Separation and Purification of Liquids by Centrifugation, with Special Reference to Petroleum

Centrifugal force has been used for centuries for separating liquids butmachines for doing this are a comparatively recent development. The use ofthese machines is being extended into many industries but this paper isconfined to their use in the oil industry. The centrifugal machine is found atthe well where ?cut oil? is dehydrated for acceptance by pipe lines; and in therefinery and byproduct plant. In fact, wherever finely divided suspendedparticles should be removed from an oil, there is a possible use for acentrifugal machine, if the particles have, or can be made to have, a specificgravity different from that of the oil. Centrifugal machines are also used forcleaning fuel and lubricating oils and dehydrating transformer oils. Applications and Results When oil comes from the well mixed with water, it is spoken of as cut oil.Settling often does not remove sufficient water for the oil to be accepted bypipe lines, thus necessitating chemical or other treatment. Centrifuging alone, or following chemical treatment, effectively prepares such oil for pipe lines, as is shown by the following data: On the Oklahoma lease, the machine was cleaned of solid material once in 12hr. At first, it was thought that chemical treatment was necessary to startseparation and 1 qt. of prepared compound was added to each 100 bbl. of the cutoil before centrifuging. AIME 070–59