A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine may include a water separator configured to separate a polar phase, for example water, out of fuel. The water separator may be arranged at least one of on and in a fuel supply system component. The water separator may be configured as an electric coalescer. The electric coalescer may have at least two electrodes that are insulated from the fuel.

An apparatus and method for separating water from an oil-water influx are provided. The apparatus includes a separation vessel having an inlet, an oil collection portion at its upper end, and a water collection portion at its lower end. Multiple high voltage tubes, each containing an electrode, are located within the oil collection portion. These high voltage tubes are staggered in length and held in place by perforated plates. The oil-water influx flows through the inlet of the vessel into the high voltage tubes, where it is subjected to an electrostatic field. The electrostatic field causes water droplets in the influx to coalesce and form a water out-flux which flows downwardly into the water collection portion of the vessel. The remaining stream of dehydrated oil flows upwardly to the upper outlet end. The oil collection portion of the separation vessel may be oriented vertically or at an angle.

Disclosed is a method for the break-up of at least one emulsion and separation of the light and heavy phase with at least an de-emulsification rate of more than 9% in only one apparatus within less than 5 min by applying at least one time dependent electrical field. The electrical field is a high frequency singular alternating current field with an electrical field strength between 2,000 and 100,000 V/m and a frequency between 12,000 Hz and 200,000 Hz. The present invention relates furthermore to a method for the treatment of at least one emulsion by applying at least one direct current field and at least one high frequency alternating current field.

Decreasing the water content of an organic phase can often be desirable, but low water levels can be difficult to achieve at high fluxes when the water is present in an emulsified form, such as in a water-in-oil emulsion. Processes for de-emulsifying a fluid stream containing emulsified water, such as water-in-crude oil emulsions, include introduction of the fluid stream into a vessel that defines a coalescence zone. The vessel is configured to provide for simultaneous application of a centrifugal force and an electric field to the fluid stream within the coalescence zone. The simultaneous application of the centrifugal force and the electric field to the fluid stream provides for the coalescence of a portion of the emulsified water into a bulk aqueous phase. A biphasic mixture comprising continuous phases of the organic component and the bulk aqueous phase is formed within the coalescence zone and subsequently removed from the vessel.

The present invention seeks to decompose and remove various types of organic materials contained in oilfield water by one operation. To this end, this method for treating oilfield water is provided with: a step for obtaining primary treated water containing organic material by removing the solid content and oil content from oilfield water; and a step for decomposing the organic material by exposing the primary treated water to discharge plasma, wherein the discharge plasma is generated by a nanosecond pulse power source for outputting a pulse having a pulse width of 10 ns or less.

Embodiments discussed herein relate to systems and methods for separating two or more phases of an emulsion or other mixture. The methods include providing the mixture with a net and unipolar charge (e.g., such that adjacent droplets therein acquire net and unipolar charges), thereby enhancing coalescence of like-phase droplets therein and producing, or enhancing the production of, two or more consolidated phases; and collecting the two or more consolidated phases.

Disclosed is a method for capturing and recycling iron catalyst used in the production of haloalkane compounds and more particularly, to an improved process for the manufacture of the compound 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane (HCC-240fa), in which an electromagnetic separation unit (EMSU) is used to facilitate the reaction. When energized, the EMSU functions to remove all iron particles from the reactor effluent; when de-energized, the iron particles captured by the EMSU can be flushed back into the reactor for re-use in the continued production of HCC-240fa. The present invention is also useful in the manufacturing processes for other haloalkane compounds such as HCC-250 and HCC-360.

A system for separating the components of an incoming oil-water mixture includes two electrode sets, one set arranged to apply an electrostatic field to an oil layer residing within a separator vessel and the other set arranged to apply an electrostatic field to the interface emulsion layer residing within the separator vessel. The first set of electrodes is in communication with a high voltage power source that ranges from 1 to 60 kV; the second set of electrodes is in communication with a low voltage power source that is no greater than 5 kV. Each set of electrodes may also be in communication with a second voltage source to provide increased power to promote effective coalescence. The system may also include power electronics to produce a variable amplitude and a variable frequency voltage supply to one or both electrode sets.

Embodiments discussed herein relate to systems and methods for separating two or more phases of an emulsion or other mixture. The methods include providing the mixture with a net and unipolar charge (e.g., such that adjacent droplets therein acquire net and unipolar charges), thereby enhancing coalescence of like-phase droplets therein and producing, or enhancing the production of, two or more consolidated phases; and collecting the two or more consolidated phases.

Decreasing the water content of an organic phase can often be desirable, but low water levels can be difficult to achieve at high fluxes when the water is present in an emulsified form, such as in a water-in-oil emulsion. Processes for de-emulsifying a fluid stream containing emulsified water, such as water-in-crude oil emulsions, include introduction of the fluid stream into a vessel that defines a coalescence zone. The vessel is configured to provide for simultaneous application of a centrifugal force and an electric field to the fluid stream within the coalescence zone. The simultaneous application of the centrifugal force and the electric field to the fluid stream provides for the coalescence of a portion of the emulsified water into a bulk aqueous phase. A biphasic mixture comprising continuous phases of the organic component and the bulk aqueous phase is formed within the coalescence zone and subsequently removed from the vessel.