Fuel Oil Refining via Liquid Extraction Agent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refining highly viscous fuel oil is complicated and costly due to the need for a supercritical fluid during extraction, making it necessary to develop a cost-effective method for modifying or refining fuel oil with high viscosity and low flowability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an extraction treatment with an extraction agent that remains in a liquid state during extraction, selecting from oil miscible with the fuel, non-polar compounds in a gaseous state at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, or their combinations, to extract a light component from fuel oil, resulting in a light oil mixture with lower viscosity and higher combustion efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a supercritical fluid is used for extraction during fuel oil refining, then the extraction efficiency is improved, but the process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the extraction solvent from supercritical (requiring high temperature and pressure) to liquid state at ambient conditions. This parameter change simplifies the extraction process by eliminating the need for complex supercritical fluid equipment while maintaining effective extraction of light components from fuel oil.
2Productivity
If a supercritical fluid is used for extraction during fuel oil refining, then the extraction efficiency is improved, but the refining cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a liquid extraction solvent that can be easily separated from the extracted light components through simple evaporation or distillation. The solvent can then be reused multiple times, reducing overall refining costs compared to supercritical fluid extraction which requires expensive equipment and energy input for maintaining supercritical conditions.
3Reliability
If fuel oil with high viscosity is refined using conventional methods, then the combustion efficiency is improved, but the process becomes complicated and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts light components directly from the high viscosity fuel oil using a liquid solvent. This extraction process removes problematic heavy components while retaining useful light components, thereby improving combustion efficiency without requiring complex multi-step refining processes or supercritical fluid technology.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively reduces the viscosity of fuel oil, enhances combustion efficiency, and allows for the use of the extracted light component as a usable fuel, while also being cost-effective by eliminating the need for supercritical fluids.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting fuel oil to an extraction treatment with an extraction agent to extract a light component from the fuel oil, so as to obtain a light oil mixture containing the light component of the fuel oil and the extraction agent
Data Source
AI summary
A method for refining fuel oil comprises subjecting fuel oil to an extraction treatment with an extraction agent to extract a light component from the fuel oil, so as to obtain a light oil mixture containing the light component of the fuel oil and the extraction agent. The extraction agent is selected from the group consisting of a matter composed of oil and miscible with the light component of the fuel oil, a non-polar compound in a gaseous state at the room temperature and atmospheric pressure, and a combination thereof. The extraction agent is in a liquid state during the extraction treatment.