Apparatus and method for measuring water content profiles, interfacial levels, thicknesses and tensions of multiphase dispersions

11733,140

17/112662

December 04, 2020

An apparatus and method for simultaneously measuring water content profiles, surface/interfacial levels, thicknesses and tensions of multiphase dispersions, such as dispersions with water dispersed in produced oils, crude oils, various fuels, distillates, lubricants, paints and polymers, or reversed dispersions with these organic components dispersed in water. The apparatus with 1-16 channels, namely multi-channel scanning water analyzer (MCSWA) and/or tensiometer, comprising a motorized precision vertical stage with multiple capacitive sensors, a heating system with multiple heating cells for keeping the respective sample bottles, and a data acquisition system, where the capacitive sensors can be precisely controlled via a computer to dip into the samples at a preset scanning velocity and the capacitances of the sensors are continuously measured by the data acquisition system. The measured sensor capacitances are used to derive water content profiles, surface/interfacial levels, interfacial thicknesses and surface/interfacial tensions of the respective samples. The apparatus is a good tool for R&D scientists to select chemicals efficiently and can provide reliable data for engineering design and product quality assurance.

Gu, Guoxing (Edmonton, CA)

1. An apparatus comprising a support station comprising a base frame, a post, and a clamp, a motorized vertical linear stage comprising a motor, a motor controller, a motor travel guide, and a moving unit, a heating system comprising a heating control box, and a plurality of heating cells, a sensor holder manifest holding a plurality of sensors, a data acquisition unit attached to the moving unit so that the data acquisition unit is configured to move with the moving unit, a front enclosure, a fixed rear enclosure, a plurality of glass bottles, each glass bottle containing a respective testing sample, and an integrated driver for controlling movement of the moving unit; wherein the data acquisition unit comprises a plurality of channels; wherein each channel of the plurality of channels is: communicatively connected to a respective one of the plurality of sensors; and disposed above a respective one of the plurality of glass bottles, and wherein each one of the glass bottles is heated by a respective one of the plurality of heating cells.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heating cells are arranged center-symmetrically; wherein the sensor holder manifest comprises two round bars or four round bars; and wherein the plurality of sensors are hung on the two round bars or the four round bars or via a plurality of ninety-degree adapters.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each heating cell of the plurality of heating cells comprises three cartridge heaters.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heating cells are grouped into 2 sets.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heating cells and a plurality of cartridge heaters are integrated in a heating block.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data acquisition unit comprises a plurality of LC-tanks for connecting a plurality of capacitive sensors.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of capacitive sensors are parallel plate sensors, single rod sensors, or single rod sensors with detachable sensor heads.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of capacitive sensors are the single rod sensors each having a cone-shaped sensor tip.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each of the single rod sensors comprises a fixed sensor head adapter and a detachable sensor head.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus measures water content profiles, surface or interfacial levels and interfacial thicknesses of multiphase dispersions by simultaneously dipping the respective sensor into the respective testing sample at a preset scanning velocity in a range from 0.1 to 0.2 mm/sec, wherein scanned curves of capacitance change C(x) and corresponding derivative C′(x) are used to derive the water content profiles, the surface or interfacial levels and the interfacial thicknesses of the multiphase dispersions; and wherein the corresponding derivative, C′(x)=dC(x)/dx, is derived from C(x) using a moving multiple points polynomial curve fitting.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus measures surface or interfacial tensions of multiphase dispersions by simultaneously dipping each of the plurality of sensors into respective test samples at a preset scanning velocity in a range from 0.02 to 0.20 mm/s; wherein a vertical position of a tip of a sensor of the plurality of sensors at an attaching point, p(t max), and a detaching point, P(t min), is obtained numerically via a linear interpolation using recorded tip position function, p(t); wherein Δh max is determined by the equation Δh max =P(t min)−P(t max); wherein surface or interfacial tension γ is determined by the equation [mathematical expression included] and wherein a coefficient, [mathematical expression included] is determined using a reference liquid with known surface tension.

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