Separation of complex mixtures by shearing
AssigneePetroshear Corporation
InventorRichard Zare
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A more energy-efficient method of processing crude oil is achieved by viscoelastic shearing in order to increase the vapor pressure of the crude oil. This change in vapor pressure allows a more efficient separation of volatile components from non-volatile components in the crude oil. By optimizing the energy expenditure for shearing and the energy expenditure for separating the volatile components from the non-volatile components of the crude oil, while simultaneously removing the volatile components by distillation, one can reduce the overall energy input for the separation. Alternatively, it is possible to affect the distillation at a reduced temperature.
Claims11
A method for processing crude oil, comprising:
- (a) mechanically stressing a crude oil stock in a shearing device at a sufficient rate to increase the vapor pressure of said mixture;
- and
- (b) separating volatile components from non-volatile components in said crude oil stock
- wherein said mechanically stressing reduces the energy input or reduces the operating temperature necessary for said separating as compared to said separating in the absence of said mechanically stressing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.