NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Using V✧SEP to Treat Desalter Effluent Study An effective and economical solution

New Logic Research has developed an innovative and rugged Ultrafiltration Membrane System for the treatment of desalter effluent. In the past, desalter effluent has been something that a refinery has just put up with and tried to manage as best it can. Now by utilizing the proprietary VSEP Filtration System, desalter effluent can be treated and mitigated at the source.

Crude Oil Basics

Crude oils are complex mixtures containing many different hydrocarbon compounds that vary in appearance and composition from one oil field to another. Crude oils range in consistency from water to tar-like solids, and in color from clear to black. An “average” crude Desalting - The First Step in Crude oil contains about 84% carbon, 14% Oil Refining constantly varying conditions is a key hydrogen, 1%-3% sulfur, and less than ingredient to success of the entire 1% each of nitrogen, oxygen, metals, Desalting and dewatering of crude oil refinery operation. The main function and salts. Refinery crude base stocks upstream of the crude distillation unit of the Desalter is to remove salt and usually consist of mixtures of two or is a key process operation for the water form the crude oil. However, more different crude oils. removal of undesirable components many other contaminants such as clay, from crude oil before it reaches any of silt, rust, and other debris also need to Crude oils are also defined in terms of the major unit operations. The operation be removed. These can cause corrosion API (American Petroleum Institute) of a desalting system can be very and fouling of downstream equipment. gravity. A crude with a high API gravity challenging due to changing process Also, there are metals that can deactivate are usually rich in paraffins and tend to variables. At best, it is a process of catalysts used in the process of refining. yield greater proportions of gasoline and measuring trade-offs and compromises. light petroleum products. Crude oils that Desalter Theory contain appreciable quantities of A delicate balance must be maintained hydrogen sulfide or other reactive sulfur while controlling mixing intensity, wash The Desalter removes contaminants compounds are called “sour.” Those water quality, chemical demulsifier feed from crude oil by first emulsifying the with less sulfur are called “sweet.” and other parameters that can provide crude oil with chemicals and wash water optimal salt removal. On one hand the to promote thorough contact of the water All crude oils are assayed and valued quality of the crude overflow must be and oil. The salts containing some of the depending on their potential yield. within specific standards and on the metals that can poison catalysts are Crude Oil with low assay numbers is other hand the under-carry must not be dissolved in the water phase. After the referred to as “Opportunity Crude”. This so potent that it compromises the oil has been washed and mixed as an type of oil will be more difficult to system’s dehydration abilities or fouls emulsion of oil and water, demulsifying process due to higher levels of up downstream wastewater treatment. chemicals are then added and contaminants and water. This type of New legislative demands placed on electrostatic fields are used to break the crude will typically give desalter effluent water quality present the emulsion. Desalters are sized to allow equipment the most trouble and require operator with a difficult challenge. the water and oil to settle and separate the greatest skill of the operator. Optimizing the desalting process under according to Stoke’s Law.

V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study In addition, solids present in the crude and fouling downstream in the heat Refinery Wastewater will accumulate in the bottom of the exchangers, furnaces, and distillation desalter vessel. The desalter must be units, if not removed. Electrical The desalter effluent is a major source periodically washed to remove the desalting is the application of high- of contaminated wastewater and a accumulated solids. voltage electrostatic charges to source of hydrocarbons as oil under concentrate suspended water globules in carry to the extent that emulsions are not A’“mud washing” system is installed in the bottom of the settling tank. completely broken. Oil under carry can the bottom of the vessel to periodically Surfactants are added only when the be the single largest source of oil losses remove the solids. Mud washing crude has a large amount of suspended to the wastewater treatment system. consists of recycling a portion of the solids. Reduction in the amount of Oil in the desalter effluent water to agitate the undercarry not only reduces sewer accumulated solids so that they are Other less-common processes involve loadings but also recovers valuable raw washed out into the effluent water. filtering heated crude using material that would otherwise be lost. These solids are then routed to the diatomaceous earth and chemical Rates vary with the water content of the wastewater system. treatment and settling. Ammonia is often crude oil and the degree of difficulty in used to reduce corrosion. Caustic or acid desalting the crude, but a representative Desalter effluent or undercarry is a may be added to adjust the pH of the rate would be around 2-2.5 gallons of combination or many things including water wash. wastewater per barrel of crude oil feed the mud wash done at periodic intervals, to the unit. Desalter water contains salt, produced water that came with the Wastewater and contaminants are sludge, rust, clay, and varying amounts crude, and the brine wash water discharged from the bottom of the of emulsified oil (oil under carry). resulting from the dilution and removal settling tank to the wastewater treatment Depending on the crude oil source, it of salts and other contaminants. facility. The desalted crude is may or may not contain significant continuously drawn from the top of the levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), Desalter Process settling tank and sent to the crude ammonia, and phenolic compounds. distillation tower. A properly performing Relatively high levels of suspended and To accomplish desalting, the crude is desalter can remove about 90% of the dissolved solids are usually observed. first preheated to 120º-150º with heat salt in raw crude. exchangers in order to reach the required Refinery Process Wastewater Description Waste Byproducts viscosity level normally in the range of Storage Tanks Crude Oil comes with a considerable amount of Sulfides, Salts, TDS, and Oil 5-15 centi-stoke. water. During storage of the crude, this water settles in the storage tanks and is periodically drained off. The temperature is limited by the vapor Desalting Unit The Desalting process produces salt water from the Chlorides, Carbonates, pressure of the crude-oil feedstock. washing of the crude oil. The undercarry from the Sulfides, and Oil desalter conatins the produced water that came About 2-6% wash water is metered in with the crude as well as wash water which is added ahead of the desalter as an extraction prior to dealting to dilute and remove contaminants agent in addition to emulsifying agents Distillation Oily sour water is drained from the "knock-down" Sulfur and Ammonia to help dissolve salts and sediments. sump vessels of the fractionators. Intense mixing of the crude, wash water, and chemicals then takes place over a LPG Caustic Washing In the liquid petroleum gas caustic wash unit, casutic High Sulfides caustic is added to convert Sulfur (H2S) to Sodium mixing valve. Di-Sulfide (NaS2)

Once in the pressurized desalter vessel, Cooling Tower Blowdown Water used for cooling is recirculated in a closed loop. Corrosion Inhibitors, TDS Water drained as "blow-down to maintain acceptable the salts and sediment settle with wash temperature and dissolved solids levels. water and tend to form emulsions. The wash water is separated by electrostatic Miscellaneous Other wastewaters are produced from wash down of Propane, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, operations, boiler blowdown, MEK de-waxing, and TDS, Oil and others precipitation using high voltage and de- Propane De=asphalting emulsifiers and acid. The salts that are removed are mainly chlorides and carbonates. They can cause corrosion Sources of wastewater during the refinery process V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study Process Variables Affecting Desalter Performance use of membrane filtration results in materials and modules. Through the reduced capital, chemical, operating, innovations in membrane chemistry and Crude Oil Quality and energy-consumption costs. The design, membrane filtration Crude Oil Feed Rate potential for economic benefit to the technologies will establish a leadership role in the chemical processing market. Temperature, Viscosity, and Density user industry is revolutionary. Recent advancements including the Electrical Field Intensity Crude oil refiners facing global invention of Teflon, Kynar, and Wash Water Quality competition are looking for new inorganic membranes have made their Wash Water Feed Rate technologies for product manufacturing use practical even for the most Emulsifiers Rate that can improve operations aggressive chemical environment. Water Level Control performance, reduce operating costs, and stem pollution problems before they The VSEP Technology Emulsion Layer Thickness occur. Conventional separation Demulsifier Rate processes have been around for many Historically, membrane manufacturers Mud Washing Technique years and have been optimized to the have utilized tangential or crossflow Brine Recycling Process greatest extent possible. With new filtration to reduce solids loading of the regulations on emissions, demand for membrane. In this method, the feed high product quality, and burgeoning material is pumped at high velocity into VSEP Membrane Filtration - energy costs, traditional separation the system. This creates shear forces at Enabling Technology for Desalter methods cannot achieve the purity or the surface of the membrane. However, Effluent efficiency levels required for today’s these forces were economically limited. market. Innovative separation This has restricted crossflow type The most fundamental process in a technologies are needed for this filtration to low viscosity, watery refinery operation that of separation. changing environment. materials. Since the desalter is the first step in refining of crude oil, a bottleneck at the Polymeric membranes have continually In order to overcome these limitations, desalter is a bottleneck for a billion- evolved from their initial use as water a vibrating membrane system called dollar refinery asset. In addition, the purification and laboratory devices. VSEP was created by New Logic of desalter will be the predominant source Thousands of patents have been filed in Emeryville, California. Rather than of wastewater in a refinery and an upset recent years having to do with the simply preventing solids loading by in the desalter can cause upsets in the polymer chemistry of membranes or the pumping at high velocity, VSEP wastewater treatment plant and put that method of delivering the membrane eliminates membrane blinding by system at risk of not meeting discharge filtration process. Approximately 50 vibrating the membrane surface at requirements. The current methods of U.S. companies are involved in the $2.5 extremely high frequency. This desalter operation are focused on coping billion worldwide market for membrane vibration produces shear waves that and adjusting with the variations in process variables that are inevitable. The treatment method involves a crude gravity separator combined with chemical manipulation and operator expertise. This process is antiquated and less than desirable from a redundancy and processing point of view.

The VSEP polymeric membrane filtration process offers an innovative, precise, and utterly redundant separation technique for crude oil refining and processing. In addition to enabling a range of very fine selective separations, Vibration of the membrane surface prevents colloidal fouling V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study propagate sinusoidally from the surface of the membrane. This increase in the Emulsifier Demulsifier

pH shear energy produces 5-15 times higher Crude Oil Electrostatic Adjust Charge Storage Tank rates of filtration and also, makes Wash membrane separations possible for very Water Desalted Crude Gravity Desalter concentrated or viscous materials, like Heat Mixing desalter effluent. Exchanger Valve

On or Off 65 Mesh Existing The industrial VSEP unit contains Prescreen Check Wastewater P P Valve FM Treatment On or Off hundreds of sheets of membranes, 2" Line 2" Line Centrifugal Pump which are arrayed as parallel disks On or Off V✧SEP Simplified P&ID Drawing VSEP P separated by gaskets. The disk stack is On or Off Feed Tank Throttling contained within a fiberglass reinforced The VSEP can be configured to handle the On or Off FM entire desalter effluent flow, or can be set up Cleaning plastic cylinder (FRP). This entire to treat "Rag Layer" blow down only using Tank 400 Gal. automated directional ball valves to the VSEP On or Off assembly is vibrated in torsional feed tank and existing wastewater treatment Sludge Blowdown Rag Layer Sludge oscillation, similar in principle to the to Coker agitation of a washing machine. VSEP can produce extremely high shear Typical VSEP Process Diagram for Desalter Effluent energy at the surface of the membrane. The membrane module is attached to a An AC motor controlled by a variable this happens some of the rag layer spring assembly and moves at an frequency speed controller provides the emulsion comes with it. This blow amplitude of 7/8” peak-to-peak resonant excitation that produces the down is what can give conventional displacement. The membrane module vibration. The motor spins and eccentric chemical wastewater treatment plants oscillates at between 50 and 55 Hz. The weight coupled to the seismic mass. trouble. The VSEP can be set up to fluid is gently pumped through”the Since the eccentricity of the weight (i.e., handle the entire flow of the desalter module while a highly focused shear its center of mass lies heavily on one effluent including both the briny salt zone at the surface of the membrane is geometric side) induces a wobble, the water as well as the modulating rag layer created by the resonating oscillation. Seismic Mass begins to move as the blowdown. Or, by using automated Rejected solids at the membrane surface motor speed increases. This energy is valves, the VSEP can be configured to are repelled by the shear waves and are transmitted up the torsion spring handle only the rag layer blow down. washed away becoming more and more inducing the same wobble in the filter concentrated until the reject exits the pack, however 180˚ out of phase. As If the VSEP will handle the entire module. the motor speed approaches the desalter effluent flow, the desalter is set resonance frequency, the amplitude of to a continuous mud wash process to the moving filter pack reaches a even out the solids loading in the feed maximum. The resonant frequency to the VSEP. Then the VSEP will vibration employed by VSEP is dewater this effluent and send a extremely energy efficient. concentrated sludge to the Coker. If the VSEP will only handle the rag layer VSEP Desalter Treatment Process blowdown, the mud wash operator Options controls destination valves accordingly. While the desalter is just draining salt- A process schematic for treatment of a water effluent, the waste will be sent to typical desalter effluent process using a the existing treatment plant. Then just VSEP system is presented in the figure prior to a mud wash, destination valves above. There are a number of possible will configure to feed the desalter scenarios for filtration. During the effluent to the VSEP. After the mud evacuation of the desalter undercarry, wash, the valves revert back to the the settled solids will be washed out of original position feeding the wastewater the system to prevent build up. When treatment plant.

V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study Desalter Effluent Filtration Permeate of total suspended solids (TSS. UF Membrane 192 GPM (43.6 m3/hr) Membrane selection is based on 0% TSS material compatibility, flux rates (capacity) and concentration Feed requirements. In this example, the TSS 240 GPM (54.5 m3/hr) 2% TSS V✧SEP Filtration System reduction is well over 99% while the 3900 SF (362.5 m2) oily waste is concentrated from a starting feed of 1.5-2% to a final concentrate of 13.3% by weight. Operating Conditions: V✧SEP Concentrate 70 psi (480 kPa) 48 GPM (10.9 m3/hr) 55ºC 13.3% TSS pH 8.0 Use of VSEP Oily Sludge as Coker Feedstock

Refineries that have Coker operations VSEP Block Diagram for Desalter Effluent can consume quantities of oil bearing waste and residual streams as Coker The VSEP can be constructed using a valve will throttle the flow of the reject feedstock without affecting petroleum variety of membrane types. In this case, to a rate that will produce the desired coke product quality. Oil-containing the filtrate from the VSEP would go to concentration of suspended solids. VSEP sludge can be used as Coker an existing wastewater treatment facility Three industrial scale VSEP units, using feedstock as a method to dispose and the only objective is to remove ultra-filtration membranes are used to hazardous waste and also to recover the suspended oil and solids to take the load treat the 240 gpm process effluent. The oil. Other sludge sources that have been off the treatment plant and prevent concentrated reject stream is at a successfully fed to a Coker unit include upsets. New Logic has over 200 concentration of about 13.3% TSS and exchanger bundle sludge, filter cake membranes to choose from and can use is sent to the Coker for recovery of the from tank cleaning, primary treatment any membrane from reverse osmosis to oil and hydrocarbons. VSEP generates sludge, oil emulsions, and slop oil microfiltration and will select a a permeate stream of about 192 gpm emulsion solids. Coke product membrane that meets the specifications which is sent on to the existing specifications are typically the limiting required. VSEP can be configured using wastewater treatment plant. The factor in determining how much of this tighter membranes that would bypass permeate contains less than ~ 1 mg/L material can be processed. the wastewater treatment plant altogether and produce water suitable for discharge.

Case Study Process Conditions

The oily wastewater is fed to the VSEP treatment system at a rate of 240 gpm. The VSEP system will monitor tank level and will adjust based upon demand. The VSEP feed tank acts as a primary settling tank. It is cone bottomed and heavy solids settle quickly where they are purged. The feed to the VSEP is taken out of the side of the tank to eliminate excessive maintenance cleaning of a protective 60 mesh pre- screen to the VSEP. As the system initiates, a feed pump will spin up to a pressure of 70 psig. Then a modulating 700,000 gpd VSEP Ultrafiltration Membrane System V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study

VSEP - An Engineered Solution AB ALLEN-BRADLEY PanelView 550 VIBRATION START STOP STATUS-1 789 5 PRESSURE IN: 125 psi PRESSURE OUT: 115 psi 4 6 TEMPERATURE: 35 C MOTOR LOAD: 38 .77% 456 OP MODE: AUTO 3 7 123 The Feed Pump is on. The VSEP membrane filtration system Vibration is on. .0_ 2 8 TOUCH / KEYPAD F1:NEXT F5: MAIN F1 F2 F3F4 F5 1 9 DISPLAY has been designed specifically for the F6 F7 F8F9 F10 MIN MAX chemical-processing user. The systems are completely automated, compact, and reliable. With very few moving parts, SENSORS VAC- VAC- VAC- VAC- VDC 1 OUT 0 OUT 1 OUT 2 OUT 3 VDC 2 OUT 4 OUT 5 OUT 6 OUT 7 VDC 3OUT 8 OUT 9 OUT 10 OUT 11 VDC 4 OUT 12 OUT 13 OUT 14 OUT 15 Pressure In maintenance is simplified. Each VSEP ALLEN-BRADLEY 1747-L40A (fixed unit) Pressure Out system built is custom designed for a PLC

NOT 120/240 VAC USED AC AC IN 1 IN 3 IN 5 IN 7 IN 9 IN 11 IN 13 IN 15 IN 17 IN 19 IN 21 IN 23 Permeate Pressure particular application with special VAC NEUT COM COM EARTH NOT AC AC IN 0 IN 2 IN 4 IN 6 IN 8 IN 10 IN 12 IN 14 IN 16 IN 18 IN 20 IN 22 SLOT 1 GND USED COM COM 1746-NI4 materials of construction including exotic alloys and thermoplastics to fit the job. The VSEP is a complete MOTOR integrated Plug and Play process I I I I I I I I I I I STARTER requiring only process in and process SPEED CONTROLLER I I I I I I I I I I I out connections during installation. The RELAY system is controlled using a sophisticated Allen Bradley Industrial Computer that monitors data and implements the program functions in a seamless and automatic process. The VSEP controls are compatible with plant Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and can be operated as stand-alone devices or as a component of a much larger process VIBRATION DRIVE VALVE 1 FEED PUMP

One of the most important VSEP Control Scheme Block Diagram considerations in plant design or in considering upgrades to an existing for pre-treatment or other ancillary facility improvements needed to house process is the footprint of the system equipment. A typical system will have the system. considered. VSEP membrane systems a pumping and piping interface skid that are inherently small in footprint and is approximately 60 SF. Then VSEP New Logic will assist in the complete being modular can be rearranged to fit modules are installed in parallel or in process design from start to finish. A irregular shapes and areas available. series that are 4' by 4' in footprint size. well though out plan is key to a Most of the time, VSEP can be installed A typical VSP system can be installed successful operation. New Logic’s staff without any modifications to the in a small room. When compared to of chemical, mechanical, and electrical building or structure. The VSEP is able evaporators, clarifiers, or filter press engineers participate in the project to use space very efficiently due to its units, the VSEP can result in dramatic design for a comprehensive engineered intrinsic vertical design and lack of need construction cost savings for the new solution. The typical project development occurs in the following stages: Valve Switch andTiming CONCENTRATE Control Circuitry 2 (SLUDGE) Phase 1 Project Feasibility Study Exit Valve Phase 2 Project Conceptual Study FEED SLURRY 1 Phase 3 Preliminary Engineering V✧SEP P Phase 4 Detailed Design & Procurement 3 CLEAR PERMEATE Phase 5 Construction Phase 6 Start-up Precise Membrane Filtration with Automated Controls V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study

Benefits of VSEP when used for Desalter Effluent

Redundancy

The VSEP is installed as a side stream to the desalter effluent. It is used on a demand basis and will initiate automatically based upon tank level. It offers many kinds of redundancy options in operation that are very important to refinery operations. First, the VSEP system can be bypassed New Logic has a very comprehensive Pilot Testing Program completely if desired and the desalter effluent will be treated in the same The permeate quality from the VSEP requirement for solids concentration or manner as it is now. Or the VSEP can can be controlled though laboratory BOD/COD removal for effluent handle the entire desalter flow and help selection of membrane materials streams, the permeate flux rate in the to take the load off of the existing available to fit the application VSEP can range from 15 to over 150 wastewater treatment, thus increasing its parameters. Successful pilot tests have gallons per day per square foot (GFD). capacity and safety margin when it been conducted at New Logic for many comes to discharge. VSEP units are kinds of oily wastewater treatment. Other VSEP Applications modular and easy to install in parallel Depending on process temperatures, for complete redundancy membrane selection and the New Logic has a great deal of experience when it comes to desalting and has installed industrial equipment for similar industrial applications including the desalting and diafiltration of Carbon Black, Iron Oxide, Chromium Blue Pigment, Methyl Cellulose, Polyvinyl Acetate, and other polymers and pigments.

In addition, New logic has installed equipment for other oil/water and oil/ solids separations including:

• Filtration of Used Crankcase Oil • Dewatering of oily wastewater from haulers • Recycling of oil based coolants • Produced Water Filtration • Glycol Recovery • Tank Bottoms Treatment • Tank Washdown Water VSEP installed at a Volkswagen • Truck and Bus Washwater VSEP installed for Used Crank- Plant for Coolant Recovery case Oil Filtration & Recycling V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study

Distillation Column

Gasoline Vapors LPG

Crude Oil Refining Process Naptha Reformer Gasoline

Kerosene Jet Fuel Emulsifier

Diesel Diesel Fuel Desalter Unit Distillate Wash Water Upper Electrode Medium Alkylation Aviation Fuel Weight Unit Mixing Gas Oil Cracking Valve Unit Motor Gaoline Heavy Jet Fuel Gas Oil Diesel Fuel Heat

Coker Residuum Industrial Fuel

Asphalt Base

Lower Electrode

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De-Emulsifier

Wastewater Treatment Plant

V✧SEP

Reduce the Load on the Existing VSEP Advantages Skill of the Operator Wastewater Treatment Plant

Debottleneck the Entire Refinery The rag layer blow down is the primary The desalter can be the primary source cause of process upsets and the of wastewater to the wastewater Since the desalter is the first step in manipulation of this process requires a treatment plant. The desalter operator refining of crude oil, it is critical that very skilled operator or group of must constantly be careful about the this piece of equipment be consistent operators who cannot afford to make discharge of the desalter so that the and reliable. Because oil is superheated mistakes. The normal salty water treatment plant is not overloaded or and pressurized during refining, it is not discharge from the desalter is relatively unable to handle the hazardous materials a process that you can just turn off with benign and can be handled easily by that come from the desalter. Sometimes a switch. Shut downs can take hours or existing processes. The fact that the this can mean lesser quality desalted days to complete. In addition, the quality of the crude changes and that the crude is produced as a trade off to not profitability of the refinery depends on blow downs are done at specified swamping the treatment plant. Desalter getting maximum use out of the refinery intervals means that this process is a effluent is the primary source of oil to asset and personnel on staff. Process constant game of tweaking and cajoling. the treatment plant. Many times the upsets cannot be tolerated. The desalter Installation of the VSEP with the set existing wastewater treatment plant is has been identified as a very significant purpose of processing the problematic at capacity and the amount of threat for bottlenecking the entire rag layer blowdown removes this overdesign and safety factor is marginal. refinery operation including the refining process headache from the effluent VSEP is a very effective tool that can of oil and the wastewater treatment that operator’s daily chores. When VSEP is be used to control the load on the comes from it. Installation of VSEP can installed, the frequency of blowdown, treatment plant. Since the VSEP can mitigate or eliminate the possibility of the effectiveness of the demulsifiers, take the rag layer blow down out of the desalter bottleneck. VSEP is a redundant and the variations in the crude are wastewater loop and send it to the and effective tool that can be used to unimportant and no longer pose a Coker, this alone reduces the load reduce process risk. process upset threat. significantly. The VSEP can also be

V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study systems used for chemical processing, waste streams, pulp & paper processing, mining operations, and drinking water applications. The VSEP technology was invented by Dr. Brad Culkin in 1985. Dr. Culkin holds a Ph. D. in Chemical Engineering and was formerly a senior scientist with Dorr-Oliver Corporation. VSEP was originally developed as an economic system that would efficiently separate plasma from whole blood. The company received a contract to produce a membrane filtration prototype, which configured to handle the entire desalter quality of the desalted crude and reduce would later be incorporated into a blood effluent further reducing the load on the the amount of contaminants that move analyzer system. treatment plant. The VSEP can also be forward in the process. configured to handle the desalter Today’s Series i (Industrial) VSEP is a effluent completely and bypass the Allow for use of Opportunity Crude full scale model and comes in sizes existing treatment plant. These options ranging from 100 Square Feet to 2000 give process engineers ultimate ability Opportunity crude is a curious name for Square Feet. Successful industrial VSEP to maximize the use and capacity of the lesser quality oil that is more difficult systems are in place world wide existing wastewater treatment facility. to treat. Assays are done on oil to including Europe, Central Asia, measure its potential value. Opportunity Southeast Asia, Australia, South Improve Desalted Crude Quality crude typically is purchased America, Canada, Mexico, and of accordingly. Since it will cost more to course here in the United States. After During the desalting operation, the process, it is priced lower on the market outgrowing two previous locations in operator will attempt to perform a than higher quality crude that would the last ten years, New Logic is now separation of contaminants in the oil have a higher yield and put less demand located in a 40,000 square foot including water, salts, and suspended on the processing equipment. The manufacturing building in Emeryville. solids. While doing this he will attempt decision to buy opportunity crude is The plant has extensive equipment and to maximize the yield of crude oil from basically made on whether the desalter machinery for manufacturing nearly all each barrel. Unfortunately, this cannot can handle it or not. The desalter can be the VSEP parts. Manufacturing, be a perfect separation and some amount a rate limiting process and may dictate assembly, and testing of all equipment of contaminants will move forward with the types of crude that a refinery can takes place at this site. Systems and the crude oil. Also, some oil will go out process. By undoing the bottleneck at procedures are in place and geared with the wastewater. This is a balancing the desalter, installation of a VSEP towards high standards of quality act done everyday and adjustments are system can mean that lesser grades of control and have met the acceptance made constantly to the operation of the crude can be processed without the criteria of stringent applications such as desalter. The compromise that the normal associated risk of process upsets nuclear waste processing. operator makes is to not send too much in the desalter. oil out as wastewater. By doing this, For more information about Desalter more contaminants are left behind Effluent, please contact: instead of being purged. When a VSEP Company Profile is installed, the amount of oil in the New Logic Research th discharge and the frequency and New Logic is a privately held 1295 67 Street veracity of blow downs is not important corporation located in Emeryville, CA Emeryville, CA 94608 USA and any oil that is sent out as wastewater approximately 10 miles from San 510-655-7305 is recovered by the VSEP and sent to Francisco. New Logic markets, 510-655-7307 fax the Coker. By doing this, the operator engineers, and manufactures a [email protected] has more flexibility to increase the membrane dewatering and filtration www.vsep.com V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved