The research is a study on the microscopic scale of the immiscible displacement of oil by water in a porous medium such as sandstone. Of particular interest (with application to the oil industry) are the residual saturation of oil, the permeability to water at residual oil saturation and the maximum trapped blob size. Initially the effects of gravity, surface tension and distribution of pore sizes were studied in a computer simulation of a buoyancy driven, quasi-static invasion. The rock was modelled as a three-dimensional lattice of spherical pores connected by narrow cylindrical throats. With the rock water-wet, the tendency of the surface tension to favour the invasion of smaller pores led to a larger residual oil saturation by pore volume than by pore numbers. Also bourne out were some scaling arguments based on percolation theory for the maximum trapped blob size as a function of the relative strength of buoyancy and surface tension forces. The second part of the research investigated the interaction of viscous and surface tension forces. As this is a much more complicated problem, involving the solution of flow equations, the invasion process was first simulated with exact equations of motion on small networks (up to 10x10), where surface tension effects dominate. From these simulations a simplified set of rules was developed to determine which pore in a locality on the oil-water interface is invaded and how long the invasion takes. These rules include a viscous correction to the dominant surface tension forces. Finally, some theory has been developed for the inclusion of the small-scale analysis into a larger model, allowing a full simulation of the viscous dominated invasion to be performed.

No description available.

In this work, we report a facile and robust surface membrane modification method via a simple coating of PVDF membrane using tannic acid (TA) followed by oxidation with sodium periodate (NaIO4). The modified membranes were investigated by SEM, AFM, XPS, FTIR, and a water contact angle measurement. The Contact angle measurement shows that the TA modified membrane exhibits superhydrophilicity and underwater oleophobicity. Results from FTIR and XPS indicate that the carboxylic groups were formed on the surface of the TA modified membrane due to the oxidation of quinone by NaIO4, which is the key to superhydrophilicity of the TA modified membrane surface. In addition, the modified membrane was tested for oil-in-water emulsion separation. A high TOC rejection of 99% was achieved for different kinds of surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions as well as the surfactant-free oil/water mixture. The modified membrane not only showed a good water flux and oil/water separation performance but also exhibited excellent recyclability and chemical stability. Also, the developed method is versatile and can be applied to the different types of substrate material. This robust, simple, and green approach gives great potential to fabricate large-scale material surfaces for the industrial oily wastewater treatment.

No description available.

No description available.

Report (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-53). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Master)--İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves. 70-73).

Master of Science / Department of Food Science Institute / Fadi M. Aramouni / To find an optimal formulation of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion pourable dressings containing 60% and 70% soybean oil, nine stabilizers common to the dressing industry were tested, each at three concentrations. The stabilizers tested were xanthan gum, propylene glycol alginate (PGA), a xanthan gum/guar gum/sodium alginate blend, a viscosifying modified corn starch, an emulsifying modified corn starch, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), liquid salted egg yolks, liquid salted whole eggs, and dried egg whites (DEW). The emulsions were made with a laboratory high shear disperser and evaluated over 8 weeks by measurement of creaming in 100- mL graduated cylinders and by change in viscosity as measured by a Brookfield viscometer. The stabilizers and concentrations most effective at preventing separation and maintaining viscosity were MCC at 1%, 2%, and 3% in the 60% oil emulsion and 0.25% xanthan gum in the 70% oil emulsion. Average viscosities ranged from 3300 - 23,400 centipoise (cP). The emulsifying starch and dried egg whites were also effective at preventing creaming, but failed to maintain viscosity. The other ingredients showed some initial emulsion stability followed by either a gradual or sudden decrease in stabilization, as seen by decreasing viscosity and eventual separation.

Aromatic hydrocarbons are a prevalent constituent of crude oil. The refined products of crude oil such as petroleum and diesel can find their way into groundwater though oil-spillages and are also present in the oil and gas industry’s produced water. These aromatics are biorecalcitrant, however upon ingestion with water, may be metabolised to toxic intermediates that are carcinogenic or mutagenic in nature. Although some treatment technologies are available most of these are under development and are yet to be proven in the field. This illustrates the need for novel, economical and environmentally friendly technologies to be developed with a view to remediating aqueous systems that have been polluted with aromatics hydrocarbons. The supramolecular cyclodextrin molecule, with its hydrophobic interior and hydrophobic exterior seems to be an excellent molecule for the trapping of the pollutant molecules, however the inclusion complexes with this cyclic sugar are water-soluble therefore there is a need for the cyclodextrin to be rendered waterinsoluble. A study of the aqueous solubilities of some aromatic hydrocarbons that may be present in crude oil has been carried out and shows that the majority of these molecules have a degree of water solubility that may increase upon environmental weathering. The successful reaction between a solid-phase resin and the β-cyclodextrin molecule has been achieved, with the total dryness of the system being required including Soxhlet extraction of the resin with anhydrous acetone before the reaction. The reaction between β-cyclodextrin and a range of isocyanates proved unsuccessful, but a range of symmetrical aryl ureas were synthesised from their isocyanates with the influence that different activating or deactivating groups on the ring have on the propensity to form the ureas being shown. The successful alkylation between β-cyclodextrin and a series of haloalkanes has shown the effect of increasing chain length on the degree of alkylation. This reaction involved the deprotonation of the cyclodextrin by sodium hydride in anhydrous dimethyl sulphoxide followed by reaction with the alkyl iodide. Increasing the equivalents of hydride or iodide, or the reaction time did not have a noticeable effect on the degree of reaction indicating that steric constraints were limiting the degree of reaction. Testing several of these alkyl iodides gave an indication as to their tendency to uptake and remove several model pollutants that had been dissolved in water with the propylated β-cyclodextrin displaying potential for the remediation of aqueous systems that had been polluted. Several of these results were very promising leading to the conclusion that further derivatives of these alkylated sugars may be even more suitable for future research into the remediation of organically polluted aqueous systems.

The objective of this research was to systematically study the effect of processing conditions on crystallization behavior and destabilization mechanisms of oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions. The effects of oil content (20 and 40 wt %); crystallization temperature (Tc = 10, 5, 0, -5, -10 °C); homogenization conditions, such as high shear (HS), very low pressure homogenization (VLPH), and high pressure homogenization (HPH); and cooling rate (0.2 and 30 °C/min) on both thermal behavior and destabilization mechanisms were analyzed. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was added to VLPH emulsions and its effect on the physicochemical and oxidative stabilities and flavor was studied. Emulsions with 20% oil were less stable than those with 40% oil with a fast-cooling rate; however, stability increased when the emulsions were cooled slowly. Stability was also affected by oil and droplet size; the smaller the droplet the more stable the system. Smaller droplets (i.e., VLPH, HPH) had an effect on crystallization by delaying the onset of the crystal formation, which was promoted in emulsions with larger droplets (i.e., HS); 20% o/w emulsion crystallization was delayed more than 40%; and in emulsions crystallized using a slow-cooling rate, the crystal formation was less inhibited (i.e., crystals formed at a higher onset temperature [Ton], but at lower Tc) than when using a fast-cooling rate. The formation of lipid crystals either helped stabilize (small droplets) the emulsion and melted in a less fractionated manner or destabilized (big droplets) the emulsion. In addition, fast-cooling rates have greater fractionation than slow-cooling rates. Due to the greater stability of VLPH emulsions after thawing from being at -10 °C for 3 h, DHA was added to evaluate its effect on flavor (besides the effect on stability) of the emulsion. A descriptive panel was used to evaluate four attributes: oxidized, rancid, fishy, and buttery. The panelists were given samples after 72 h, because contrary to the TBA analysis which showed no significant differences between samples with and without DHA, the fishy smell was evident. The sensory evaluation results showed that there was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in fishiness between the VLPH emulsions with and without DHA, and that the odor was repulsive. No significance was seen for rancid and buttery flavors, and only a marginal significance was seen for oxidized.