Patent ID: 6478953
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: B01D,F15B,Y10S

Abstract:
A device for the purification of oil streams comprising the following:(a) a fluid containing vessel including: (i) a filter interposed in said vessel dividing said vessel into a feed-side space and a filtrate-side space, (ii) at least one inlet opening to the feed-side space, and (iii) at least one outlet opening from the filtrate-side space; and (b) a second fluid containing vessel connected to the outlet of the filtrate-side space and including: (i) a membrane-based dehydrator having a dense, non-porous, defect-free membrane and positioned within said vessel dividing the interior of said second vessel into at least one feed-side space and one permeate-side space, (ii) at least one inlet opening to the feed-side space of the dehydrator, (iii) at least one outlet opening from the feed-side space of the dehydrator, (iv) at least one outlet opening from the permeate-side space of the dehydrator, (v) a system outlet in fluid communication with said dehydrator feed-side outlet, (vi) a bypass passageway between said dehydrator feed-side inlet and said system outlet, and (vii) a pressure control valve positioned within said bypass passageway to enable a portion of the oil stream entering said dehydrator feed-side inlet to bypass the dehydrator in order to maintain a predetermined pressure differential across the dehydrator membrane.