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Title: Membrane separation of hydrocarbons using cycloparaffinic solvents

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5542320

This patent describes a process for the separation of metal-containing heavy hydrocarbon oil fraction from a light hydrocarbon oil fraction. It comprises: dissolving a heavy hydrocarbon crude oil in a cycloparaffin hydrocarbon solvent containing from 5 to about 8 carbon atoms to provide a solution comprised of acid crude oil and the solvent, passing the solution across a porous membrane which posses pore sizes in the range of from about 5 to about 500 Angstroms, the membrane possessing a solubility parameter in which the absolute value (8--8.0) (cal/cm{sup 3}){sup {1/2}} is greater than 1 and which is different from the solubility parameter of the solvent and the light hydrocarbon oil fraction which is separated from the solution of the heavy hydrocarbon crude oil in the cycloparaffin solvent, the membrane maintaining its integrity in the presence of the solution at separation conditions whereby the light hydrocarbon oil fraction is recovered as a permeate and the metal-containing heavy hydrocarbon oil fraction is recovered as a retentate.

Assignee:
UOP Inc., Des Plaines, IL (USA)
Patent Number(s):
US 4750990; A
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-932052A
OSTI ID:
5542320
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 18 Nov 1986
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English