Patent ID: 8851298

Claim:
A filter for removing an immiscible lipophilic liquid or a hydrophilic liquid respectively from a continuous hydrophilic liquid phase or a continuous lipophilic liquid phase, comprising: a mixture of a plurality of hydrophobic fibers and a plurality of hydrophilic fibers, each of said fibers having a fiber diameter, wherein the fiber diameters of the hydrophobic fibers and the hydrophilic fibers are substantially similar, said hydrophilic fibers having a wetting value and said hydrophobic fibers having a different wetting value within a liquid system comprising the immiscible lipophilic liquid or the immiscible hydrophilic liquid and respectively the continuous hydrophilic liquid phase or the continuous lipophilic continuous liquid phase, said hydrophobic fibers and hydrophilic fibers forming pores within the filter, each of said pores having a pore size, where the pore sizes are substantially similar; the amount of said hydrophobic fibers to said hydrophilic fibers being within a range of from about 80% to about 20% by weight with the remaining weight percent being said hydrophilic fibers and said fiber weight ratio amount being an effective amount to coalesce an immiscible liquid within a continuous liquid phase; and wherein the filter has a predetermined L/H ratio such that the filter is thereby capable of removing an immiscible liquid from a continuous liquid phase.