PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR APPLICATION OF ELECTROSTATIC FIELDS TO MIXING AND SEPARATING FLUIDS

摘要

FLOW PATHS FOR LIQUID ARE DISCLOSED IN VESSELS, THE PATHS ORIENTED WITH ELECTRODES WHICH ARE ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZED TO ESTABLISH ELECTROSTATIC FIELDS THROUGH THE PATHS. ONE OF THE LIQUIDS IS MORE POLAR THAN THE OTHER LIQUIDS IN THE PATHS. ONE OF THE FIELDS IS INTENSE ENOUGH TO GENERATE THE FORCE TO MOVE DROPS OF THE POLAR LIQUID FAST ENOUGH TO SHEAR THE DROPS TO SMALLER SIZES AND DISPERSE THE SMALLER DROPS. A SECOND ONE OF THE FIELDS IS INTENSE ENOUGH TO GENERATE THE FORCE TO MOVE THE DISPERSED DROPS INTO COALESCENSE. VARIOUS SPACING AND MEANS OF ENERGIZING THE ELECTRODES ARE DISCLOSED TO PLACE THE FORCES ON THE LIQUIDS IN SEQUENCE AND AT DIFFERENT INTENSITIES.