GE's Emulsion Breaker Reduces Fuel Use
GE Water, a business unit of GE Energy, showcased its new Embreak 2W2024 technology, part of a new proprietary class of demulsifier chemistries, at the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association's (NPRA) annual meeting recently.
The new GE technology lowers fuel usage at crude furnace, saving customers money while also reducing the impact on the environment, according to a March 27 press release.
This technology recently helped a Gulf Coast refinery that was experiencing poor dehydration when processing heavy blends of Maya and Merey crudes. Water carryover was averaging 0.6 percent in the desalted crude from low desalter residence time and high charge rates. Any upset would significantly increase the water carryover.
GE Water replaced the desalter treatment program with its technology at similar dosages. The results showed a decline in fuel usage per unit of charge for a 36-hour period around the time that the chemical treatment program was changed, which was later confirmed by lab testing. The levels of water in the desalted crude were reduced by 55 percent on average after the chemical change was made, allowing this refinery to realize $1 million in fuel savings. Additionally, salt remaining in the desalted crude was reduced by more than half.