Process for breaking emulsions

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR DEMULSIFYING A WATER-IN-OIL OR AN OIL-IN WATER EMULSION WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING THE EMULSION TO THE DEMULSIFYING ACTION OF AN AMOUNT OF DEMULSIFYING COMPOSITION EFFECTIVE FOR DEMULSIFYING THE EMULSION AND SEPARATING THE RESULTING OIL AND WATER PHASES, THE DEMULSIFYING COMPOSITION BEING FORMED BY: ADMIXING AND REACTING AT 25* - 125*C I. A MEMBER SELECTED FROM A FIRST GROUP CONSISTING OF AMMONIA, A PRIMARY ALKYLAMINE HAVING 4-12 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE, AND A ALKYLENEPOLYAMINE HAVING 4-12 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE AND 1-6 PRIMARY AMINO GROUPS PER MOLUCULE, (II) A MEMBER SELECTED FROM A SECOND GROUP CONSISTING OF A SECONDARY ALKYL AMINE HAVING 2-8 CARBON ATOMS AND 1-6 SECONDARY AMINO GROUPS PER MOLECULE AND A SECONDARY ALKYLENEPOLYAMINE HAVING 3-28 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE AND AT LEAST 1 SECONDARY AMINO GROUP PER MOLECULE, (III) A MEMBER SELECTED FROM A THIRD GROUP CONSISTING OF AN EPIHALOHYDRIN AND A DIHALOHYDRIN HAVING 3-10 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE, AND (IV) WATER TO FROM A MIXTURE, THE EQUIVALENT RATIO OF THIRD GROUP MEMBER TO FIRST GROUP MEMBER BEING 1:0.009-0.5 AND THE EQUIVALENT RATIO OF THE THIRD GROUP MEMBER TO FIRST GROUP MEMBER PLUS SECOND GROUP MEMBER BEING 1:0.22-1.3 AND THE MOLE RATIO OF THIRD GROUP MEMBER TO WATER BEING 1:1-100.

Claim 3

A process for demulsifying a water-in-oil or an oil-in-water emulsion which comprises subjecting the emulsion to the demulsifying action of an amount of a demulsifying agent effective for demulsifying the emulsion and separating the resulting oil and water phases, the demulsifying composition being formed by: a. admixing (i) a member selected from a first group consisting of ammonia, a primary alkylamine having 4-12 carbon atoms per molecule, and an alkylenepolyamine having 4-12 carbon atoms per molecule and 1-6 primary amino groups per molecule; (ii) a member selected from a second group consisting of a secondary alkyl amine having 2-8 carbon atoms and 1-6 secondary amino groups per molecule and a secondary alkylenepolyamine having 3-28 carbon atoms per molecule and 2-15 secondary amino groups per molecule; (iii) a member from a third group consisting of epichlorohydrin, epibromohydrin, and a dihalohydrin having 3-10 carbon atoms per molecule; and (iv) water to form a mixture, the equivalent ratio of third group member to first group member being 1:0.02-0.5, the equivalent ratio of third group member to first group member plus second group member being 1: 0.25-1, and the mole ratio of third group member to water being 1:2-50; and b. maintaining the mixture at 35*-125*C until its viscosity becomes 20-20,000 centipoises to form an aqueous solution of said demulsifying composition.

Claim 4

A process for demulsifying a water-in-oil or an oil-in-water emulsion which comprises subjecting the emulsion to the demulsifying action of an amount of a demulsifying agent effective for demulsifying the emulsion and separating the resulting oil and water phases, the demulsifying composition being formed by: a. admixing (i) a member selected from a first group consisting of ammonia, a primary alkylamine having 4-12 carbon atoms per molecule, and an alkylenepolyamine having 4-12 carbon atoms per molecule and 1-6 primary amino groups per molecule; (ii) a member selected from a second group consisting of a secondary alkyl amine having 2-8 carbon atoms and 1-6 secondary amino groups per molecule and a secondary alkylenepolyamine having 3-28 carbon atoms per molecule and 2-15 secondary amino groups per molecule; (iii) a member from a third group consisting of epichlorohydrin, epibromohydrin, and a dihalohydrin having 3-10 carbon atoms per molecule; and (iv) water to form a mixture, the equivalent ratio of third group member to first group member being 1:0.02-0.5, the equivalent ratio of third group member to first group member plus second group member being 1: 0.25-1, and the mole ratio of third group member to water being 1:2-50; and b. maintaining the mixture at 35*-125*C until its viscosity becomes 20-20,000 centipoises to form an aqueous solution of said demulsifying composition.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 in which the first group member is dimethylaminopropylamine.

Claim 6

The process of claim 2 in which the second group member is dimethylamine.

Claim 7

The process of claim 2 in which the third group member is epichlorohydrin.

Claim 8

The process of claim 2 in which the third group member is epibromohydrin.

Claim 9

The process of claim 2 in which the emulsion is a water-in-oil emulsion.

Claim 10

The process of claim 2 in which the oil component of the emuLsion is a petroleum oil.

Claim 11

The process of claim 2 in which the secondary alkylenepolyamine has 3-8 carbon atoms per molecule.

Claim 12

A process for breaking an oil-in-water or a water-in-oil emulsion comprising admixing with the emulsion an aqueous solution of a condensate of: a. a member selected from a first group consisting of ammonia, methylamine, ethylamine, normal propylamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, isopropylamine, and dimethylaminopropylamine; b. a member selected from a second group consisting of dimethylamine, diethylamine, di-n-propylamine, di-isopropylamine, di-n-butylamine, methyl-n-propylamine, methylisopropylamine, and methylethylamine; and c. a member selected from a third group consisting of epichlorohydrin, bromochlorhydrin, CH2ClCHClCH2OH, CH2ClCH2(OH)CH2Cl, CH3CHClCHClCH2OH, CH3CHClCH(OH)CH2Cl, CH3CH2CHClCHClCH2OH, CH3CHClCHClCH(OH)CH3, CH3CH2CHClCH(OH)CH2Cl, CH3CH2CH(OH)CHClCH2Cl, CH3CHClCH(OH)CHClCH3,

Claim 13

A process for breaking an oil-in-water or a water-in-oil emulsion comprising admixing with the emulsion an aqueous solution of a condensate of: a. a member selected from a first group consisting of ammonia, methylamine, ethylamine, normal propylamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, isopropylamine, and dimethylaminopropylamine; b. a member selected from a second group consisting of dimethylamine, diethylamine, di-n-propylamine, di-isopropylamine, di-n-butylamine, methyl-n-propylamine, methylisopropylamine, and methylethylamine; and c. a member selected from a third group consisting of epichlorohydrin, bromochlorhydrin, CH2ClCHClCH2OH, CH2ClCH2(OH)CH2Cl, CH3CHClCHClCH2OH, CH3CHClCH(OH)CH2Cl, CH3CH2CHClCHClCH2OH, CH3CHClCHClCH(OH)CH3, CH3CH2CHClCH(OH)CH2Cl, CH3CH2CH(OH)CHClCH2Cl, CH3CHClCH(OH)CHClCH3,

Claim 14

The process of claim 10 in which the first group member is dimethylaminopropylamine.

Claim 15

The process of claim 10 in which the second group member is dimethylamine.

Claim 16

The process of claim 10 in which the third group member is epichlorohydrin.

Claim 17

The process of claim 10 in which the first group member is dimethylaminopropylamine, the second group member is dimethylamine, and the third group member is epichlorohydrin.