The Effect of Electric Field on Emulsion Separation in a Gravitational Settler

The time dependence A(t) is shown in Fig. 13.16, b for W20/W = 0.3. Apparently, there are three dependencies distinct from each other. The first one occurs in the interval 0 t 40. A sharp decrease of A is explained by the fact that a significant integration of big drops occurs as time goes on, and at t 40 all of them are settled out from the layer. The second dependence has a small slope and holds in the interval 40 r 300. This corresponds to the slow sedimentation of small drops. The increase of A at 300 t 370 is caused by the fact that by this time the top emulsion layer, in which the concentration of small drops is maximal, reaches the bottom boundary of the selected layer. 

The Effect of Electric Field on Emulsion Separation in a Gravitational Settler 

Suppose the emulsion was first integrated in an electrocoalescentor before entering the settler. Let t denote the time spent by the emulsion in the electrocoalescentor, Mo(V) - the volume distribution of drops in the emulsion at the entrance to, and n(V, t) - at the exit from the electrocoalescentor. 

After exiting the electrocoalescentor, the emulsion enters the settler, therefore n( V, t) is also the volume distribution of drops in the emulsion at the settler entrance. Let ni(V, t) denote the distribution at the exit from the settler. The efficiency of emulsion separation inside the settler is characterized by the ablation factor, which is equal to the ratio of water volume per unit volume of the emulsion at the exit from the settler, to the same quantity at the entrance 

It is evident that the smaller the factor X, the higher the efficiency of emulsion separation in the settler. 

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