Patent GB-883491-A (GB)
Title: Isolation and use of surface active materials contained in heavy petroleum oils
IPC: C09K23/00
Filed: 1958-11-07
Abstract: Acidic materials having emulsifying or dispersing properties and present in heavy petroleum oil are recovered therefrom by contacting the oil with an acid-soluble, basic, solid adsorbent such as a basic metal oxide or hydroxide, especially magnesium, calcium and barium oxides and calcium and barium hydroxides, whereby the surface-active material is preferentially adsorbed thereon, separating the loaded adsorbent from the bulk of the oil, washing the adsorbent with an organic solvent for the oil and then dissolving the adsorbent in an acid to liberate the surface-active material (see also Group IV(b)). The heavy oils are defined as the distillate fractions from the vacuum distillation of crude petroleum, the de-asphalted residues from such distillations and refined or partially refined lubricating oils obtained from either of these materials, and blends of these heavy oils.  The recovered surface-active materials may be used in emulsifying polar with non-polar liquids and in dispersing solid particles in liquids in which the particles are insoluble.  In Examples (1) carbon is dispersed in n-heptane and (2) a dispersion of sodium nitrite in a mineral lubricating oil is prepared by forming an aqueous emulsion of sodium nitrite in the oil using a surface-active material obtained as described above, and then evaporating off the water.  The surface-active agents can be reacted with barium hydroxide to yield a product suitable for use in making carbon dispersions.  Thus, aqueous barium hydroxide is heated with a mineral oil solution of the surface-active material, then the water is boiled off and the resulting clear oil solution is used to disperse carbon in n-hexane.ALSO:Surface-active acidic materials present in heavy petroleum oils are recovered therefrom by contacting the oil with an acid-soluble, basic, solid adsorbent such as a basic metal oxide or hydroxide, whereby the surface-active material is preferentially adsorbed thereon, separating the loaded adsorbent from the bulk of the oil, washing the adsorbent with an organic solvent for the oil and dissolving the adsorbent in an acid to liberate the surface-active material therefrom.  The heavy oils are the distillate fractions from the vacuum distillation of crude petroleum, the de-asphalted residues from such distillations and refined or partly refined lubricating oils produced from either of these materials by known refining treatment and blends of these heavy oils.  Suitably, the heavy oil, dissolved or not in a solvent, is percolated through a column of adsorbent, e.g. magnesium oxide or an oxide or hydroxide of calcium or barium. The loaded adsorbent is then washed, suitable oil solvents being specified, and the adsorbent dissolved in acetic or hydrochloric acid.  The liberated surface-active material may be taken up in a solvent and the extract separated off and the solvent stripped therefrom.  The products have emulsifying and dispersing properties and, when reacted with barium hydroxide, e.g., in a mineral oil, provide a dispersant for carbon in non-polar liquids (see Group III).  Examples are given.