Purification of an oil-containing liquid using a surface treated permeable inorganic membrane

A process for purifying an oil-containing liquid to remove aqueous and solid impurities which comprises:

• (a) heating said oil-containing liquid to a temperature range of from about 0.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. and maintaining said liquid within said temperature range during said process;
• (b) passing said liquid through an inorganic membrane comprising aluminum oxide or zirconium oxide, said membrane having been previously treated by contact with an organic reactant selected from the group consisting of a phosphonic acid, a phosphinic acid, a monocarboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, a boronic acid, a phosphoric acid ester, and a precursor which decomposes upon contact with said inorganic membrane to form one of said organic reactants to form a monomolecular layer of said organic reactant thereon whereby said treated inorganic membrane has a pore size, after treatment, within a range of from about 5 .ANG. to about 1000 microns;
• and
• (c) maintaining a pressure on said oil-containing liquid within a range of from about 2 psig to about 1200 psig as said liquid passes through said treated inorganic membrane.

A process for purifying an oil-containing liquid to remove aqueous and solid impurities which comprises:

• (a) heating said oil-containing liquid to a temperature range of from about 0.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. and maintaining said liquid within said temperature range during said process;
• (b) passing said liquid through a permeable inorganic membrane comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Tc, Re, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, B, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, elements in the lanthanide series and the actinide series, mixtures thereof, mixtures of Groups IIa (Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba) and VIb (Se and Te), and a ceramic selected from the group consisting of an oxide, sulfide, boride, carbide, or nitride of one or more of said metals, said membrane having been previously treated by contact with an organic reactant selected from the group consisting of a phosphonic acid, a phosphinic acid, a monocarboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, a boronic acid, a phosphoric acid ester and a precursor which decomposes upon contact with said inorganic membrane to form a monomolecular layer of said organic reactant thereon, said inorganic membrane having a pore size of about 5 .ANG. to 1000 microns;
• (c) maintaining a pressure on said oil-containing liquid within a range of from about 2 psig to about 1200 psig as said liquid passes through said treated inorganic membrane;
• (d) interrupting said passing of said oil-containing liquid through said treated membrane;
• and
• (e) removing solids from said membrane.