Appeal 2006-2994
Application 09/753,495
INTRODUCTION
The claims are directed to a method of removing
impurities/contaminants from used oil (Br. 7). The inventive method utilizes phase
transfer catalysts to facilitate the transfer of inorganic or organic bases to the
substrate in the used oil. According to Appellants, “[a] benefit of the
claimed subject matter is that the only wastewater generated by the process
is that which is originally present in the used oil and the small amount
present in the base compound. (Br. 7 citing Specification 5: 13-18).
Claims 4 and 25 are illustrative:
4. A method for purifying used oil, comprising:
mixing a raw used oil with a base compound to form a mixture
comprising used oil and base compound;
processing the mixture comprising used oil and base compound to
provide an at least partially dehydrated used oil mixture comprising used oil
and base compound;
adding a phase transfer catalyst to the at least partially dehydrated
used oil mixture comprising used oil and base compound to provide a used
oil mixture comprising used oil, phase transfer catalyst, and base compound,
wherein the phase transfer catalyst comprises a glycol; and
removing contaminants from at least a portion of the used oil mixture
comprising used oil, phase transfer catalyst, and base compound.
25. A method for removing contaminants from used oil, comprising:
mixing used oil with ethylene glycol in the presence of a base
compound to provide a used oil mixture comprising used oil, ethylene glycol
and base compound; and
distilling the used oil mixture comprising used oil, ethylene glycol and
base compound at a temperature of about 200°C and a pressure of about 0.05
Torr to about 200 Torr.
2
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Last modified: September 9, 2013