There is a large still to distill water for a lab building, 50 gallons per hour. The steam used to evaporate the water goes into a steam trap and the condensate water comes out. This water is cooled down by a heat exchanger and piped into a carbon tank and a mixed bed tank. This pours into the tank feedwater inlet. Is there a way to separate the aliphatic hydrocarbons (which may be in the form of vapor) from the hot condensate before it is cooled down?
To separate the aliphatic hydrocarbons from the cold condensate, I think it is easier. You can contact with GE, nalco or other water treatment companies.
Let me simplify the problem for my understanding. I suggest a mechanical solution, not a chemical one. Aliphatic hydrocarbons are essentially immiscible with water (they have a very small solubility in water). You can separate them by letting your water stand (so that the velocity, and therefore mixing, is zero). This requires a largish vessel. Then the alkanes will separate by gravity and you can decant them. If your hydrocarbons are light, and therefore in gaseous phase at the temperature of the hot water, they separate even more easily because of the larger density difference between the hydrocarbon vapor and the liquid water. Only, the gases will now accumulate at the upper part of the vessel.
Dear Scott Taylor
There is more density difference in Aliphatic Hydrocarbon & Water, so it can be separated by gravity.The mixture is collect in basin and then use disc oil system,run for 50 minutes,you will get separate all Aliphatic Hydrocarbon from water and collect another vessel.There are different size Disc oil separator system are available in market, portable as well as large size. even you can separate from centrifuge system.
Good Luck!
Prem Baboo
If steam condensate becomes contaminated with hydrocarbons, then it is removed using by passing the stream through Activated carbon adsorption beds. Carbon removes a limited quantity of hydrocarbons. This method is used for polishing only. In case of a large scale contamination, the condensate has to be treated in waste water treatment plant.
Hope it helps....
For effective liquid liquid separation of HC and water there are very much advanced separators in market that can reduce the need for high residence time and as well as large vessels and drums for settling time. if your service is free of suspended solids cartridge coalescors may be good options. they are widely used in hydrocarbon industry to separate hydrocarbon products from water which is usually in PPM
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