Hydrogel-coated structured packing for water separation from oily liquid streams

This work presents an innovative water separation process using a packed modular bed to remove water from oily streams. This method involves filling the beds with structured packings created through additive manufacturing and coated with poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) hydrogels. The treatment was evaluated for water removal from naphthenic insulating oil (NIO) and marine diesel oil (MDO) streams. The hydrogel-coated structured packing was able to remove more than 90 % of the water from the oils and reduced their turbidity, going from a cloudy appearance to a clearer and brighter one. In industrial scenarios where water contamination occurs, the presence of hydrogel-coated packing allows for rapid water separation, offering significant advantages for industrial applications. The ease of oil percolation through hydrogel-filled beds makes this system attractive for a wide spectrum of applications, from industrial scales to deployment at refueling stations or as filters on board motor vehicles.