emulsion breaking

emulsion breaking

[ə′məl·shən ‚brāk·iŋ] (chemistry) In an emulsion, the combined sedimentation and coalescence of emulsified drops of the dispersed phase so that they will settle out of the carrier liquid; can be accomplished mechanically (in settlers, cyclones, or centrifuges) with or without the aid of chemical additives to increase the surface tension of the droplets.