ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY OIL/WATER DEMULSIFIERS

• US 20090209666A1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nouryon Chemicals International B.V. (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: Akzo Nobel N.V. (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Uneback, Ingemar, Hellberg, Per-Erik
• Granted Patent: US 8,039,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 516/185
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/547 Tensides
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 33/04 with chemical means

Abstract

The invention relates to particular orthoester based polymers as well as the use of specific orthoester based polymers as a demulsifier for water/oil emulsions. Products suitable for use according to the invention have the formula (I), wherein R1 is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group with 1-4 carbon atoms, R2, R3, and R4 are, independently, a group comprising C₃-C₄ alkyleneoxy groups and/or ethyleneoxy groups in any order, and an end group Y, which is, independently, hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group with 1-30 carbon atoms, a group —(CH₂)_zNR5R6 or —(CH₂)_zN⁺R5R6R7, wherein each of R5, R6, and R7 is, independently, an alkyl group with 1-22 carbon atoms or —CH₂CH₂OH, and z is 2 or 3, provided that at least one of the groups R2, R3, and R4 comprises at least one block of at least on then average 4 alkyleneoxy groups with 3 and/or 4 carbon atoms, and provided that if Y is hydrogen, then at least one of n and m is a number of 1-100, or a di- or polycondensate of the polymer via free hydroxyl groups in R2, R3 or R4.

Claims

1. A demulsifier for water/oil emulsions, said demulsifier comprising at least one orthoester based polymer having the general formula

2. The demulsifier of claim 1 wherein R1 is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group with 1-4 carbon atoms, R2, R3, and R4 are, independently, a group -(A)_n(CH₂CH₂O)_mY or —

(CH₂CH₂O)_m(A)_nY, wherein each A is, independently, an alkyleneoxy group with 3-4 carbon atoms, n and m are, on average and independently, a number of 0-100, provided that at least one of the groups R2, R3, and R4 comprises at least one block of at least on average 4 alkyleneoxy groups with 3 and/or 4 carbon atoms, and each Y is, independently, hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group with 1-30 carbon atoms, a group —

(CH₂)_zNR5R6 or —

(CH₂)_zN⁺R5R6R7, wherein each of R5, R6, and R7 is, independently, an alkyl group with 1-22 carbon atoms or —

CH₂CH₂OH, and z is 2 or 3, provided that if Y is hydrogen, then at least one of n and m is a number of 1-100, or a di- or polycondensate of the polymer via free hydroxyl groups in R2, R3 or R4.

3. The demulsifier of claim 2, characterized in that the sum of all n in the polymer is 10-1200 and at least one of the groups R2, R3, and R4 comprises at least one block with 6-20 alkyleneoxy groups with 3-4 carbon atoms.

4. The demulsifier of claim 1, characterized in that the polymer has an average molecular weight of from 1,500 to 40,000.

5. The demulsifier of claim 1, characterized in that Y is, independently, H or a hydrocarbyl group with 1-4 carbon atoms.

6. The demulsifier of claim 1, characterized in that the amount of ethyleneoxy groups in the polymer is 40-85% of the total molecular weight.

7. The demulsifier of claim 1, characterized in that R1 is hydrogen, A is an alkyleneoxy group with 3 carbon atoms, and Y is hydrogen, and where the amount of ethyleneoxy groups is 50-75% by weight of the total molecular weight, the molecular weight span is 1,000-100,000, and the average molecular weight is 2,000-30,000.

8. The demulsifier of claim 1, characterized in that the water/oil emulsions result from a process for the production of oil.

9. The demulsifier of claim 1, characterized in that the water/oil emulsions result from a fermentation process.

10. A process for demulsification of a water-in-oil emulsion, said process comprising adding an orthoester polymer as defined in claim 1 to said water-in-oil emulsion.

12. A method for producing a polymer or polymer mixture as defined in claim 11, characterized in that the polymer or polymer mixture is produced in one or several steps by reacting an orthoester having the general formula

13. A method for producing a polymer or polymer mixture as defined in claim 2, characterized in that at least one of the groups Y is H and n and m in the same substituent as said Y are a number of 1-100, wherein the polymer or polymer mixture is produced in one or several steps by reacting an orthoester having the general formula

14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the alkaline catalyst is an alkali hydroxide or an alkali metal alkoxide, preferably NaOH, KOH, NAOCH₃ and/or KOCH₃.

11. An orthoester based polymer having the formula