The Use of Porous Coalescers for Breakdown of Emulsions
{'Code': '07020000', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'ENG', 'LongName': 'Directorate For Engineering'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'CBET', 'LongName': 'Div Of Chem, Bioeng, Env, & Transp Sys'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Robert M. Wellek', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
Research Summary:  This project is a theoretical and experimental               study of the physics involved in the use of granular porous                     coalescers to break emulsions.  The aims are:  (a) to obtain a                  fundamental understanding of how a porous coalescer functions,                  (b) to develop quantitative theoretical models for predicting the               performance of a coalescer in breaking and separating an emulsion               and (c) to suggest a novel coalescer design to achieve separation               with high efficiency.  The experimental work involves flow                      visualization of the behavior of droplets, "blobs", and filaments               in two-dimensional, photoetched, glass porous medium models with                micron-sized flow channels.  The theoretical study is based on                  population balance equations for describing the evolution of the                size of droplets and blobs along the coalescer.                                                                                                                 Novelty/Innovation:  The most novel aspect of the proposed                      research is the use of the photoetched, glass porous coalescer                  model, which allows a systematic study of the sole effect of                    surface charge, wettability and topology of the medium on                       separation efficiency.  It is expected that totally novel high-                 performance coalescers can be designed based on the results of                  this research.  For instance, a graded coalescer in which the                   size of pore chambers increases along the coalescer would allow                 uninterrupted growth of huge "blobs" while minimizing the                       pressure drop and thus pumping cost.  A coalescer coated with                   anionic or cationic polymers would provide a surface charge which               attracts an emulsion stabilized by a surfactant with the opposite               charge, resulting in high separation efficiency.                                                                                                                Technical Impact:  At present, it takes about 3 man-years of                    pilot-plant testing just to make sure that an existing coalescer                will perform up to the level specified in a warranty for a                      specific application.  In addition to significantly reducing the                need for pilot-plant testing, results of this research provide a                procedure for designing a coalescer to handle a given emulsion at               a much reduced cost.  Furthermore, this research is also expected               to have considerable impact in the general areas of multiphase                  flow in porous media (e.g. oil recovery) and of emulsion                        stability.
{'FirstName': 'Ka', 'LastName': 'Ng', 'PI_MID_INIT': 'M', 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Ka M Ng', 'EmailAddress': None, 'NSF_ID': '000386397', 'StartDate': '03/01/1987', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'University of Massachusetts Amherst', 'CityName': 'AMHERST', 'ZipCode': '010039252', 'PhoneNumber': '4135450698', 'StreetAddress': '101 COMMONWEALTH AVE', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Massachusetts', 'StateCode': 'MA', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '02', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'MA02', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'VGJHK59NMPK9', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': 'VGJHK59NMPK9'}
{'Name': None, 'CityName': None, 'StateCode': None, 'ZipCode': None, 'StreetAddress': None, 'CountryCode': None, 'CountryName': None, 'StateName': None, 'CountryFlag': None, 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': None, 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': '""'}
{'Code': '1414', 'Text': 'INTERFAC PROCESSES & THERMODYN'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1986&All=true', 'xml': '8618991.xml'}