Chinese Scientists Pioneer Energy-Saving Oil Refining Method
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Chinese Scientists Pioneer Energy-Saving Oil Refining Method
- Chinese scientists have developed a new "molecular refining" method that could reduce energy consumption in oil refining by approximately 90% compared to traditional distillation.
- This innovative process, developed by researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, utilizes metal-organic framework membranes to separate crude oil components based on their molecular characteristics.
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Scientists in China have announced a breakthrough in oil refining, introducing a novel “molecular refining” technique that could drastically cut energy usage by around 90%. The current method of refining crude oil, known as distillation, is highly energy-intensive, involving repeated heating, vaporization, and condensation to separate crude oil into its various components like petrol and plastics. This traditional process is also considered relatively imprecise.
The new molecular refining approach, developed by researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, replaces conventional distillation with a method that separates crude oil compounds based on their molecular characteristics rather than their boiling points. This is achieved using chemical membranes, specifically metal-organic framework membranes, which act as highly selective molecular sieves. The process, referred to as cascade membrane separation, first sorts molecules by size. For molecules with smaller size differences, a second membrane with tailored surface chemistry is used to distinguish and separate them.
Laboratory tests using a simulated light naphtha mixture demonstrated that the system could separate it into three groups of high-value products with a recovery rate of 85% to 90%. The researchers reported that this new method used approximately 91% less energy than traditional distillation. If this technology can be successfully scaled up for industrial application, it has the potential to significantly reduce production costs and emissions, while also enabling a more precise separation of crude oil into higher-value feedstocks for fuels and petrochemicals. The study results were published in the journal National Science Review last month.