started · updated
China: New oil refining method reduces energy use by 91%
Chinese scientists have developed a new oil refining method that could reduce energy consumption by approximately 91 percent compared to traditional distillation processes. Unlike conventional methods that rely on repeated heating and cooling to boil oil, this new technique operates at a molecular level using specialized membranes.
Researchers utilized micro-engraving on membranes made of metal-organic structures to precisely adjust pore sizes. This allows for the separation of compounds based on their shape and size, potentially producing higher-value end products such as gasoline and plastics. Laboratory tests on simulated mixtures demonstrated a product yield rate between 85 and 90 percent.
If implemented on a larger scale, the technology could significantly lower production costs and reduce carbon emissions from refineries. However, the process has currently only been tested under laboratory conditions and is not yet ready for commercial industrial application.
Entities
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The technology has only been tested in laboratory conditions and is not yet ready for commercial industrial use. lat.sputnikportal.rs · sputnikportal.rs
- [● 2 SOURCES] Tests on simulated mixtures showed a product yield rate between 85 and 90 percent. lat.sputnikportal.rs · sputnikportal.rs
- [● 2 SOURCES] The new process consumes approximately 91 percent less energy than standard distillation. lat.sputnikportal.rs · sputnikportal.rs
- [● 2 SOURCES] The process uses micro-engraving on membranes to adjust pore size for separating light mixtures. lat.sputnikportal.rs · sputnikportal.rs
- [● 2 SOURCES] Chinese scientists have developed a new oil refining method. lat.sputnikportal.rs · sputnikportal.rs
- [● 2 SOURCES] The method uses specialized membranes made of metal-organic structures to separate compounds at a molecular level. lat.sputnikportal.rs · sputnikportal.rs