Investigation of Droplet Coalescence and Oil-Water Separation Characteristics of Insulated Electrode in Electric Dehydrator

The destabilization of water-in-oil emulsions is an important industrial process, with electrostatic coalescence – the most efficient demulsifying technology – adopted in oilfield operations. In China traditional electric dehydrators with bared electrodes breakdown frequently; an insulated electrode can be used to solve this problem. The droplet coalescence properties of the lactescence between insulated electrodes in the new dehydrator have been studied systematically. This study on the oil-water separation characteristics of insulated electrodes provides some significant developments for engineering practice.