APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF WATER (BOTH BOUND AND UNBOUND) FROM PETROLEUM SLUDGES AND EMULSIONS THROUGH APPLICATION OF HEAT ALONE, WITH VIEW TO RETRIEVE ENTIRE HYDROCARBONS PRESENT THEREIN

摘要

The present invention discloses a process and an apparatus for treatment of petroleum sludges, emulsions and water bearing hydrocarbons wherein initially unbound water; salts; solids; water-free, free-flowing hydrocarbons are removed followed by separation into plurality of fractions that undergo rapid foam induced boiling and consequent steam-stripping of low boiling hydrocarbons from viscous hydrocarbons followed by hot water spray to enhance said foaming and steam-stripping, for further removal of fine water droplets present in a thin film through boiling during thermal foam breaking. The high boiling point water droplets are boiled out in the thermal foam breaker followed by separation of entrained liquid, condensation and separation of water and low boiling hydrocarbons. The residual water fraction in viscous hydrocarbons is removed through thin film boiling. The original hydrocarbons are recovered in marketable forms in two separate fractions thereby recovering bound and unbound water for environmentally safe applications thereof.

主权项

1. A process for boiling petroleum sludges, emulsions and water bearing hydrocarbons, preferably with determined quantity of water present, said process comprising the steps of:
a) pretreating a sludge mixture for removal of unbound water; salts; solids; water soluble emulsifiers; water-free, free flowing hydrocarbons followed by segregating remaining sludge on account of viscosity using a plurality of separation equipment for recovering a plurality of fractions therefrom; b) treating the recovered fractions in step a) separately for removal of both bound and unbound water by a rapid foam induced boiling in a heating vessel with heat induced turbulent circulation of liquid through a distributed, multi layered, rapid heat flux leading to rapid generation of a foamed mass consisting of vapors of water and steam-stripped low boiling hydrocarbons, and a film consisting of remaining hydrocarbons and high boiling, smaller sized, dispersed water droplets; c) adding fine spray of hot water at the end of foam stage, with a view to sustain foaming of the mass over an even longer period to aid steam-stripping of even more of low boiling hydrocarbons from viscous hydrocarbons and also to facilitate further removal of fine water droplets present in thin film through boiling during thermal foam breaking; d) treating the foamed layer in steps b) and c) with a thermal foam breaker thereby additionally boiling out higher boiling point fine water droplets from thin foam layer followed by separating vapors of water and low boiling hydrocarbons from liquid and aiding their easy release from very low density and low viscosity layer, thus avoiding their subsequent condensation and entrainment in viscous hydrocarbons once foams subside; e) removing entire fraction of water contained in said viscous hydrocarbons through thin film boiling along with further steam stripping of even higher boiling hydrocarbons with substantially reduced heat flux over an extended time as thin film requires less superheat for vapor to expand for facilitating escape thereof from said viscous hydrocarbons thereby avoiding explosive discharge of said vapor without overheating thereof; and f) recovering original hydrocarbons in two separate fractions, one a viscous layer as residue and the other a lighter fraction collected through steam-stripping, in marketable forms with highest possible commercial value thereof in addition to recovering bound and unbound water present in said sludge mixture for subsequent, environmentally safe and useful applications thereof.