Tramfloc® all-organic
liquid polymers are highly effective in oil recovery and produce water quality
suitable for reuse from waste and slop oil, coolant, coking, oil field, utility,
mining, petroleum and refining applications. Tramfloc®
all-organic liquid polymers effectively precipitate heavy metals,
improve supernatant quality, increase solids recovery, produce a denser rag layer
and a clean, high quality oil phase in demulsification applications, and also
reduce sludge production.
Tramfloc®
all-organic polymers are non-hazardous and biodegradable.
They are completely miscible in water and meet environmental regulations.
Tramfloc® polymers
will meet your plant's requirements for suspended matter, emulsified oils,
metal cutting fluids, water soluble coolants, hydrocarbon oils, and supernatant
quality.
Tramfloc®
all-organic liquid polymers are aqueous blends of surfactants
and copolymers especially designed to assist in the reversing of the emulsification
process. Ammonium, acrylamide and other non-hazardous all-organic components
are used to manufacture Tramfloc®
polymers.
When plants apply Tramfloc®
All-Organic Liquid Polymers, TAOLP, the operations usually
become more efficient and costs are reduced while profits are increased. Call
Tramfloc, Inc. to explore better ways to deal with entrained and emulsified
hydrocarbons.
Emulsion Breaking in DAF and API Equipped
Systems
Tramfloc custom designed polymers for oily waste
treatment
Oil in water waste streams can coat and damage equipment,
contaminate process water and escape treatment in biological systems. Treatment
of oily waste streams can result in:
Improved oil/water separation
Improved water clarity
Oil recovery
Water reuse
Protection of downstream facilities
Environmental permit compliance
Oily wastewater is classified by the form of the
oil/water mixtures, i.e., free liquid (nonemulsified) or emulsion.
Free liquids are commonly separated by gravity.
In most situations the oil is lighter than water and can be separated by physical
operations such as skimming or flotation. The principles governing gravity
separation of oil are expressed by Stoke's Law:
where:
V = oil droplet rise rate
g = acceleration due to gravity
dw = water density
do = oil density
D = oil droplet diameter
u = water viscosity
As defined by Stoke's Law, the rise rate of the
oil droplet can be varied by changing the oil density, water viscosity, water
density or the oil droplet size. Temperature controls the first three variables,
while the addition of chemical coagulants will alter the last variable, oil
droplet size.
Emulsions are stable mixtures of two immiscible
liquids. Emulsions are stabilized by an emulsifying agent which is a film
of surface active agents that reduces the interfacial tension between the
oil and water. The film of emulsifiers can be altered by heat, chemicals,
mechanical devices or a combination of the three.
Polymers are used to destabilize oily wastewaters
on many types of equipment, such as: the American Petroleum Institute (API)
separator, Corrugated Plate Interceptor (CPI) separator, Induced Air Flotation
(IAF) and Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF). Figure 1 is a schematic of a DAF.
A flow schematic of a typical refinery waste treatment system is shown in
Figure 2.
Tramfloc has developed a bench scale test to simulate
the operation of a dissolved air flotation system. This test is particularly
useful in determining operating parameters such as pressure requirements,
recirculation ratios, chemical requirements and rise rate estimations.
Most emulsions are treated either on a batch basis
or as a continuous process. The treatment process employs chemical addition,
pH adjustment and heat to destabilize the emulsified oils. Tramfloc has developed
a laboratory procedure to test the effectiveness of Tramfloc cooking chemicals
in breaking oil emulsions. Tramfloc personnel can then determine the required
dosage of polymer by a full scale trial.
Tram-Oil Series products are ideal for treatment
of either free or emulsified oils. These products are surface active polymeric
liquids of very high charge density which alter the oil droplet size. In combination
with a cooking operation, Tram-Oil products are particularly effective in
destabilizing emulsified oils (synthetic, waste cutting, rolling, hydraulic
and other soluble oils) in water.
The advantages of Tram-Oil Series products include:
Production of smaller sludge volume than inorganic coagulant products
Reduction of sludge handling and hauling costs
Improved oil/water separation
Improved water clarity and recycling of acid water
Greater oil recovery and better quality oil for reuse
Tram-Oil Series products are more tolerant of pH variations than inorganic
coagulants
The Tramfloc approach to successful treatment of
free and emulsified oils employs proven product technology. Tramfloc products
are recommended on the basis of detailed system surveys, laboratory and full-scale
testing, computer simulations and analyses. The Tramfloc approach is designed
to provide the best treatment for oily waste streams.
Innovative Products for the Global Petroleum
Industry
WASTE AND SLOP OIL TREATMENT
Tramfloc, Inc. manufactures a wide variety of demulsification
products, Tram-OilTM having application in the treatment of waste and slop oils.
Each compound marketed for the application has been field proven prior to commercialization.
This paper contains information on the treatment of typical waste oils and a
set of typical formulations suitable for this application. As with all demulsification
applications, performance is strongly influenced by the composition of the emulsion
and any contaminants present, as well as its previous treatment history. For
this reason, it is strongly recommended that operators conduct their own bottle
testing prior to field applications. WASTE OIL (also referred to
as slop oil, pit oil or reclaim oil) accumulates as a by-product of the oil
production and refining processes. They are usually generated when an upset
or accident occurs; hence their production is rarely planned or convenient.
Waste oils are usually very tightly emulsified and frequently contain a variety
of external contaminants. Some of the more common contaminants are such items
as formation fines, dirt, clay, drilling mud solids, scale solids and iron compounds,
usually corrosion by-products. Paraffin in the form of wax, and asphaltenes
may also be present. The aqueous portion of the emulsion usually consists of
oilfield brine waters, though spent acid, caustic, polymers or fractionating
fluids are not uncommon. A free water phase may also present. In many cases,
the waste oil may contain chemicals of various natures, in either the hydrocarbon
or the aqueous phases. These often are present as a result of previous attempts
to resolve the waste oil emulsion. When an upset occurs at a production facility,
it is common for an attempt to be made to resolve the waste oil by sending it
through the production system again. This may be done more than once. This can
lead to a condition where the lighter, short chain carbon fractions have been
driven off by repeated heating. It is common to do this in conjunction with
the injection of additional demulsification chemical.?br> If this process is
unsuccessful, the waste oil takes on a dark, "sludgy" appearance, often with
the presence of darker specs distributed through out. Waste oils in this condition
are termed over-treated or "burnt". The oil takes on the properties of a semi-combusted
oil, and an additional contaminant is added, residual carbon from the over-treatment
process. Waste oil treatment is often very involved, so it is common for operators
to let waste oils accumulate until they can be resolved at one time. Since waste
oils are generally stored until the volume is sufficient for economical treatment,
the resulting waste oil is usually a composite from several sources. Storage
conditions (pit versus vessel) and time of storage may complicate the treatment
process. As a result of its' origin, handling and composition, treatment of
waste oil requires that it be treated as a unique problem. A solution to one
waste oil emulsion may not be applicable to another, although the techniques
of separation may be similar. Treatment of waste oil generally follows standard
oilfield philosophy, in that the ideal solution consists of recoverable oil
suitable for sale, and water and TSS components subject to further treatment
modalities. Bottle testing with an effective Tramfloc Emulsion Breaker will
maximize the amount of recovered oil. Successful treatment of waste oil is dependent
on proper utilization of the following techniques and conditions.
1. Heat
2. Chemical Application
3. Agitation
4. Retention or Quiescent Time
Heat is usually required to resolve water oil emulsions. Typical
treatment temperatures range from 45 degrees F to 185 degrees F. Exceptions
both higher and lower exist, and some oils may be treated at ambient temperatures.
Chemical application consists of three major areas: demuslification and pH adjustment.
Demulsifer formulations are utilized to chemically separate, or aid in the separation
of the two phases comprising the emulsified waste oil. These formulations are
designed to resolve the emulsion without over-treatment characteristics. Typical
treatment rates range from 500 PPM to 5000 PPM. Treatment ranges vary widely,
depending upon paraffin wax volume and composition, as well as the API gravity
of the waste oil. The adjustment of pH may be done with caustic or acid. This
adjustment may be critical to resolving the waste oil emulsion. Typically, the
pH is adjusted in small increments or to a relatively neutral state by addition
of the appropriate amounts of acid or base. Application rates are typically
250 PPM to 1500 PPM or .25 to 1.0 pounds per barrel. In addition to these types
of chemical treatments, surfactants are sometimes required for resolution of
solids, viscous oil-water interfaces and sludging. Agitation is usually essential
to disperse the chemical treatment and to obtain uniform heating. A number of
methods exist to provide agitation. Generally speaking, use of transfer pumps
is not recommended as the shear affect may stabilize or re-emulsify the waste
oil. Retention time allows time for the treatment process to work. A minimum
period of 8 to 24 hours is recommended. Times in excess of this minimum are
common. With many waste oils, the addition of water as a wash may expedite the
treatment process. This wash application can aid in solids removal and if relatively
fresh water is entrained in the waste oil, aid in the water drop. The water
used may range from fresh to brine in terms of salinity.