Motion and separation characteristics of oil droplets in high-pressure oil-water separation processes

A small-scale separator was used for controlled experiments to further analyze oil droplet motion and separation characteristics under high pressure. The separation process was monitored at varying pressures, focusing on stratification interface dynamics. The oil droplet size distribution in the water phase was measured realistically, and its pressure-dependent variation was predicted. Numerical simulations incorporating the predicted droplet size distribution were performed and validated against experimental data. The results confirmed that increasing pressure reduced oil droplet size and concentrated their distribution, slowing the oil-water interface movement and impeding separation. Furthermore, high pressure enhanced emulsion stability, with over 80% of emulsions remaining unseparated at pressures exceeding 60.0 bar. These findings underscore the necessity of post-treatment strategies for emulsions in high-pressure separation systems.