Environmental
Microwave Assisted Centrifuge for Viscous Oil Analysis
Related Patents: 7,775,961
Contact: David R. Anderson
Phone: (208) 526-0837
E-mail: Send E-mail
This invention relates to a new design of an analytical centrifuge for use in produced crude oil testing for solids/water content, food oil process analyses, or any high viscosity oil/ water/solids evaluation. It combines centrifugal force with microwave irradiation to rapidly break emulsions and dispersions containing viscous oil, water and solids. Conventional techniques for this analysis uses expensive and time consuming heated centrifuges or the dilution of heavy oil samples with lighter solvents to obtain faster results. This device would reduce the analysis time for heavy oil samples by a factor of three and significantly lower equipment costs. It would also preclude the use of light solvents thus reducing cost, explosion hazard, and waste volume and type during routine oil analy-ses.