statistical modeling and optimization

In the present study, the performance of two ionic liquids namely Tetrabutylphosphonium bromide (TBPB) and Tetraoctylphosphonium bromide (TOPB) as the demulsifying compounds are investigated in the demulsification operation of water in light and medium crude oil emulsions for the first time. The response surface methodology (RSM) is employed to evaluate the impact of temperature, pH, water content, demulsifier concentration, and settling time on the demulsification efficiencies of studied demulsifiers. In order to design the requisite experiments and optimize the effective factors on the water removal efficiency, the central composite design (CCD) is applied. To determine the optimal conditions of input parameters, four exact models are created by utilizing the responses of 184 experiments to predict the demulsification efficiencies of two demulsifiers for two types of crude oils based on statistical tests of different models using the analysis of variance (ANOVA). High R2 coefficient values imply that the developed models could reproduce the experimental results of the studied demulsifiers appropriately. At the optimal conditions, the water in light and medium crude oil emulsions are completely broken in the samples containing TOPB. Moreover, TBPB agent presents high and acceptable demulsification efficiencies for both types of crude oils at the optimal values of process parameters i.e. 98.078% and 96.025% for light and medium crude oil emulsions, respectively. The superior demulsification performance of TOPB with respect to TBPB can be ascribed to the longer alkyl chain length of TOPB.

Synthesis of a low-temperature demulsifier with dual-hydrophobic chains through a simple low-temperature process

The extraction of crude oil generates a significant volume of stable emulsions that can lead to various adverse effects in industrial extraction processes. Therefore, emulsion demulsification is a crucial step. In this paper, PGDA, a low-temperature W/O demulsifier with double hydrophobic chains, was synthesized from poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate by a simple low-temperature process. The structure of PGDA was analyzed by FTIR and 1H NMR, and the demulsification performance was evaluated by a bottle-testing method. The results demonstrated that PGDA, at a concentration of 500 mg/L, achieved a demulsification efficiency of 100 % under low-temperature conditions (45 °C) over a 5-hour period. Furthermore, it also showed good demulsifying performance in wide pH range (6–10) and high salinity (100,000 mg/L). In addition, the possible mechanism of demulsification of PGDA was investigated by zeta potential, interfacial tension, and three-phase contact angle, etc. PGDA showed strong competitive adsorption ability with asphaltenes at the interface. PGDA has the ability to navigate rapidly to the oil–water boundary and displace the native surfactants there, thus destabilizing the emulsion and thus promoting the separation of oil and water. PGDA by virtue of the simple synthesis process, low demulsification temperature and high efficiency are of practical application.

Preparation of Modified Kaolin Nanoparticle Demulsifier and Its Demulsification Performance for Crude Oil-in-Water Emulsion

Preparation of Modified Kaolin Nanoparticle Demulsifier and Its Demulsification Performance for Crude Oil-in-Water Emulsion

Facile Synthesis of Novel Magnetic Janus Graphene Oxide for Efficient and Recyclable Demulsification of Crude Oil-in-Water Emulsion.

Nanoparticles have been widely applied to treat emulsion-containing wastewater in the form of chemical demulsifiers, such as SiO2, Fe3O4, and graphene oxide (GO). Owing to their asymmetric structures and selective adsorption, Janus nanoparticles show greater application potential in many fields. In the present work, the novel magnetic Janus graphene oxide (MJGO) nanoparticle was successfully prepared by grafting magnetic Fe3O4 to the surface of the JGO, and its demulsifying ability to treat a crude oil-in-water emulsion was evaluated. The MJGO structure and its magnetic intensity were verified by Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and magnetization saturation (MS) tests. Compared with GO and JGO, MJGO displayed the superior efficiency (>96%) to demulsify the crude oil-in-water emulsion, which can be attributed to the reduced electrostatic repulsion between MJGO and the emulsion droplets. Furthermore, the effects of pH and temperature on the demulsification performance of MJGO were also studied. Lastly, the recyclability of MJGO largely reduced the cost of demulsifiers in separating crude oil and water. The current research presents an efficient and recyclable demulsifier, which provides a new perspective for the structural design of nanomaterials and their application in the field of demulsification.

Demulsification of steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) emulsions under high temperature and high pressure: Effects of emulsion breaker and reverse emulsion breaker dosages

Effective treatment of complex emulsions formed during steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) production is crucial for oil/water separation and subsequent processing. However, it remains challenging due to the complexity of SAGD emulsions, and there are only very limited studies on demulsification under simulated SAGD conditions. This study systematically characterized the comprehensive properties of a fresh field SAGD emulsion with about 84.6 % water and 15.4 % bitumen, and then achieved effective demulsification under a simulated SAGD condition at 135 °C and 60 psi via adding a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide) (PEO-PPO) copolymer (as a model emulsion breaker or EB) combined with a branched polyethylenimine (PEI, as a model reverse emulsion breaker or REB) in a bench-scale bottle test setup. The effects of EB and REB dosages on the demulsification of the SAGD emulsion were evaluated based on the properties of the separated phases. Dynamic interfacial tension, zeta potential, and coalescence time were measured to reveal the demulsification mechanisms of EB and REB. The highly interface-active EB facilitated oil dehydration by displacing the natural interface-active species at the interfaces, disrupting the rigid interfacial films and promoting water droplet coalescence, while the cationic REB aided water de-oiling by neutralizing oil droplet surface charges, disrupting the rigid interfacial films and promoting the approach and coalescence of oil droplets in aqueous media. This work has improved the understanding of SAGD emulsion characteristics, the effects of EB and REB dosages on the demulsification performance, and the underlying demulsification mechanisms in SAGD operations. The results provide useful insights for developing effective and cost-efficient chemical approaches to address challenging emulsion issues in oil production.

Preparation of a low-temperature demulsifier derived from natural cottonseed oil

In this study, a low-temperature demulsifier (TEP-L) was synthesized by a simple method using polyethylene glycol 1000, and low-cost and readily accessible cottonseed oil as raw materials. The cottonseed oil was first hydrolyzed and then directly reacted with polyethylene glycol 1000 to obtain TEP-L. The chemical composition of TEP-L was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy (1H NMR). A comprehensive investigation was conducted to explore the demulsification performance of TEP-L in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. The investigation notably considered the effect of demulsifier dosage, temperature, settling time, pH value, and salinity on the demulsification process. The results demonstrated that the dehydration rate (DR) could reach 100 % with 1000 mg/L of TEP-L at 40 ℃ for 21 h, or a dosage of 500 mg/L at 60 ℃ for 240 min. Moreover, TEP-L exhibited a DR exceeding 90 % over a broad pH range of 8–12 and displayed remarkable resistance to salt. Characterization methods such as surface tension (SFT), dynamic interface tension (IFT), zeta potential, and optical microscopy observation were utilized to investigate the demulsification mechanisms.

Effect of the Surfactant Type on the Demulsification of the W/O Crude Oil Emulsion Produced by Surfactant-Polymer Flooding.

At present, there are many works on the influences of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and surfactant on the stability and treatment of O/W emulsion produced by surfactant-polymer (SP) flooding. However, there are few related reports on the effects of HPAM and surfactant on the demulsification of W/O crude oil emulsion produced by SP flooding. Especially, there is no report on the effect of the surfactant type. In this paper, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), octylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (OP-10), and alkyl C16-18 hydroxypropyl sulfobetaine (HSB1618) were selected as representatives of the anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, and zwitterionic surfactant, respectively. Demulsification experiments and interface behavior experiments were conducted to investigate their influences on the demulsification performance of a demulsifier D1. The results showed that the order of the negative effect of the surfactant type on dehydration speed and the dehydration rate of D1 was HPAM + OP-10 > HPAM + HSB1618 > HPAM + SDS. There is no difference in the effect of three surfactants on the conformation adjustment of D1 at the W/O interface, but the properties of the composite W/O interface formed by them and D1 were different. The coalescence time was longest when there were HPAM and OP-10 in water, while the lg(G 1'/G demulsifier')/lgG 1' was the smallest, which led to the most difficult demulsification of W/O emulsion. This work can guide surfactant selection during SP flooding from the perspective of produced fluid treatment.

Synthesis and demulsification performance of a novel low-temperature demulsifier based on trimethyl citrate

A significant amount of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion is generated during petroleum extraction. However, the current commercial demulsifiers are expensive to produce and requires high demulsification temperatures, leading to increased energy and economic consumption. To enhance the efficiency of demulsifiers and reduce the cost of demulsifying W/O emulsions, we have successfully developed a novel demulsifier named TCED through a straightforward two-step process. This demulsifier features trimethyl citrate as the hydrophilic core grafted with three hydrophobic chains. Its structure was characterized using EA, FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the demulsification performance was comprehensively evaluated. At a low demulsification temperature of 40 °C, TCED demonstrated a remarkable demulsification efficiency (DE) of 99.06% and 98.74% in emulsions containing water contents of 70% (E70) and 50% (E50), respectively. Especially, a DE of 100% could be obtained in both E70 and E50 emulsions at a concentration of 600 mg/L. Moreover, TCED displayed a high DE even at high salinity levels of 50,000 mg/L and across a wide pH range of 2–10. Additionally, the phase interface was consistently clear after demulsification. To investigate the demulsification mechanism of TCED, various adsorption kinetics experiments were conducted, including measurements of interfacial tension (IFT), surface tension (SFT), interfacial competitive adsorption, and stability of interfacial film. The results obtained from the experiments indicated that TCED possessed remarkable diffusion and replacement capabilities within the emulsions. As a result, it effectively disrupted the original interfacial active substances, such as asphaltenes aggregates found in crude oil. TCED exhibits a high DE at low concentration and temperature. This characteristic highlights its significant potential for low-temperature demulsification applications in the petroleum industry.

Demulsifier Performance Study: Relationship between Demulsifier Properties with Crude Characteristics

Due to the vast range of different types of crude oil characteristics which differ from region to region, wells and even day to day, developing and selecting effective demulsifiers for regional crude oils has been a time-consuming and tedious process. This experimental study defined a relationship between the crude characteristics of wax, asphaltene and crude API with relative solubility number (RSN) properties and chemistry groups of demulsifiers with their performances accordingly. Twenty-five different types of demulsifiers with RSN ranging from ten to twenty-three were tested using demulsifier bottle test. The demulsifiers comprise resin alkoxylate, modified polyol and polyimine derivative. Synthetic crude is used throughout the study with API of 27, 34 and 40. The wax and asphaltene contents of each crude API are varied. Based on the three chemistry groups, resin alkoxylate showed the best performance, while polyimine derivative-based demulsifiers had the poorest performance. The demulsifier with high RSN from 19 to 23 works best in resolving the emulsion compared to the low RSN demulsifiers. These findings provide valuable insights for the petroleum industry, offering guidance on demulsifier selection based on crude characteristics to optimize production, reduce operational costs, and effectively address emulsion-related challenges.

Influence of Varying Oil-Water Contents on the Formation of Crude Oil Emulsion and Its Demulsification by a Lab-Grown Nonionic Demulsifier.

This study describes how varying oil/water contents affect emulsion formation and the impact they have on emulsion droplet size, viscosity, and interfacial behavior. Crude oil (continuous phase) volume fractions of 40, 50, 60, and 70 vol % were probed in the various W/O emulsions formed. Experimental results from optical morphology revealed the emulsion droplets kept reducing as the crude oil fraction kept increasing, while the droplets were nearly unnoticeable in the emulsions derived from 60 and 70% crude oil. The viscosity-shear rate of emulsions produced from 40, 50, and 60 vol % crude oil exhibited a non-Newtonian behavior owing to the substantial volume of water content in their emulsions, whereas the viscosity-shear rate of the emulsion with 70 vol % crude oil exhibited a Newtonian behavior similar to the pure crude oil, suggesting a thorough blending of oil-water at this crude oil fraction. Besides, the viscosity-temperature measurements revealed that the viscosity of these emulsions diminished as the temperature increased and the viscosity reduction became more noticeable in an emulsion comprising 70 vol % crude oil. In the interfacial assessment, the increased crude oil content in the produced emulsion led to a sharp reduction in the interfacial tension (IFT). The IFT values after 500 s contacts between the emulsion and water (surrounding phase) were 11.86, 10.02, 8.08, and 6.99 mN/m for 40, 50, 60, and 70 vol % crude oil, respectively. Demulsification experiments showed that water removal becomes more challenging with a large volume of crude oil and a small water content. Demulsification performances of the lab-grown nonionic demulsifier (NID) after 10 h of demulsification activity at room temperature (25 °C) were 98, 90, 17.5, and 10% for the emulsions formed from 40, 50, 60, and 70 vol % crude oil, respectively, indicating that the demulsification degree decreases with an increasing crude oil content. Viscosity-time determination was applied to affirm the activity of NID on the emulsion formulated with a 50% crude oil fraction. The injection of NID in this emulsion triggered a sharp viscosity reduction, indicating the adsorption of NID at the oil-water interface and disruption of emulsifiers, enabling emulsion stability.

Demulsification of surfactant-rich emulsion systems by using amphiphilic or positively charged magnetic nanoparticles

Emulsified oily wastewater comes from many fields, such as oil exploitation, processing, storage and transport, mechanical processing and food and catering industries, causing serious environmental pollution. Considerable part of emulsified oily wastewater was extremely stable and difficult to be treated due to the existence of high-concentration surfactants. Magnetic demulsification of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion by using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) attracted more and more attentions because of its flexible and efficient process; however, the study regarding the treatment of emulsified oily wastewater containing high-concentration surfactant was still few. In this study, amphiphilic dimethyloctadecyl [3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl] ammonium chloride (DOTAC)-coated MNPs (M-DOTAC) and hydrophilic but highly positively charged quaternized chitosan (QC)-coated MNPs (M-QC) were employed to treat the O/W emulsions containing various contents of anionic and nonionic surfactants. Influence of surfactant type and concentration on the demulsification performance of the two MNPs was investigated in detail. Results showed that M-DOTAC could more effectively demulsify the nonionic surfactant-stabilized emulsion mainly via hydrophobic interaction, while M-QC could more efficiently demulsify the anionic surfactant-stabilized emulsion mainly via electrostatic interaction. With increasing surfactant concentration, the MNPs were still able to completely demulsify the emulsion at a relatively higher dosage. Moreover, when the two classes of MNPs were used together, highly stable emulsion system with containing both anionic and nonionic surfactants could be completely demulsified. These results suggested the synthesized two MNPs could provide simple but powerful approach to treat different emulsified oily wastewaters with containing high-concentration surfactants.