Analysis of emulsions concentration changes during imbibition in porous sorbents

Abstract

The stabilized emulsions removal from the aqueous systems is supposed to be an issue as important as the free oil products recovery. This work was conducted to investigate the mechanisms of oil-in-water emulsions sorption in a non-woven oleophilic/hydrophobic material forced by the capillary suction pressure, and the saturation level of such material during this process. It ensures the effective application of the sorbents and facilitates the development of alternative high-performance sorptive materials that can contribute to diminishing of the negative consequences of the aquatic environment contamination. The main aspect investigated in this research work was kinetics of the imbibition process in the porous media to define the optimal time of sorption and the height of the emulsions penetration. The measurement of the dispersed phase concentration changes with the increase in an emulsion front in the porous medium using the nephelometrical method is the advanced approach in the field of assessment of sorbents efficiency. The tendency of the imbibed emulsion concentration decrease versus the height was observed, which depended strongly on the viscosity and the initial composition of a penetrating liquid. The observed process was described by the mathematical model based on Hill equation.