How Does a Crude Oil Desalter Work?

Desalting involves mixing heated crude oil with washing water, using a mixing valve or static mixers to ensure a proper contact between the crude oil and the water, and then passing it to a separating vessel, where a proper separation between the aqueous and organic phases is achieved.

What is crude oil desalter?

A desalter is a process unit in an oil refinery that removes salt from the crude oil. The salt is dissolved in the water in the crude oil, not in the crude oil itself. The desalting is usually the first process in crude oil refining.

How does a refinery desalter work?

In the desalter, the crude oil is heated and then mixed with 5-15% volume of fresh water so that the water can dilute the dissolved salts. The oil-water mix is put into a settling tank to allow the salt-containing water to separate and be drawn off. Frequently, an electric field is used to encourage water separation.