An electrowetting coalescing device for coalescing droplets of a dispersed phase within a continuous phase includes an inlet in fluid communication with a first porous layer and a second porous layer. The first porous layer is employed as a first electrode and the second porous layer is employed as a second electrode, and a voltage difference exists between the first porous layer and the second porous layer to thereby create an electric field between the first porous layer and the second porous layer. The electrowetting coalescing device includes an outlet for receiving a fluid having passed through the first porous layer and the second porous layer.

The present invention discloses an oil-contained wastewater treatment apparatus applying the integrative physical methods. The wastewater treatment system of the invention may include a main tank, where the upper part is a rectangular body and the lower part is designed to a multi-bucket bottom structure. Two oil collection boxes are arranged to both outside ends of tank. A mud discharging outlet is attached to the bottom of the tank. Meanwhile, both of a water outlet and an electric polarizer are localized at the end face of the effluent on the tank. A power supply for the electro-adsorber is fixed to the inlet end on the top face of the tank. Divided by upper and lower deflectors, the inside of the tank is divided to three processing units, i.e., sludge-water separation unit, degradation-coalescence treatment unit, and sedimentation-electric polarization unit. Vortex centripetal gas flotation is applied to remove oil. Electro-adsorption induces the micelle clustering to achieve the decolorization. The electric polarization functions as anti-scaling, descaling, sterilization, and corrosion inhibition. Moreover, the referred physical treatment can be fulfilled in virtue of centrifugal force, buoyancy, gravity, adsorption force, coalescence force, inertia, shifting, and modification. Through the application of the system, the oil-contained wastewater can be treated environmentally friendly, safe and pollution-free. Besides the above advantages, high removal efficiency can make the apparatus and method a widely used approach on the oil-contained wastewater treatment.

Electrical separators employing detection of conductive fluid excursions are described herein. A separator of this type has a separator, comprising a separation vessel; an electric field assembly extending a first distance within the separation vessel in a first direction of a density-based separation force; a plurality of detector electrodes extending a second distance within the separation vessel in the first direction; one or more power units; and one or more circuits electrically coupling the electric field electrodes and the detector electrodes with the one or more power units.

Systems and methods to enhance the removal of inorganic contaminants, including metals, from hydrocarbon feedstocks at a refinery. One or more embodiments of such systems and methods may be used to provide a renewable hydrocarbon feedstock having a reduced amount of metal contaminants. The reduction of metal contaminants in the renewable hydrocarbon feedstock mitigates catalyst fouling and/or deactivation during downstream refinery processing of the renewable hydrocarbon feedstock.

Systems and methods to separate water and remove solids from a pre-treated and unfiltered renewable feedstock at or separate from a refinery. Such systems and methods may be used to provide a reduced-contaminant and reduced-solid renewable feedstock for further refining.

Systems and methods to enhance the removal of inorganic contaminants, including metals, from hydrocarbon feedstocks at a refinery. One or more embodiments of such systems and methods may be used to provide a renewable hydrocarbon feedstock having a reduced amount of metal contaminants. The reduction of metal contaminants in the renewable hydrocarbon feedstock mitigates catalyst fouling and/or deactivation during downstream refinery processing of the renewable hydrocarbon feedstock.

Systems and methods to enhance the removal of inorganic contaminants, including metals, from hydrocarbon feedstocks at a refinery. One or more embodiments of such systems and methods may be used to provide a renewable hydrocarbon feedstock having a reduced amount of metal contaminants. The reduction of metal contaminants in the renewable hydrocarbon feedstock mitigates catalyst fouling and/or deactivation during downstream refinery processing of the renewable hydrocarbon feedstock.

An industrial wastewater and hydrocarbon treatment system including of a plurality of reactors and treatment modules that allows the application of principles of chemistry and quantum physics, dissociating electrons from the atoms or chemical elements contained in the hydrocarbon contaminated water. This invention advantageously allows the separation of water and oil in an efficient way, through the use of electromagnetic pulses with low amperage, and a series of filters.

Systems and methods to enhance the removal of inorganic contaminants, including metals, from hydrocarbon feedstocks at a refinery. One or more embodiments of such systems and methods may be used to provide a renewable hydrocarbon feedstock having a reduced amount of metal contaminants. The reduction of metal contaminants in the renewable hydrocarbon feedstock mitigates catalyst fouling and/or deactivation during downstream refinery processing of the renewable hydrocarbon feedstock.

Electro-coalescer systems herein may include a vessel, a base plate separating a process chamber and an electric enclosure, rod-shaped ceramic insulated electrodes, and a sealing assembly. An end of the electrodes is located within the electric enclosure. The electrodes traverse respective through-holes of the base plate into or through the process chamber, where a second portion is supported by a spacer, configured to maintain a position of the electrodes while allowing fluid passage. The sealing assembly forms a seal between the through-holes and the rod-shaped insulated electrodes, preventing fluid traversing from the process chamber into the electric enclosure. The sealing assembly may include: a metal fitting disposed around the rod-shaped insulated electrode; metal o-rings; metal seats; and a closing nut. The metal fitting has a coefficient of thermal expansion similar to that of the ceramic insulator, thereby preventing breakage of the electrodes during use.