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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Process for deasphalting a hydrocarbon oil

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6080363
A process is described for deasphalting an asphaltene-containing hydrocarbon oil, comprising the steps of: (a) treating the oil with at least one paraffinic or olefinic hydrocarbon solvent having 3-8 carbon atoms, under deasphalting conditions resulting in the formation of two phases, a first phase consisting of a mixture of deasphalted oil and solvent and a second phase of high asphaltene content, and separating these two phases; (b) passing the first phase of deasphalted oil and solvent, in a liquid state, across at least one solid inorganic ultrafiltration membrane of pore radii selected in the range from 2 to 15 nanometers at a temperature of at least 80/sup 0/C, under tangential ultrafiltration conditions, and separately recovering the ultrafiltrate, of increased solvent content, and a residual unfiltered retained phase of increased deasphalted oil content, forming the main product of the process, and (c) recycling the ultrafiltrate to step (a) as at least a part of the hydrocarbon solvent having 3-8 carbon atoms.
Assignee:
Institut Francais du Petrole, Rueil-Malmaison
Patent Number(s):
US 4816140
OSTI ID:
6080363
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English