Method of using an electric field controlled emulsion phase contactor

• US 5,262,027 A
• Filed: 03/22/1991
• Issued: 11/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Scott, Timothy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leader, William T.
• Application Number:
  US07/674,811
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 204/186, 204/188-191, 204/302, 204/304-308
• US Class Current: 204/558
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0419 in combination with an electric or magnetic field or with vibrations

Abstract

A system for contacting liquid phases comprising a column for transporting a liquid phase contacting system, the column having upper and lower regions. The upper region has a nozzle for introducing a dispersed phase and means for applying thereto a vertically oriented high intensity pulsed electric field. This electric field allows improved flow rates while shattering the dispersed phase into many micro-droplets upon exiting the nozzle to form a dispersion within a continuous phase. The lower region employs means for applying to the dispersed phase a horizontally oriented high intensity pulsed electric field so that the dispersed phase undergoes continuous coalescence and redispersion while being urged from side to side as it progresses through the system, increasing greatly the mass transfer opportunity.

Claims

1. A method for contacting liquid phases comprising the steps of:

introducing through a nozzle a first liquid phase into a continuous second liquid phase;

applying a generally vertically oriented pulsed electric field to said first liquid phase upon exiting said nozzle, said pulsed electric field having a D.C. offset with superimposed voltage spikes, said pulsed electric field being of sufficiently high intensity to shatter said first liquid phase into many micro droplets to form a dispersion;

subjecting said dispersion is to a further pulsed electric field to cause said first liquid phase to undergo continuous coalescence and redispersion; and

,

coalescing said dispersion to form a separate liquid phase of said first liquid phase.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said pulsed electric field operates at a duty cycle in the range of about 0.05% to about 50%.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said pulsed electric field operates at a duty cycle of about 0.5%.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said further pulsed electric field operates at a duty cycle in the range of about 0.05% to about 50%.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said further pulsed electric field operates at a duty cycle of about 0.5%.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said further pulsed electric field has a D.C. offset with superimposed voltage spikes.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said D.C. offset operates at a duty cycle in the range of about 10% to about 100%.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said D.C. offset operates at a duty cycle of about 95%.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said pulsed electric field is generated by a charged electrode disposed in proximity with said nozzle, said nozzle being electrically grounded.

10. A method for contacting liquid phases comprising the steps of:

dispersing a first liquid phase into a continuous second liquid phase to form a dispersion;

subjecting said dispersion to a pulsed electric field to cause said first liquid phase to undergo continuous coalescence and redispersion, said pulsed electric field operating at a duty cycle in the range of about 0.05% to about 50%, said pulsed electric field having a D.C. offset with superimposed voltage spikes; and

,

coalescing said dispersion to form a separate liquid phase of said first liquid phase.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said pulsed electric field operates at a duty cycle of about 0.5%.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said D.C. offset operates at a duty cycle in the range of about 10% to about 100%.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said D.C. offset operates at a duty cycle of about 95%.