Abstract: A desalinating system and method is disclosed. The desalination system comprises using a turbo freeze or fast-cooling process to freeze saline water droplets and separate salt crystals from pure water crystals, wherein said system provides for simultaneous injection of saline water droplets and a chilled refrigerant into a freezing chamber at a slip velocity sufficient to reduce the size of the saline water droplets to an optimal diameter.

Abstract: A desalinating system and method is disclosed. The desalination system comprises using a turbo freeze or fast-cooling process to freeze saline water droplets and separate salt crystals from pure water crystals, wherein said system provides for simultaneous injection of saline water droplets and a chilled refrigerant into a freezing chamber at a slip velocity sufficient to reduce the size of the saline water droplets to an optimal diameter.

Abstract: Provided herein are processes for deasphalting and extracting a hydrocarbon oil. The processes comprise providing an oil comprising asphaltenes and/or other impurities, combining the oil with a polar solvent an extracting agent to provide a mixture, and applying a stimulus to the mixture so that at least a portion of any asphaltenes and/or impurities in the oil precipitate out of the oil.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sorbent composition including an adsorbent support; and a metal component comprising a transition metal, wherein the metal component is impregnated on a surface of the adsorbent support; and wherein the metal component effects the removal of sulfur and vanadium from a hydrocarbon fuel. Also disclosed herein is a sorbent composition comprising an adsorbent support, wherein a surface of the adsorbent support has been chemically modified to comprise functional groups; and wherein the adsorbent support effects the removal of sulfur and vanadium from a hydrocarbon fuel.

Abstract: A method of regenerating adsorbent material includes providing a spent adsorbent material and contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition to facilitate removing oil and impurities from the spent solvent material.

Abstract: A structure includes a substrate and a metallized carbon nano-structure extending from a portion of the substrate. In a method of making a metallized carbon nanostructure, at least one carbon structure formed on a substrate is placed in a furnace. A metallic vapor is applied to the carbon nanostructure at a preselected temperature for a preselected period of time so that a metallized nanostructure forms about the carbon nanostructure.

Abstract: A method of removing impurities from heavy fuel includes providing a first stationary adsorption column. The method further includes packing adsorbent particles that have a particle size distribution wherein at least about 50% of the particles have a diameter greater than about 18 microns in the first column. The method further includes diluting heavy fuel with a solvent to form a solvent-fuel mixture, and supplying the solvent-fuel mixture through the first column to facilitate removing impurities from the mixture.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for recovering bitumen from an oil sand, the method comprising: (a) contacting a bitumen-containing oil sand with a first solvent mixture of cyclohexane and ethanol to provide an extraction mixture comprising a sand phase and an organic phase; (b) separating the sand phase from the organic phase comprising bitumen, ethanol and cyclohexane; (c) separating an azeotropic mixture comprising cyclohexane and ethanol from the organic phase; and (d) recovering bitumen from the organic phase. The first solvent mixture comprises from about 95 to about 65 percent cyclohexane and from about 5 to about 35 percent ethanol.

Abstract: A method for removing metals from fuel containing vanadium or nickel including intimately mixing an adsorbent with the fuel and isolating the treated fuel. The treated fuel has reduced levels of vanadium, nickel and other metals. Systems for fuel treatment are also provided.

Abstract: Provided herein are processes for deasphalting and extracting a hydrocarbon oil. The processes comprise providing an oil comprising asphaltenes and/or other impurities, combining the oil with a polar solvent an extracting agent to provide a mixture, and applying a stimulus to the mixture so that at least a portion of any asphaltenes and/or impurities in the oil precipitate out of the oil.

Abstract: Provided herein are processes for desulfurization of a hydrocarbon oil. The processes comprise providing a hydrocarbon oil comprising sulfur impurities and mixing the oil with a phase transfer agent and a source of hypochlorite ions to provide a mixture. The mixture separates into an aqueous hypochlorite phase and a non-polar oil phase. The hypochlorite phase may then be removed from the oil phase, and the oil phase centrifuged and separated from any precipitate, thereby providing a cleaned oil phase.

Abstract: A structure includes a substrate and a metallized carbon nano-structure extending from a portion of the substrate. In a method of making a metallized carbon nanostructure, at least one carbon structure formed on a substrate is placed in a furnace.

Abstract: A method for removing impurities from a feedstock comprising a hydrocarbon oil is provided. The method comprises contacting the feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas under conditions effective to oxidize at least a portion of the impurities, as well as contacting the feedstock with a Lewis acid under conditions effective so that any Lewis base impurity(ies) in the feedstock can react with the Lewis acid. Any impurities so oxidized and/or reacted are then removed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sorbent composition including an adsorbent support; and a metal component comprising a transition metal, wherein the metal component is impregnated on a surface of the adsorbent support; and wherein the metal component effects the removal of sulfur and vanadium from a hydrocarbon fuel. Also disclosed herein is a sorbent composition comprising an adsorbent support, wherein a surface of the adsorbent support has been chemically modified to comprise functional groups; and wherein the adsorbent support effects the removal of sulfur and vanadium from a hydrocarbon fuel.

Abstract: A method is provided for purifying a hydrocarbon oil comprising a quantity of impurities. A Lewis acid solution comprising a Lewis acid and an aprotic solvent is added to the hydrocarbon oil having the plurality of impurities, e.g. sulfur, vanadium, and nickel impurities, to form a mixture. Complexes are formed between the Lewis acid of the Lewis acid solution and a respective one of the impurities in the mixture. The mixture is separated into a first layer that comprises a purified fraction of the hydrocarbon oil and a second layer comprising the complexes dissolved in the aprotic solvent.

Abstract: A method of regenerating adsorbent material includes providing a spent adsorbent material and contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition to facilitate removing oil and impurities from the spent solvent material.

Abstract: A method of removing impurities from heavy fuel includes providing a first stationary adsorption column. The method further includes packing adsorbent particles that have a particle size distribution wherein at least about 50% of the particles have a diameter greater than about 18 microns in the first column. The method further includes diluting heavy fuel with a solvent to form a solvent-fuel mixture, and supplying the solvent-fuel mixture through the first column to facilitate removing impurities from the mixture.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is directed to a treatment method for reducing the level of metallic and nonmetallic impurities in an oil. The method includes the step of contacting the oil with a porous silica adsorbent material. The adsorbent material is characterized by a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area value (total) of at least about 15 m2/g; and a Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) pore volume (total) of at least about 0.5 cc/g.

Abstract: A method for removing metals from fuel containing vanadium or nickel including intimately mixing an adsorbent with the fuel and isolating the treated fuel. The treated fuel has reduced levels of vanadium, nickel and other metals. Systems for fuel treatment are also provided.

Abstract: A method of regenerating an adsorbent used to remove nickel and/or vanadium impurities from fuel comprise washing the adsorbent with a low boiling solvent, heating the adsorbent in a device to a temperature of about 300° C. to about 700 C wherein the adsorbent comprises nickel and/or vanadium impurities, and fluidly mixing the adsorbent with a carrier gas stream to remove at least a portion of the nickel and/or vanadium impurities from the adsorbent.