Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with an alternative approach for fractioning crude oil that potentially uses less energy.
Crude oil typically contains a mixture of different molecules. These need to be separated into fractions for use in derived products like petroleum, diesel, aviation fuel and base oils for lubricant products. This is normally achieved by heating the crude oil in a tower, so the fractions with lower boiling points condense higher up the tower. This is, of course, an energy-intensive process, with it accounting for much of the 6% of global carbon emissions associated with fuel refining.
The team at MIT say they have created a new membrane that can filter crude oil into its light and heavy components more efficiently. What is more, this new membrane can potentially be produced at scale using existing industrial processes.
Zachary P. Smith, the senior author of the paper published in the journal Science, said about the new process:
“This is a whole new way of envisioning a separation process. Instead of boiling mixtures to purify them, why not separate components based on shape and size? The key innovation is that the filters we developed can separate very small molecules at an atomistic length scale.”
Companies with refining operations – such as ExxonMobil, the maker of fuels and lubricants like the Mobil DTE hydraulic oil – could benefit substantially. If the technology works out, it could potentially reduce the energy intensity of fracturing by 90%.
