Process and device for separation of liquids emulsified in mixtures of liquids and gases dissolved in mixtures of liquids and gases by localized pressure reduction

1. A method for dehydration and degasification of crude petroleum solutions or emulsions with water, contained into a closed processing tank so as to obtain water with necessary characteristics for injection without pollution of underground aquifers, and acceleration of settling of the water in a lower part of an emulsion or solution, the method comprising:

compressing a processing gas;

generating a current of the compressed processing gas; and

projecting the current of the processing gas tangentially along and onto a free surface of the emulsion or solution to be processed over a localized zone within the closed processing tank without affecting an overall pressure inside the closed processing tank, thus creating a localized zone of reduced pressure on a part of the free surface of the emulsion or solution to be processed within the closed processing tank, wherein

the current of the processing gas makes an angle, before contacting the free surface of the emulsion or solution, which varies between zero and thirty degrees, the pressure reduction bringing about rapid separation of fluids in the emulsion or solution.

2. A process of claim 1 , wherein the angle of the current of processing gas, before coming into contact with the free surface of the emulsion or solution, varies between zero and eight degrees.

3. A process of claim 1 , wherein the processing gas is a recycled gas coming from the emulsion or solution to be processed, another gas compatible with the process, or an inert gas, coming from a source outside of the emulsion or solution to be processed.

4. A process of claim 1 , wherein the localized zone is determined by a surface of a plate, which is arranged outside of the free surface of the remaining liquid stored within the closed processing tank, on which the emulsion or solution to be processed is sprinkled and drains off.

5. A process of claim 4 , wherein the projecting of the current of processing gas has either an opposite current or is concurrent with the emulsion or solution to be processed, which is sprinkled and drains off the plate.

6. A device to implement the process according to claim 1 , comprising:

a closed processing tank;

a compressor device for processing gas;

an injector for injecting the processing gas compressed by the compressor device;

a pipeline to take the processing gas from the compressor device to the injector;

a pressure regulating valve;

an inlet for the emulsion or solution to be processed; and

an outlet for the treated liquid and an outlet for liquid separated by gravity in the closed processing tank,

wherein the injector is oriented relative to the free surface of the emulsion or solution inside the closed processing tank to project a current of the processing gas tangentially along and onto the free surface of the emulsion or solution present inside the closed processing tank onto the localized zone of the free surface of the emulsion or solution, the current of processing gas making an angle before contacting the surface, which angle varies between zero and thirty degrees.

7. A device according to claim 6 , wherein the free surface of emulsion or solution on which is created a localized zone of reduced pressure is defined by a plate on which the emulsion or solution is dispersed, the surface being planar or curved.

8. A device according to claim 7 , wherein the surface of the plate is wavy or corrugated so as to increase contact surface with the emulsion or solution to be processed in the localized zone of reduced pressure.

9. A device according to claim 7 , wherein the plate is heated by an external heating device, enabling a more rapid evaporation of the emulsion or solution and or gases with lower evaporation temperatures.

10. A device according to claim 7 , wherein the plate is combined with one or more floats.

11. A device according to claim 7 , wherein the surface of the plate receives the emulsion or solution to be processed directly from outside the closed processing tank.

12. A device according to claim 7 , wherein the surface of the plate receives the emulsion or solution to be processed directly, by recirculation, from inside the closed processing tank.

13. A device according to claim 6 , comprising a plurality of plates.

14. A device according to claim 6 ,

wherein the closed processing tank is a hydrocyclone,

wherein the emulsion or solution to be treated is centrifuged, and

wherein the injector for projecting the processing gas being compressed is an annular injector oriented in relation to the free surface of the emulsion or solution moving within the hydrocyclone to project a current of the processing gas tangentially along the free surface onto a part of the free surface, the current of processing gas making an angle before coming into contact with the surface, which angle varies between zero and thirty degrees.

15. A device to implement the process according to claim 1 , comprising:

a closed processing tank;

a compressor device for processing gas;

a Venturi static machine, whose driving fluid is a processing gas and/or compatible outside gas, compressed by the compressor device;

a pipe to take the processing gas to the compressor device, which will inject the processing gas as the driving fluid into the Venturi static machine;

a heat exchanger, at the outlet of the Venturi static machine, for processing the gaseous mixture coming from the Venturi static machine;

a pressure regulating valve;

an inlet for the emulsion or solution to be treated; and

an outlet for the treated emulsion or solution and an outlet for emulsion or solution separated by gravity, wherein one end of an aspiration pipe of the Venturi static machine is arranged above a part of the free surface of the emulsion or solution inside the closed processing tank to project a current of the processing gas tangentially along and onto the free surface of the emulsion or solution.

16. A process of claim 1 , wherein the free surface is an upper surface of the emulsion or solution to be processed.

17. A method for dehydration and degasification of crude petroleum solutions or emulsions with water, contained into a closed processing tank so as to obtain water with necessary characteristics for injection without pollution of underground aquifers, and acceleration of settling of the water in a lower part of an emulsion or solution, the method comprising:

projecting the current of the processing gas tangentially along and onto a free surface of the emulsion or solution to be processed over a localized zone within the closed processing tank without affecting an overall pressure inside the closed processing tank, thus creating a localized zone of reduced pressure on a part of the free surface of the emulsion or solution to be processed within the closed processing tank,

wherein the creating the localized zone of reduced pressure is achieved by applying an end of an aspiration pipe of a Venturi static machine on the free surface of the emulsion or solution to be processed, the processing gas or an outside gas being used as a driving fluid in the Venturi static machine.

18. A process of claim 17 , wherein the processing gas used to achieve a localized zone of reduced pressure, after passing over the surface of the emulsion or solution and being saturated with vapors and gases liberated, is evacuated from the closed processing tank for subsequent processing or storage.

19. A process of claim 17 , wherein the processing gas used to achieve a localized zone of reduced pressure, after passing an intake zone of the Venturi static machine, is saturated with the vapors liberated and is evacuated from the closed processing tank for subsequent processing or storage.