MAGNETOSTATIC COALESCENCE

EXPORTECH COMPANY, INC. (ETCI), WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE OF MAGNETIC FIELDS TO PROMOTE COALESCENCE OF WATER-AND OIL-BASED EMULSIONS. THE ETCI METHOD CALLS FOR USE OF VERY SMALL AMOUNTS OF EITHER WATER-SOLUBLE OR OIL-SOLUBLE MAGNETIC ADDITIVES TO IMPART MAGNETIC PROPERTIESTO THE DISPERSED PHASE OF THE EMULSION. MAGNETIC FIELDS AREEMPLOYED TO COALESCE THE INNER PHASE OF THE EMULSION IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO ELECTROSTATIC COALESCENCE NOW WIDELY USED IN PETROLEUM DESALTING AND DEWATERING. IT IS ESTIMATEDTHAT WITH USE OF VERY SMALL AMOUNTS OF A MAGNETIC SURFACTANT, MAGNETIC FIELDS OF THE ORDER OF 2 TESLA OR LESS CAN CREATE MAGNETIC COALESCENCE FORCES OF THE SAME ORDER OF MAGNITUDE AS THE ELECTRIC FORCES DEVELOPED IN WATER/OIL EMULSIONS IN AN ELECTRIC FIELD OF 1000 VOLTS/CM. MAGNETIC FIELDS OF 2 TESLA ARE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AND ARE WIDELY USED IN MANY PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. THE MAGNETOSTATIC METHOD IS APPLICABLE TO RESOLUTION OF EMULSIONS OF HIGH ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF EITHER THE OIL-OR WATER-BASED TYPES THAT CANNOT BE TREATED ELECTROSTATICALLY. THE NEW METHOD IS SAFER TO USE IN PETROLEUM REFINING APPLICATIONS THAN IS THE ELECTROSTATIC METHOD BECAUSE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS ARE NOT EMPLOYED.