This schematic diagram shows the process in which pressurized crude oil at room temperature is passed through a porous separation membrane to filter out light components only such as gasoline, naphtha and kerosene. (KAIST professor Koh Dong-Yeun)

By Koh Hyunjeong

A research team at the country's top science and technology university has developed a polymer membrane technology that separates crude oil at room temperature without heating it to higher temperatures.

The Ministry of Science and ICT on June 25 said the findings of the team led by Koh Dong-Yeun, a professor at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), were published the day before in the international journal Nature.

Oil refining processes have traditionally relied on distillation, in which crude oil is heated to 350 degrees Celsius or higher and then separated into products such as gasoline, kerosene and diesel based on varying boiling points.

The KAIST study devised a technology using a porous polymer membrane to separate crude oil components.

Experiments found that the new separation membrane was over 23 times faster than conventional technologies while maintaining stable performance for 28 days.

The team said use of this technology could reduce energy consumption 31.6%, carbon dioxide emissions 37.6% and operating costs 36%.

Koh said, "This study has identified a new principle in which crude oil creates its own optimal separation pathway while passing through a separation membrane."

hjkoh@korea.kr