Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D57/00—Separation, other than separation of solids, not fully covered by a single other group or subclass, e.g. B03C
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C7/00—Purification; Separation; Use of additives
  • C07C7/148—Purification; Separation; Use of additives by treatment giving rise to a chemical modification of at least one compound
  • C07C7/14833—Purification; Separation; Use of additives by treatment giving rise to a chemical modification of at least one compound with metals or their inorganic compounds
  • C07C7/14841—Purification; Separation; Use of additives by treatment giving rise to a chemical modification of at least one compound with metals or their inorganic compounds metals
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62D—CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING OR PROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS
  • A62D3/00—Processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless or less harmful, by effecting a chemical change in the substances
  • A62D3/30—Processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless or less harmful, by effecting a chemical change in the substances by reacting with chemical agents
  • A62D3/32—Processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless or less harmful, by effecting a chemical change in the substances by reacting with chemical agents by treatment in molten chemical reagent, e.g. salts or metals
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62D—CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING OR PROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS
  • A62D3/00—Processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless or less harmful, by effecting a chemical change in the substances
  • A62D3/30—Processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless or less harmful, by effecting a chemical change in the substances by reacting with chemical agents
  • A62D3/36—Detoxification by using acid or alkaline reagents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62D—CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING OR PROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS
  • A62D2101/00—Harmful chemical substances made harmless, or less harmful, by effecting chemical change
  • A62D2101/20—Organic substances
  • A62D2101/22—Organic substances containing halogen
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62D—CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING OR PROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS
  • A62D2203/00—Aspects of processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless, or less harmful, by effecting chemical change in the substances
  • A62D2203/10—Apparatus specially adapted for treating harmful chemical agents; Details thereof

Definitions

• the present invention solves all of the presently known problems associated with hydrocarbons contaminated with PCB.
• the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for removing PCB from hydrocarbons.
• the method of the present invention is preferably practiced by way of a mobile vehicle adapted to process the hydrocarbons.
• a mobile vehicle adapted to process the hydrocarbons.
• metallic sodium preferably finely divided, is melted and added to the hydrocarbons in an amount sufficient to reduce PCB to less than 2 ppm.
• the mixture is separated so as to remove the reactant sodium chloride and phenyl polymer from the hydro ⁇ carbons.
• the hydrocarbon is filtered and then stored.
• Figure 1 is a sectional view through a trailer illus ⁇ trating apparatus utilized in accordance with the present invention.
• Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a sectional view through a separator. Detailed Description
• Vehicle 10 is preferably a 45- foot long trailer 12 having a chassis 14 coupled to a wheel assembly 16.
• the trailer 12 is adapted to be pulled by a tractor in a conventional manner.
• the present inven ⁇ tion enables the trailer to be driven to the site of the hydrocarbons to be treated. All of the apparatus necessary for treating hydrocarbons is disposed within the trailer 12.
• a trailer 12 has an inlet pump and meter 18 adapted to be coupled to a source of hydrocarbons to be treated.
• Pump 18 communicates with a filter 20 designed only to remove water from the hydrocarbons.
• Filter 20 alternatively communicates with either reactor 22 or reactor 24 by way of valved conduit 26.
• Each reactor communicates at its lower end with a valved conduit 28.
• Conduit 28 is connec ⁇ ted to one end a heat exchanger 30.
• the other end of heat exchanger 30 is connected to the top of the reactors 22, 24 by way of valved conduit 32.
• Conduits 28 and 32 facili ⁇ tate continuous circulation of hydrocarbons through the heat exchanger 30.
• Each heat exchanger may also include its own heater such as a plurality of four 3KV heaters.
• a chemical injector 34 communicates at its upper end with valved conduit 33.
• Chemical injector 34 has an access opening not shown to facilitate introducing finely divided metallic sodium.
• the lower end of injector 34 communicates with each of the reactors 22, 24 by way of valved conduit 32.
• each reactor communicates with a valved conduit 38.
• Conduit 38 is connected to a sodium separator 40.
• separator 40 includes a housing in which is located an upright filter 42. Filter 42 is preferably filled with steel wool. Entry into the filter 42 is from the perforated bottom. Hydro ⁇ carbons passing up through the filter 42 communicate with the upper end of a standpipe 44 and then pass downwardly through the pipe 44. The direction of flow is illustrated by arrows in Figure 3.
• the pipe 44 is coupled by way of a valve to a first clay filter 46 and then by way of conduit 49 to a final fil ⁇ ter 50.
• discharge from clay filter 46 may be directly to clay filter 48 which communicates by way of conduit 52 with the conduit 49.
• pipe 44 may communicate directly with filter 48 by way of valve conduit 54 and thereby bypass filter 46.
• the final filter 50 is preferably a 1/2 micron filter which polishes the hydrocarbons.
• Filter 50 communicates with a storage tank 56 attached to the bottom of the chassis 14. Hydrocarbons may be withdrawn from the tank 56 by way of a pump and hose disposed within the housing 58.
• Tank 56 preferably has a capacity of about 1,000 gallons.
• Pumps are provided in various conduits as shown in the drawing to main ⁇ tain a uniform throughput.
• the reactors 22 and 24 are utilized alternatively for batch handling of the hydrocarbons to be processed.
• the most common types of hydrocarbons to be processed are trans ⁇ former oil containing PCB as a fire retardant.
• the present invention is desired to reduce PCB to less than 2 ppm. Hydrocarbons having an excess of 4,000 ppm have been suc ⁇ cessfully processed utilizing the apparatus of the present invention.
• the vehicle 10 is transported to the location of the hydrocarbons to be processed.
• the source of hydrocarbons is connected to the inlet of pump 18.
• Pump 18 includes a meter for registering or recording the amount of hydrocarbons processed. Pump 18 pumps the hydrocarbons through filter 20 where water is removed so that the hydrocarbons are substantially free of water when introduced to one of the reactors 22, 24. Let it be assumed that the hydrocarbons are communicated from filter 20 to the reactor 22. After a sample of the hydrocarabons is drawn for a gas chromato ⁇ graph analysis, the hydrocarbons within the reactor 22 are heated. In addition, the temperature of the hydrocarbons is increased by pumping the hydrocarbons from the reactor 22 through the heat exchanger 30 and back to the reactor 22.
• the 1254 arachlor is predominant, that is, has a concentration of about 100 to about 2500 ppm, it is preferred to use a bulk sodium of size from about one quarter inch to about one half inch in maximum dimension.
• the size of the sodium determines the length of time it takes to destroy the PCB's, the larger the sodium particles, the longer it takes to melt the sodium. Since it takes longer to destroy the 1250 arachlor than the other arachlors, the larger size bulk sodium is preferred for the 1250 arachlor.
• Temperature and flow rates are monitored on a control panel 60.
• the valves associated with conduits 32 and 33 are manipu ⁇ lated so as to cause the circulating hydrocarbons to flow through the injector 34 and melt a predetermined amount of finely divided metallic sodium.
• the preferred embodiment of the present invention involves adding .03 grams of sodium for each ppm of PCB for each gallon of hydrocarbon being treated. For a 500 gallon batch, 42.7 pounds of sodium are added to injector 34 where the hydrocarbons had 4,179 ppm of PCB.
• the mixture is directed from reactor 22 through the heat exchanger and to the injector and back to the reactor.
• the flow of hydrocarbon can be directed solely between the reactor and the injector after the hydrocarbon is brought back to temperature.
• the mix ⁇ ture is agitated.
• a sample of the hydrocarbons being processed is analyzed with a gas chroma ⁇ tograph to ascertain the ppm of the PCB.
• valves associated with conduit 38 are open so that the mixture may be directed by way of conduit 38 to the separator 40.
• the hydrocarbons pass upwardly through the steel wool filter 42 and downwardly through the standpipe 44.
• Sodium chloride and phenyl polymers which result from the reaction of the sodium with the PCB are retained within the separator 40.
• the decontaminated hydrocarbons are pumped through one or both of the clay filters 46, 48 to the final filter 50.
• the hydrocarbons are pumped to the storage tank 56. While sodium is being added to the -6-
• a second batch may be processed by filling reactor 24 and circulat ⁇ ing hydrocarbons containing PCB from reactor 24 and through the heat exchanger 30.
• potassium and lithium may be used, finely divided metallic sodium is preferred as the source of the metal for combining with the chlorine in PCB since it is the least volatile, the least expensive, and works the fastest.
• the temperature of 130°C was chosen since metallic sodium will liquify and flow rapidly at that temperature. While higher temperatures may be used, we prefer to avoid such higher temperatures so as to avoid producing other toxic substances such as dioxin. Since the melting point of sodium is 97.6°C, a suitable temperature range for the temperature of hydrocarbon is 110°C to 140°C with 130°C being preferred since sodium flows readily and rapidly mixes with the hydrocarbon at that temperature. No attempt is made herein to describe features of common knowledge such as how to measure the amount of PCB present, closing of valves which should be closed, periodic removal of residue in collector 40, etc.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=22188660

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

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Citations (2)

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• 1985
  • 1985-04-29 WO PCT/US1985/000755 patent/WO1986006297A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1985-04-29 EP EP19850902358 patent/EP0219496A4/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 1986
  • 1986-12-08 KR KR860700874A patent/KR870700396A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1986-12-16 FI FI865118A patent/FI865118A/fi not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1986-12-22 DK DK623686A patent/DK623686A/da not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1986-12-22 NO NO86865254A patent/NO865254L/no unknown

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (3)

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