Study of the influence of the aluminum source (acetate or sulfate) on the synthesis of the ceramic membrane and applications of emulsion oil water: use and reuse

The objective of this work was to prepare ceramic membranes and to evaluate the effect of the raw material on the ceramic membrane and on the efficiency of the emulsion separation oil/water. The ceramic membranes were manufactured using the uniaxial dry compaction method, from the thermal decomposition of aluminum sulfate or aluminum acetate, to evaluate the effect of the raw material (aluminum acetate or aluminum sulfate) on the efficiency in the emulsion oil/water separation. Ceramic membranes were characterized by measurements of X-ray diffraction patterns, scanning electron microscopy, mechanical strength, bubble point and water flow. In this study, membranes were produced with different characteristics. The values found for the permeate for the A1 membrane were 9.20 mg / L due to characteristics such as porosity and mechanical strength (44.63 % and 1.3 MPa), while the values A2 membrane was 6.52 mg / L, 18.86 % and 6.7 MPa. In conclusion, the membranes prepared are effective in removing the oil from the oily waste water. According to the results, the treatment of oil-water emulsions by microfiltration facilitates a significant reduction in the concentration of permeate oil.

Enzymatically Modified Fats Applied in Emulsions Stabilized by Polysaccharides

The subject of the study was emulsions based on enzymatically modified fats and stabilized with polysaccharides (xanthan gum and scleroglucan). Emulsion oil phases (blends of mutton tallow and hemp seed oil in a ratio of 3:1, 3:2, 3:3, 2:3 and 1:3) were characterized in the terms of acid value, melting point and mono- and diacylglycerols content before and after the modification. Emulsions containing modified fat blends and various amount (0.6, 0.8 and 1.0% w/w) of polysaccharides were investigated in the terms of their color, rheological properties, microstructure, droplet size and stability. The obtained results confirmed that enzymatic modification allowed to produce new fats, which can successfully be applied as an emulsion oil phases equipped with a sufficient amount of emulsifiers. The use of a variable amount of texture modifier in the proposed formulations did not show clear differences in the stability of the systems. Therefore, it does not seem justified to use greater amounts of a modifier (above 0.6% w/w) in this type of emulsions. The proposed formulations could be of interest to the cosmetics, food or pharmaceutical industry.

Enhancing the Performances of Polymeric PVDF Membranes for Oil/Water Separation by Hydrophilic and Underwater Oleophobic Surfaces Modification

This paper investigates the permeability and separation performance of polyphenolic-amine coated PVDF membrane with hydrophilic (26.9 ± 5.6°) and underwater oleophobic (162.1 ± 5.1°) surface modification. Surface chemical structures, surface compositions and hydrophilicity of membranes were investigated by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle analyses, respectively. The separation of emulsion oil solutions was evaluated using cross-flow filtration mode in term of high permeation flux and excellent oil resistance. Then, the flux recovery ratio of filtration process was calculated at different transmembrane pressures (TMP) and initial concentrations of emulsion feed solutions. The results showed a decrease in the flux recovery ratio at higher pressures and initial oil concentrations. By applying Hermia’s blocking model, formation of cake layer shows dominant fouling mechanism for the emulsion oil separation process.

Novel Cake Washer for Removing Oil-Based Calcium Carbonate Filter Cake in Horizontal Wells

An impermeable layer “filter cake” usually forms during the overbalanced drilling technique. Even though it helps in protecting the formation from a further invasion of drilling fluids, the removal of this layer is essential for a proper cement job and to avoid any reduction in wellbore deliverability. The design of the removal process is complicated and depends on the filter cake composition and homogeneity. This paper presents an experimental evaluation on the usage of a novel cake washer (NCW) in the removal of a filter cake formed by an invert emulsion oil-based drilling fluid that contains calcium carbonate as a weighting material while drilling a horizontal reservoir. The proposed NCW is a mixture of organic acid, mutual solvent and nonionic surfactant. It is designed to enable restored wellbore permeability for a sustainable production. Since the filter cake mainly consists of the weighting material, the solubility of calcium carbonate in NCW at different ranges of temperature, duration and concentration was investigated. An actual casing joint was used to test the corrosion possibility of the treating solution. High-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) filtration tests on ceramic discs and Berea sandstone core samples were conducted to measure the efficiency of the filter cake removal and the retained permeability. Ethylene glycol mono butyl ether (EGMBE) was used as a mutual solvent and the solubility was higher compared to when the mutual solvent was not used in the washer formulation. A significant increase in calcium carbonate dissolution with time was observed for a duration of 24 h. The solubility was found to be proportional to the concentration of NCW with optimum results of 99% removal at a temperature of around 212 °F. At those conditions, no major corrosion problems were detected. Permeability of the core retained its pristine value after the treatment.