POLYMERS USEFUL AS DEMULSIFIERS AND CLARIFIERS
A polymer useful as a flocculent, demulsifier or water clarifier may be selected from those having the general formula: wherein R is an alkyl group having from 3 to about 7 carbons and X is an integer having a value of at least two. The alkyl group may be linear or branched.
1 . A process for demulsifying a fluid comprising admixing a fluid and a poly alkylacrylamide wherein the fluid has a hydrocarbon phase and an aqueous phase.
2 . The process of claim 1 wherein the multiphase fluid has two phases; a hydrocarbon phase and a continuous aqueous phase.
3 . The process of claim 2 additionally comprising a third phase which is a solid.
4 . The process of claim 1 wherein the poly alkylacrylamide has the general formula:
wherein R is an alkyl group having from 3 to about 7 carbons and X is an integer having a value of at least two.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein X is an integer having a value of at least 2 to about 25,000.
6 . The method of claim 4 wherein X is an integer having a value of about 10 to about 1500.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the poly alkylacrylamide is a homopolymer.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the poly alkylacrylamide is poly N-isopropylacrylamide.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the alkylacrylamide is copolymerized with other monomers to impart other functional groups to improve interfacial interactions.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the alkylacrylamide is present at a concentration of at least 40 mole-%.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the alkylacrylamide is present at a concentration of from at least 40 to about 90 mole-%.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the poly alkylacrylamide is present in the fluid at a concentration of from about 1 to about 1000 ppm.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the poly alkylacrylamide is present in the fluid at a concentration of from about 10 to about 100 ppm.
14 . The method of claim 3 wherein the fluid is a production fluid.
15 . A process for clarifying water having particulate matter suspended therein comprising admixing an aqueous suspension of particulate matter with a poly alkylacrylamide.
16 . The process of claim 15 wherein the poly alkylacrylamide has the general formula:
wherein R is an alkyl group having from 3 to about 7 carbons and X is an integer having a value of at least two.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein X is an integer having a value of at least 2 to about 25,000.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein X is an integer having a value of about 10 to about 1500.
19 . The method of claim 15 wherein the water is selected from the group consisting of process water, waste water and combinations thereof.
20 . A process for clarifying solids from an organic fluid comprising admixing the organic fluid with a poly alkylacrylamide.