Experimental Study on the Performance of a Novel Compact Electrostatic Coalescer with Helical Electrodes

As most of the light and easy oil fields have been produced or are nearing their end-life, emulsion stability is enhanced water cut increasing in fluid which brought challenges to oil–water separation onshore offshore production trains. The conventional solution these includes a combination higher chemical dosages, larger vessels more stages, often demands increased energy consumption, operating costs space for facility. It not always feasible address issues by means, especially process on platforms. Electrostatic coalescence an effective method achieve demulsification accelerate process. In this paper, novel compact electrostatic coalescer with helical electrodes was developed its performance treatment water-in-oil emulsions investigated experiments. Focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) used make real-time online measurements droplet sizes emulsion. average diameters number droplets within certain size range set as indicators evaluating effect coalescence. We electric field strength, frequency, content velocity experimental results showed that strength could obviously contribute growth small extreme value achieved high-frequency much than power-frequency (50 Hz) field, can better promote droplets. initial increase content. rate increment also increased. Its compared plate further verify advantages enhancing electrodes. research provide guidance optimization improvement electrocoalescer.