Abstract: Technology and research progress on coalescence of oil/water emulsions separation are reviewed in this work,including the types and packed materials of coalescer,processing of coalescence,and affecting parameters of performance.The investigations and applications about porous media coalescer,granular coalescer and fibrous coalescer are introduced in stress;the mechanism on approach,attachment and release in the processing of the droplets coalescence are summarized;the superficial characters,sizes and velocity of packed materials,velocity,thickness of coalescer and surfactants and so on,which affect coalescence performance,are recited in detailed,the distinct even contrary conclusions from investigators about them are pointed out.The present problem and the direction of future investigation and development about coalescence are recommended on the basis of the research actuality,especially coalescence mechanism and affecting parameters should be validated by more experiments.

Key words: oil/water separation, coalescence, coalescer, mechanism of coalescence process, performance parameters, progress in research