(under subclass 177) Processes for removing water from mineral oils.
(1) Note. The water is generally present as entrained water although this and indented subclasses also provide for the separation of water emulsified with the oil wherein there is some treatment of the oil in addition to the breaking of the colloid system.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
24+, for processes of removing water from petroleum waxes.
39+, for processes of removing water from asphalts, tars, pitches or resins.
179+, for processes of removing water from used mineral oils.
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS 210, Liquid Purification or Separation, appropriate subclass for processes of separating liquids from liquids not otherwise provided for. Processes and apparatus for separating water from a mineral oil including mere heating within a gravitational separator are classified in Class
210.
252, Compositions,
319+, and particularly subclasses 328+ for processes of resolving emulsions such as petroleum emulsions. Processes classified in Class 252, involve destroying the colloid system as distinct from removing water bound chemically and/or physically as by entrainment. If there is some treatment of the mineral oil in addition to the resolving step, the process is classified in this class (208).
516, Colloid Systems and Wetting Agents; Subcombinations Thereof; Processes of Making, Stabilizing, Breaking, or Inhibiting,
113+, for compositions for or subcombination compositions for or breaking of or inhibiting of colloid systems (e.g., foam breaking, emulsion breaking, dispersion inhibiting, suspension settling, gel breaking, smoke suppressing, coagulating, flocculating), when generically claimed or when there is no hierarchically superior provision in the USPC for the specifically claimed art. Processes classified in Class 516 involve destroying the colloid system as distinct from removing water bound chemically and/or physically as by entrainment. Combinations of emulsion breaking and a treatment of the mineral oil provided for in Class 208 are classified in Class 208.
