Patent ID: 8088281
Filing Date: 2012-01-03
Classification: C02F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for removing aromatic hydrocarbons entrained in a feed stream of water in an amount up to about 5 volume percent, which comprises: mixing the water stream with a paraffinic hydrocarbon extractant which has a lower water solubility than the entrained aromatic hydrocarbons, in an amount up to 10 volume percent of the water stream, subjecting the mixed water/hydrocarbon stream to coalescence/separation to coalesce the hydrocarbon components of the mixture entrained in the water to form larger size coalesced liquid droplets by prefiltering the stream to remove particulate matter, coalescing finely divided droplets of a discontinuous hydrocarbon phase of the water/hydrocarbon stream which are entrained in a continuous water phase into larger, droplets, and separating the coalesced liquid droplets comprising hydrocarbon extractant and removed hydrocarbons from the water by passing the coalesced liquid droplets and water in contact with a membrane separating element having a wall of a continuous phase barrier material having a surface energy selected to preclude transfer of the continuous water phase across the wall while permitting passage of the coalesced droplets of the paraffinic extractant and extracted aromatic hydrocarbon through the separator material.