What is an electric desalter?

an electric desalter is one which uses a high electric potential to separate the salts present in the crude. it is a horizontal drum .it forms an emulsion with crude an emulsion is a mixture of crude and water.water added to the crude acts as an solvent for dissolving the salts present in the crude .once these salts are properly dissolved the electric charge breaks these salts into charged ions and form a dipole .water along with salts settle at the bottom and the crude overflows to the fractionation column