Analysis of influencing factors for droplets deformation and coalescence in AC electric field

作者：Chen Qing Guo; Zheng Tian Yu^*; Liang Wen; Song Chun Hui; Liu Zeng; Zhao Zhong Shan; Wei Xin Lao

来源：Electric Machines and Control, 2015, 19(11): 51-58.

DOI：10.15938/j.emc.2015.11.008

• AC electric field
• Crude oil emulsion
• Dehydration rates
• Droplet diameters
• Effects of electric fields
• Electric field strength
• High electric field strengths
• Water droplets

In order to grasp the deformation and coalescence of water droplets in oil during the process of electric dehydration, the study of droplets deformation and coalescence in AC electric field were carried out by the simulation based on the method of flow field coupled in electric field, and the effects of electric field strength, interfacial tension and droplet diameter on the coalescence rate were simulated. The experimental study on the crude oil emulsion dehydration under AC electric field was carried out by using the small and medium dehydration test system in laboratory, and the rule of droplets deformation and coalescence in the emulsion under different conditions were observed and analyzed by the high-speed camera, which verified the veracity of simulation results. The experimental results show that electric field strength, interfacial tension and droplet diameter are the important factors influencing the emulsion dehydration rate, the droplets coalescence rate raises with enhancement of electric field strength and droplets diameter and decrease of interfacial tension. However, the excessively high electric field strength causes the electric disperse of droplets.

• 出版日期2015