Abstract: An improved process for electrically coalescing water-in-oil emulsions in an AC electrical field, wherein the improvement comprises using insulated electrodes having a dielectric constant which is at least about 3 and having a hydrophobic surface in contact with the emulsion. This invention results in faster coalescense of the emulsion than can be obtained with insulated electrodes having a lower dielectric constant, even if the electrode-emulsion interface is hydrophobic. Formation of spongy emulsion and decomposition of the oil phase under the high voltages required for rapid coalescense is minimized and even eliminated.

Abstract: Improved electrodes for electrically coalescing water-in-oil emulsions in an AC electrical field, wherein the improvement comprises insulated electrodes having a dielectric constant of at least about 3 and a hydrophobic surface in contact with the emulsion. This invention results in faster coalescense of emulsions than can be obtained with insulated electrodes having a lower dielectric constant even if the surface of the electrode at the electrode-emulsion interface is hydrophobic. Formation of spongy emulsion and decomposition of the oil phase under the high voltages required for rapid coalescense is minimized and even eliminated.

Abstract: Emulsions are prepared utilizing an emulsification device comprising an enclosure having orifices thereby permitting flow of a fluid through the enclosure along one of its axis, of any cross-section profile perpendicular to its axis for fluid flow, which enclosure is packed with a material which causes the flow of fluids to be broken down into many fine streams which fine streams, being in intimate contact one with the other, remix rapidly and repeatedly, resulting in the formation of the desired emulsion. The fluids which are mixed in the packed enclosure are fed to the enclosure by fluid feeding means such as pumps or by gravity feed tanks and conduits communicatively attached to the packed enclosure. The fluids fed into the packed enclosure are introduced into the enclosure in close proximity one to another so as to insure maximum intermixing of the different fluids.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for demulsifying an emulsion which can be either of the water-in-oil or oil-in-water type, which comprises mixing the emulsion with a mixture of two or more comiscible volatile solvents, at least one of which is miscible with the water and at least one of which is miscible with the oil, thereby causing the separation of the emulsion into an oil and a water layer. Preferably, the water-miscible solvent is an alcohol and the oil-miscible solvent is a light hydrocarbon, more preferably, a saturated hydrocarbon or a monoolefin. Since it is generally desirable to recover the solvent for reuse in emulsion breaking, the oil-miscible solvent will have a boiling point of at least 50.degree. C. less than the boiling point of the oil.