Effect of Natural Demulsifier on the Efficiency of Ultrasonic Assisted Oil Emulsion Separation

Heavy fuel oil is a complicated amalgamation typically formulated with saline water to produce stable emulsions.The coproduced water is emulsified as it traverses pipelines and choke valves, resulting in emulsions (termed water-in-oil emulsions) that can be stabilized by naturally occurring substances in heavy oil, including asphaltenes, resins, wax, and particulates.The presence of water in heavy fuel oil might result in pipe damage and elevate transportation expenses.A fuel oil emulsion consisting of 40% water and 60% oil was exposed to low-frequency ultrasonic waves (28 KHz) for 10 minutes to evaluate its effectiveness in emulsion separation.To improve separation performance, natural particles derived from date pit (approximately 10-100 m) were included at concentrations of 3000, 5000, 10000, and 15000 ppm.Tests were performed at 85 C with ultrasonication power levels of 100, 400, 600, and 800 W, with treatment durations of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 minutes.Date pit powder effectively separates oil and water within 24 hours, demonstrating its utility in the rapid destabilization of water-in-oil emulsions due to its distinctive wettability and surface structure.Demulsification efficiency may attain 83% with a dosage of 10000 mg/L and a settling duration of 10 minutes at 85C.The amalgamation of date pit particles and ultrasonic waves demonstrated a cost-effective, efficient, rapid, and ecologically friendly method for the separation of water-in-oil emulsions.