Ultrafiltration Membrane Protection Against Oil Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for purifying oil-contaminated water in petroleum extraction and refining are inefficient, leading to high residual oil content in wastewater, which is costly to treat and poses environmental risks, and existing ultrafiltration methods are prone to rapid membrane clogging.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using an ultrafiltration unit with a membrane and adding a hydrophilic additive that reacts to form a protective film on the membrane, preventing oil from clogging it and allowing for continuous operation with reduced maintenance, using inexpensive hollow fiber membranes that retain hydrocarbons while allowing water to pass through.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ultrafiltration is used to purify oil-contaminated water, then water purification efficiency is improved, but membrane clogging occurs rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hydrophilic polymer substance as an intermediary between the oil-contaminated water and the ultrafiltration membrane. This polymer forms a protective layer on the membrane surface that prevents oil particles from directly contacting and clogging the membrane pores, thereby maintaining both purification efficiency and membrane service life
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by adding the hydrophilic polymer to the water stream before it reaches the ultrafiltration membrane. This allows the polymer to pre-form a protective barrier on the membrane surface in advance, preventing oil accumulation before it can cause clogging
2Device complexity
If gravity separation is used to separate oil/water mixture, then equipment complexity is reduced, but residual oil content remains high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines gravity separation (physical method) with hydrophilic polymer treatment (chemical method) to create a composite purification system. The polymer enhances the separation process by modifying surface properties and preventing oil re-emulsion, achieving low residual oil content while maintaining relatively simple equipment
3Loss of energy
If contaminated water is reinjected into oil fields, then disposal costs are reduced, but oil field productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydrodynamic forces and pressure gradients to enhance the separation of oil particles from water during the ultrafiltration process. The controlled flow conditions allow for effective oil removal while maintaining water quality suitable for reinjection, thus preserving oil field productivity
4Manufacturing precision
If coalescence separators are used to reduce residual oil content, then oil separation performance is improved, but additional treatment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a self-service mechanism where the hydrophilic polymer automatically forms a protective layer on the ultrafiltration membrane surface, continuously preventing oil clogging without requiring additional external intervention or complex treatment stages. This simplifies the overall process while achieving low residual oil content
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
This approach significantly reduces residual oil content in water, enabling its safe reuse as injection water or for further processing, while extending membrane lifespan and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
an additive is added to the mixture on a flow path towards the membrane, which additive reacts with the mixture or with the water, wherein a hydrophilic reaction product arises as a protective material
Implementation Method 2
the protective material rests on the membrane as a film and so keeps free oil in the mixture away from the membrane
Implementation Method 3
an ultrafiltration unit with a membrane... The mixture is then purified to yield clarified water on passage through the membrane
Implementation Method 4
using inexpensive hollow fiber membranes that retain hydrocarbons while allowing water to pass through
Implementation Method 5
the oil/water mixture is transferred into a tank in which the lighter oil and the heavier water can segregate under the influence of gravity, such that an oil phase forms at the surface and an aqueous phase in the lower region of the tank
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for purifying an oil (8)/water (42) mixture (40), the mixture (40) is fed to a container (48) having an ultrafiltration unit (52) with a membrane (30), and a protective material (50) is added to the mixture (40), which protective material, directly or after chemical reaction with the water from the mixture (40), as a film (62) on the membrane (30), keeps free oil (8) away from said membrane. Purified process water for extracting and/or refining of petroleum (8) is thus produced from process water (42) which is contaminated with petroleum (8). A purification device (64) substantially comprises a container (48) having an ultrafiltration unit (52) with a membrane (30), a feed line (28) to the container (48) and an addition device (27) for protective material (50) in the flow path (56) to the membrane (30).