Petroleum is vital to many industries and in the manufacture
of a wide variety of materials. It also accounts for a large percentage of the
world’s energy needs and thus it is a critical concern for many nations.
The study anchors on developing a mechanistic model for oil-
water separation. Over the years, researchers have been working on how to
improve the quality of produced water effluent, especially from oil and gas
operations sent to the receiving waters. Despite the standard set for
compliance by regulatory bodies like united nation agency, ministry,
departments and other agencies both state and federal government including
non-governmental agencies the problem of meeting stipulated benchmarks still
persist. This study however looks into some variables perceived as being
relative to improving or affecting produced water effluent from oil-water
separator. Modelling of oil-water separation was based on the philosophy that a
mathematical model can be established for the physical problems under
investigation. These mathematical problems formulated were based on laws of
conservation. The model under study, where the total mass and energy cannot be
generated neither do they disappear, so that mass balance would give an
ordinary differential equation. Solving the model equation analytically
however, poses some problems. Hence they were solved by simulation using the
computer software SIMULINK a graphical extension of MATLAB with positive
outcomes since it can model non-linear systems. From the simulated analysis,
increased flow rate creates turbulence in the system with resultant poor effluent
quality. Whereas from the simulated analysis, gradual temperature increases
improve oil- water separation from lower temperature of the fluid upstream
thereby aiding improvement in effluent quality.
Author(s) Details:
Emmanuel Ewa Ekeng,
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka,
Enugu State, Nigeria.
Jonah
Chukwuemeka Agunwamba,
Department
of Civil Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CPSTR-V8/article/view/14050
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