Abstract: This invention relates to a method and device to be used in connection with thickening and clarifying apparatuses for shear-thinning of solids containing material such as slurry. According to the invention the flow area of the shear-thinned material (11) is restricted by arranging a restriction element (12) in the conduit (4,15) for discharging back the shear-thinned material (11).

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions, systems and methods for demulsifying an emulsion including an aqueous phase and an organic phase by adding an effective amount of a composition comprising at least one quaternary organopolysiloxane or salt thereof to the emulsion, the composition optionally including at least one of quaternary epihalohydrin/polyamine copolymers or salts, and/or (poly)diallyldimethylammonium halides.

Abstract: A method and system for recovering fluid (e.g. liquid) hydrocarbons from both naturally-occurring and man-made mixtures of hydrocarbons and mineral substrates by the exploiting of buoyant beads.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing glycerol into one or more products are provided. In at least one specific embodiment, the method can include decreasing a pH of a mixture comprising glycerol and fatty acids to produce an emulsion comprising a glycerol-rich portion and a fatty acids-rich portion. At least a portion of the glycerol-rich portion can be reacted with an acid comprising phosphorus at conditions sufficient to produce a reacted product comprising glycerophosphoric acid, glycerol, and a portion of the acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the separation of oil and water, in particular through the action of a polymeric material on oil/water emulsions (including oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions).

Abstract: Hydroxyl polyester compounds or compositions which are useful as oilfield demulsifiers are prepared through esterifying carboxylic compounds and epoxide compounds under controlled molar ratios. The hydroxyl polyesters are useful as biodegradable demulsifiers on oil productions.

Abstract: Fatty esters of oligoesters of a dicarboxylic acid and a polyol retaining at least one free hydroxyl group, particularly of the formula (I): R1—[OR2O—C(O)—R3—(O)C—]m—R4 (I), where R1 is H, a monocarboxylic acid group, or R6O—[C(O)—R3—(O)C]—; R2s are residues of polyols having at least one substituent free hydroxyl; R3s are hydrocarbylene; R4 is —OH, —OM where M is a salt forming metal, amine or ammonium, —OR6, or —OR2O—R7; R5 is C7 to C21 hydrocarbyl; R6 is C8 to C22 hydrocarbyl; R7 is H, or —C(O)R5; and m is 1 to 20; provided that at least one of R1 and R4 is or includes a C8 to C22 group, are surfactants. A range of surfactant properties can be obtained by varying the molecules within these ranges. Especially where R2 is derived from a higher polyol e.g. sorbitol, R3 is C2 to C6, and the fatty terminal group is C8 to C14, the products can be highly water soluble and effective oil in water emulsifiers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for separating emulsions of oil and water, the method comprising incorporating a demulsifying-effective amount of a polyorganosiloxane demulsifier into an emulsion comprising an oil phase and an aqueous phase. The invention also relates to compositions containing polyorganosiloxane demulsifier and the water and oil phases of an emulsion.

Abstract: A method of demulsifying a water-in-oil emulsion is provided. The method includes treating a volume of fluids comprising oil and water by adding a salt of a polynuclear, aromatic sulfonic acid to the fluids so as to cause the oil and water to be at least partially demulsified. The method may further include separating water and oil in a separator. A method of producing hydrocarbons from a subsurface reservoir is also provided. The hydrocarbons include a water-in-oil emulsion. The method includes producing the hydrocarbons through a wellbore, and subjecting the water-in-oil emulsion to a salt of a polynuclear, aromatic sulfonic acid additive so as to cause the oil and water to be at least partially demulsified.

Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To provide a polyimidesiloxane solution composition that is excellent in defoaming ability and that can maintain the wettability of an outer lead bonded portion on a wiring board at a high level, even when it is applied on the surface of the wiring board and then cured, to form an insulating cured film. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A polyimidesiloxane solution composition which comprises an organic solvent, polyimidesiloxane soluble in the organic solvent, a curable components such as an epoxy compound and a polyvalent isocyanate compound, and a silicone defoamer, wherein the silicone defoaming agent comprises dimethylpolysiloxane, a polysiloxane compound having a hydrophilic group in a side chain or a terminal moiety, and a micro-powder silica.

Abstract: We disclose methods for measuring vitamin D metabolite in plasma or serum samples. The methods comprise a step of adding to the plasma or serum samples a non-competitive displacement agent comprising 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid ammonium salt, 3-(acetonylbenzyl)-4-hydroxycoumarin and a water miscible solvent. The non-competitive displacement agent separates vitamin D metabolite from binding proteins in the sample, such that the displaced vitamin D metabolite is available for capture and detection in subsequent binding assays. Thus, our invention finds use in methods of separating and detecting vitamin D metabolites otherwise tightly bound to plasma or serum binding proteins.

Abstract: Hydroxyl polyester compounds or compositions which are useful as oilfield demulsifiers are prepared through esterifying carboxylic compounds and epoxide compounds under controlled molar ratios. The hydroxyl polyesters are useful as biodegradable demulsifiers on oil productions.

Abstract: A composition comprising one or more siloxane cross-linked demulsifiers wherein said siloxane cross-linked demulsifiers are prepared by reacting one or more alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates, one or more polyalkylene glycols, or a mixture thereof, with up to about 1.0 molar equivalents of one or more silicon-based cross-linkers of formula R1R2R3R4Si wherein R1, R2, R3, R5, R6 and R7 are independently selected from H, Cl, C1-C4 alkyl and C1-C4 alkoxy; R4. is selected from H, Cl, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and a group of formula L1SiR5R6R7; L1 is absent or is selected from —O—, arylene and C1-C12 alkylene, optionally interrupted by one or more —O— or —N(R8)—; and R8 is H or C1-C4 alkyl and a method of using the demulsifier composition to resolve water-in-oil emulsions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of alkoxylated polyglycerols preparable by polycondensation of glycerol and subsequent alkoxylation for demulsifying water-oil emulsions, in particular in the production of crude oil from crude oil/water emulsions. The invention provides for the use of alkoxylated polyglycerols with a molecular weight of from 250 to 100,000 units which comprise 2 to 100 glycerol units whose free OH groups are alkoxylated with C2–C4-alkylene oxide groups or a mixture of such alkylene oxide groups so that the alkoxylated polyglycerol has a degree of alkoxylation of from 1 to 100 alkylene oxide units per free OH group. The alkoxylated polyglycerols of the present invention are employed for demulsifying oil/water emulsions in amounts of from 0.0001 to 5% by weight, based on the oil content of the emulsion to be demulsified.

Abstract: A method for reducing the toxicity of onium compounds, such as ammonium compounds and phosphonium compounds, by the use of certain additives is described. Suitable additives include, but are not necessarily limited to, carboxylic acids (e.g. naphthenic acids), sulfonic acids, organophosphonic acids, phenolic compounds, ether sulfates, phosphoric acid esters, sulfonated fatty acids, sulfated fatty acids, oligocarboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof, and alkali metal salts of these compounds and amine salts of these compounds.

Abstract: A process for preparing particles of a substance comprising contacting a first formulation including a first substance with a first solvent stream and a second solvent stream, thereby causing formation of particles of the first substance, wherein both the first and second solvent streams are in a non-supercritical state, and subjecting the resultant mixture to a separation process which causes separation of the first substance from the first and second solvent streams.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a foam control composition and to its use in foaming systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a foam control composition comprising a polysiloxane and a resin-filler made from MQ resins having at least one polyoxyalkylene group. The compositions of this invention exhibit excellent defoam effects and antifoam persistency.