Thermal chemical petroleum drying

Desalting and drying processes are usually conducted in the industry at temperatures ranging from 50 tolOO°C. If a higher temperature is to be used, then the process must be carried out at a high pressure because of the need to keep the emulsion in the liquid phase. For this purpose, it is necessary to use separators with thicker walls. This leads to an increase in the price for the hardware. 

The reduction of the protective influence of the interfacial layers on the water droplets is essentially affected by the presence of additives. All additives can be divided into  

Some organic and mineral acids (sulfuric, hydrochloric and acetic acids), alkali and salts (table salt, chloride ion, etc.) can be used as electrolytes. The electrolytes can form the insoluble products which reduce stability of the protection layer or promote their destruction. Electrolytes as additives are applied extremely rarely because of their high price and, particularly, their corrosive properties as it affects the separators. The non-electrolytes are organic substances which are capable of dissolving the protective film on the water droplets and reducing the viscosity of petroleum. This leads to the acceleration of the water droplets. This type of additive can be gasoline, acetone, alcohol, benzene, phenol, etc. Non-electrolytes are not used in industry because of their high price. 

Colloidal additives are interfacial active substances which can destroy emulsions or weaken the protective film and can transform the native water in oil emulsion into the opposite type (oil in water) i.e. it can promote emulsion inversion. 

Most effective additives are formed by reaction of ethylene oxide with organic substances they are widely applied in the industry. Using the ethylene ox-ide/organic substance ratio involved in the reaction to produce the additive can control the efficiency of this additive group. The additive solubility in water increases with the lengthening of the ethylene oxide chain. If it is necessary, it is possible to make these additives with hydrophobic properties by reactions with 

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