Abstract: A method for reducing the residual amine content of dried solids by adding water to the dried solids to form a wetted solids mixture and drying the wetted solids mixture to yield a dried product with a final amine content less than the residual amine content of the dried solids. An alkaline composition is also disclosed which further reduces the final amine content of the dried product.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for using water to remove amine from an oil-amine component. The oil-amine component is typically produced in prior art processes using an amine having an inverse critical solution temperature with water to break emulsions and sludges. The steps of the present invention include adding water to the oil-amine component in an amount sufficient to form a water-amine azeotrope with substantially all the amine in the oil-amine component followed by heating to remove the azeotrope. The method of the present invention may be used to remove amine from an oil-amine component even where the amine is present in an amount as low as 10% or less by weight.

Abstract: A method for using alkali for recovering amine used in a process for breaking emulsions and sludges. The amine has an inverse critical solution temperature with water. The process breaks a sludge into a water component containing residual amine and oil component if oil is present in the original sludge, and a solid matter component. The present invention uses alkali to minimize the amount of amine lost in the water component and in the solid matter component.