Hydrogel-coated structured packing for water separation from oily liquid streams

• Hydrogel-coated structured packings were used for water separation from oily streams. • A packed modular bed was used to remove water from oily streams. • Marine diesel oil and naphthenic insulating oil were used as case studies. • This innovative process reduced haze from 6 to 1, providing a bright and clear oil. • More than 90 % of water was removed from oily liquid streams. This work presents an innovative water separation process using a packed modular bed to remove water from oily streams. This method involves filling the beds with structured packings created through additive manufacturing and coated with poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) hydrogels. The treatment was evaluated for water removal from naphthenic insulating oil (NIO) and marine diesel oil (MDO) streams. The hydrogel-coated structured packing was able to remove more than 90 % of the water from the oils and reduced their turbidity, going from a cloudy appearance to a clearer and brighter one. In industrial scenarios where water contamination occurs, the presence of hydrogel-coated packing allows for rapid water separation, offering significant advantages for industrial applications. The ease of oil percolation through hydrogel-filled beds makes this system attractive for a wide spectrum of applications, from industrial scales to deployment at refueling stations or as filters on board motor vehicles.