Method for separating an oil-water emulsion
AssigneeKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
InventorsIsam H. ALJUNDI, Chanbasha BASHEER, Rashed Saed BAKDASH
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Abstract
A membrane sorbent is described, which comprises 1-6 wt % silicon carbide nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix may comprise polysulfone and polyvinylpyrrolidone. The membrane sorbent is used for separating oil from a contaminated water mixture. The silicon carbide nanoparticles of the membrane sorbent may be made from rice husk ash.
Claims20
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The method of claim 10, wherein a weight ratio of the polysulfone polymer to the second polymer in the membrane is in a range of 1.0-5.0.
The method of claim 10, wherein the membrane has a porosity in a range of 60-64%,
- wherein the second polymer is polyvinylpyrrolidone,
- wherein the membrane sorbent comprises the silicon carbide nanoparticles at a weight percentage in a range of 2.5-4.0 wt % relative to the total weight of the membrane sorbent, and
- wherein when the membrane sorbent is contacted with a contaminated water mixture comprising oil, and the contaminated water mixture permeates through the membrane sorbent to produce a filtered water product, the filtered water product has a total organic carbon content by mass that is 92-97% less than a total organic carbon content of the contaminated water mixture.
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The method of claim 10, wherein the silicon carbide nanoparticles in the membrane have an average pore size in a range of 2.7 to 3.5 nm.
The method of claim 10, wherein the second polymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyisobutylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer.
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A method for separating an oil-water emulsion, comprising:
- contacting the oil-water emulsion with a feed side of an adsorbent cartridge having a permeate outlet, and wherein a water fraction of the oil-water emulsion permeates through the adsorbent cartridge;
- and
- recovering the water fraction depleted in oil compared with the oil-water emulsion;
- wherein the adsorbent cartridge comprises:
- first and second rigid porous sheets disposed coplanar to one another, and
- a membrane sorbent between the porous sheets,
- wherein the membrane sorbent comprises:
- silicon carbide nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix,
- the polymer matrix comprising:
- a polysulfone polymer, and
- a second polymer;
- wherein the membrane sorbent comprises the silicon carbide nanoparticles at a weight percentage in a range of 1-6 wt % relative to the total weight of the membrane sorbent, and
- wherein the silicon carbide nanoparticles have a surface area in a range of 120 to 140 m2/g and a pore volume in a range of 0.15 to 0.25 cm3/g.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.