Prevention of shearing of hydrocarbon droplets to aerosol sizes

Abstract

This invention pertains to addition of polyisobutylene to a predominantly gaseous stream in a process for preventing the shearing of hydrocarbon droplets in the stream to aerosol sizes. It is difficult to remove droplets of aerosol sizes from gaseous streams with demisters, scrubbers, filters or the like. Generally, aerosol size droplets are created when a predominantly gaseous stream containing some liquid is passed at relatively high velocity through an orifice, valve, bend, tee, choke or the like, or subjected to compression by a turbine. The addition of polyisobutylene would improve the separation efficiency of the demisters, scrubbers, filters or the like. In addition, when the demister pads or compressor has its blades coated with polyisobutylene, drag on the droplets is reduced, resulting in less shearing of the droplets to aerosol sizes. This in turn would result in minimum dissemination of droplets and less wear on the compressor's blades.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.