How does presence of ammonia in the wash water or crude effects the desalting process? Does ammonia acts as an emulsifier that tends to cause lower desalting?
Answers
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17/05/2011
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A:
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Sudhakara Babu Marpudi, Dangote Oil Refinery Company, m_sudhakarababu@yahoo.com
Ammonia boosts pH of wash water. High pH leads to emulsion formation in Desalters. Tight emulsions carry the filterable solids to the Crude-water interphase and form a rag layer. Rag layers break releasing water as well as filterable solids into Desalted crude stream. This will lead to fouling of hot preheat trains. Poor preheat recovery leads to increased fired fuel consumption and that is a permanent loss. Tight emulsions also cause Oil under carry with brine and increase slops production which adds up to reprocessing costs.
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