Prediction of the removal of aqueous phase during boiling of highly stable water-hydrocarbon emulsions

The removal of water from highly stable natural and technogenic water-hydrocarbon emulsions is studied. For various crudes (oil waste blends, pyrolysis resin emulsion, lake oil sludge, intermediate oil layer) dehydration end temperatures, leading to complete stabilized evaporation of water without foaming, are defined (water content is less than 1% wt.). The end dehydration temperature varies within a wide range (109-150 °C). The parameters of hydrocarbon phase, which indirectly reflect the stability to removal of water by evaporation during thermomechanical dehydration and help to predict final dehydration temperature, such as, density, coking capacity, pour point and viscosity, are suggested.