EP0828555A1 - Separation of hydrocarbons and water from mixtures thereof - Google Patents
Separation of hydrocarbons and water from mixtures thereofInfo
- Publication number
- EP0828555A1 EP0828555A1 EP96914791A EP96914791A EP0828555A1 EP 0828555 A1 EP0828555 A1 EP 0828555A1 EP 96914791 A EP96914791 A EP 96914791A EP 96914791 A EP96914791 A EP 96914791A EP 0828555 A1 EP0828555 A1 EP 0828555A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- granules
- mixture
- filter mass
- water
- polymer
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D15/00—Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with solid sorbents; Apparatus therefor
- B01D15/02—Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with solid sorbents; Apparatus therefor with moving adsorbents
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10M—LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS; USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EITHER ALONE OR AS LUBRICATING INGREDIENTS IN A LUBRICATING COMPOSITION
- C10M175/00—Working-up used lubricants to recover useful products ; Cleaning
- C10M175/04—Working-up used lubricants to recover useful products ; Cleaning aqueous emulsion based
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D2215/00—Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with adsorbents
- B01D2215/02—Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with adsorbents with moving adsorbents
- B01D2215/021—Physically moving or fluidising the adsorbent beads or particles or slurry, excluding the movement of the entire columns
Definitions
- This invention relates to the separation of hydrocarbons and water from emulsified mixtures thereof, and more particularly the separation of oil and other hydrocarbon fuels from emulsified mixtures with water.
- the invention will be described with reference to the separation of mixtures of oil and water, although it should be appreciated that it is also applicable to the separation of mixtures of other hydrocarbon fuels and water.
- Fine ground rubber, or other polymer materials, ground to in the range of 30 - 60 mesh, and activated, and placed in oil, has the ability to retain oil on its surface.
- fine ground polymer materials, such as rubber are hydrophobic and will float on the surface of a body of water and not mix with the water, whereby the water will not wet the surfaces of the rubber granules, and as a consequence oil in an emulsified mixture with water will not contact the surfaces of the rubber granules.
- the ground rubber or other polymer material is, what is hereinafter referred to as "activated", by being washed with certain substance, such as, alcohol or an alcohol based substance, the granulated material becomes hydrophilic allowing full contact therewith by the water of the mixture and therefore also by the oil emulsified in the mixture, and is such that the oil will be retained on the surfaces of the granulated material, and as a result separated from the water component of the mixture.
- activated by being washed with certain substance, such as, alcohol or an alcohol based substance, the granulated material becomes hydrophilic allowing full contact therewith by the water of the mixture and therefore also by the oil emulsified in the mixture, and is such that the oil will be retained on the surfaces of the granulated material, and as a result separated from the water component of the mixture.
- the invention therefore envisages a method of separating the hydrocarbon and water components of a mixture thereof, in which the mixture is passed through at least one filter mass including granules of a polymer material which have been activated by exposure to a substance rendering said granules hydrophilic, and whereby a large proportion of the hydrocarbon content of the mixture is retained by said granules to be separated from the water content of the mixture as it passes through said filter mass.
- the invention also envisages an apparatus for separating the hydrocarbon and water components of a mixture thereof, comprising at least one housing containing at least one filter mass including granules of a polymer material which have been activated by exposure to a substance rendering said granules hydrophilic, and whereby to retain a large proportion of the hydrocarbon content of the mixture and separate it from the water content of the mixture as it passes through said filter mass, means to introduce said mixture into said housing, and means through which separated water may be discharged from said housing.
- Figure 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view through an apparatus in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention, and for carrying out the method of the invention.
- Figure 2 is a schematic view of a plurality of the apparatus of Figure 1 connected in series to form a second embodiment of the invention
- Figure 3 is a schematic view of a plurality of the apparatus of Figure 1 connected in parallel to form a third embodiment of the invention
- FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an apparatus in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention.
- Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5 - 5 of Figure 4, and
- Figure 6 is a plan view from beneath of the apparatus of Figures 4 and 5.
- the apparatus of this first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a vertically elongate cylindrical housing 10 having a upper end wall 11 and a lower end wall 12, and divided into three chambers 13, 14 and 15 by upper and lower sieves or screens 16a and 16b respectively, and through which fluid can pass from chamber 13 to chamber 14 and thereafter from chamber 14 to chamber 15.
- the upper and lower sieves or screens prevent solid rubber, or other polymer, granules 17 in the chamber 14 from passing out of that chamber into either chamber 13 and/or 15.
- the material in chamber 14 is granulated rubber ground from old motor vehicle tyres to within a range of 30 - 60 mesh, by means of a grinding mechanism which cuts or saws the tread, side walls, or both, of the tyre into granules.
- Other polymer materials may also be used, including natural rubber.
- an inlet conduit 18 for admitting an emulsified mixture of oil and water into chamber 13, and incorporating an inlet valve 19 for controlling flow of mixture to the chamber 13.
- the mixture accumulating in chamber 13 disperses evenly laterally of the housing 10 and then through the upper sieve or screen
- the mineral layer may be formed from quartz, calcite or any other suitable filtering medium.
- the separated water passes through the mineral layer and then through the lower sieve or screen 16b into chamber 15 from which it flows to a vertically extending discharge conduit 22 and then out of the apparatus via an outlet valve 22a which controls water discharge from the apparatus.
- the reaction of the oil with the activated rubber granules 17 in chamber 14, tends to cause the granules to rise within the chamber to the top thereof where they are retarded against further upward movement by the upper sieve of screen 16a, whilst the oil and water mixture passing through the upper sieve or screen 16a tends to agitate the activated fluidised rubber bed 20 to expose the rubber granules 17 to the oil component of the mixture to increase contact and retention of the oil on the granules.
- the quality of water discharged from the apparatus may be monitored by equipment, already available, to detect when the oil content reaches the maximum level allowable and to shut down the apparatus and switch the flow of oil/water mixture to an alternative filtering apparatus, whereafter the granulated oil/rubber mass is removed from the previously used apparatus for treatment to recover the oil or the mass is disposed of.
- a plurality, in this case six, of the filtering apparatus units of Figure 1 are connected in series by connecting conduits 23 between the discharge conduits 22 of one unit and inlet conduits 18 of a following unit to increase the overall oil separation efficiency of the apparatus.
- a plurality, once again six, of the filtering apparatus units of Figure 1 are connected in parallel by a common supply conduit 24 feeding directly the inlet conduits 18 of each housing 10 with a common main discharge conduit 25 being provided for each of the discharge conduits 22 from the housings.
- a common supply conduit 24 feeding directly the inlet conduits 18 of each housing 10
- a common main discharge conduit 25 being provided for each of the discharge conduits 22 from the housings.
- the housings 27a of each of the cartridges 27 have contained therein rubber, or like polymer, granules which prior to "activation" are immobilised by application to a thin layer of polymer bond material whilst that material is in a liquid state, and thereafter the combination is allowed to cure into a sheet from the surface of which the rubber granules protrude in an immobilised condition.
- a plurality of such sheets with open weave spacer sheets therebetween, such as plastic fly wire screen type material, are then wound into the form of a cylinder to form a filter structure the circumference of which is sealed by a plastic sleeve leaving the ends thereof open to allow fluid flow axially through each cartridge via the open weave spacer sheets after the filter structures are placed in the respective housing 27a.
- Layers of glass fibre wool or similar materials are positioned within the tops and bottoms of the cartridges to prevent migration out of the cartridges of rubber granules which may become detached from the polymer bond materials.
- the immobilised rubber granules within the cartridge are activated by exposure to alcohol, or an alcohol based substance, prior to, or whilst, being positioned within the housings 27a.
- an upper closure plate 28 which closes the upper end of the housing with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart clamping devices 29 having clamping bolts 29a carrying nuts 29b being provided.
- the clamping bolts 29a are received within radially extending slots 31 in the perimeter of the closure plate whereby, when the closure plate is positioned on the upper end of the housing, the nuts 29b may be tightened to clamp the closure plate to the end of the housing, with a handle and clamping lever arrangement 37 being provided to complete the clamping action.
- an inlet 32 for emulsified oil and water mixture is provided extending radially through the wall of the housing into a cavity 33 above the uppermost of the cartridges 27, and which allows a supply of emulsified oil and water mixture to spread evenly over the top of the uppermost of the cartridges 27 before filtering down through the cartridge assembly.
- the bottom of the housing 26 is closed by an end wall 35 through the middle of which an outlet 36 is provided for the discharge of separated water.
- a pressure gauge may be provided and associated with a gauge port 50 through the upper closure plate 28, whilst a drain port 51 is provided through the lower end wall 35 of the housing and closed by a removable closure plug 52.
- a plurality of the apparatus of Figures 4 to 6 may be coupled in series or in parallel to increase the capacity of the system, or in the case of parallel coupling, allow the closing down of one unit when the oil content of the water discharging therefrom reaches the allowable limit.
- the granules may be retained within a body of a medium of particles such as sand or gravel, either before or after being "activated" by exposure to alcohol or an alcohol based substance.
- the granules may be retained by applying them to a thread of cotton or similar material utilising a polymer bonding material, and the threads thereafter vertically bunched together within a plastic sleeve to provide a porous filtering mass for use as disposable cartridges in the apparatus of Figures 4 to 6.
- granules may then be "activated" by exposure to alcohol, or an alcohol based substance.
- a sponge may be created by blowing rubber or polymer granules into a chamber in which, under turbulence, they are mixed with droplets of an aerated polymer bonding material which adhere to the granules, and then drop to the bottom of the chamber to form a sponge-like combination of the granules and the polymer which, when cured, will form a rigid porous filter medium through which an oil and water emulsion mixture can pass and which, if the circumference is contained within a plastic sleeve, can provide disposable cartridges for use in the apparatus of Figures 4 to 6.
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
- Water Treatment By Sorption (AREA)
- Devices And Processes Conducted In The Presence Of Fluids And Solid Particles (AREA)
- Filtering Materials (AREA)
- Filtration Of Liquid (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AUPN3113A AUPN311395A0 (en) | 1995-05-23 | 1995-05-23 | An apparatus and method for the effective separation of oil and water from oil/water mixtures |
AUPN3113/95 | 1995-05-23 | ||
PCT/AU1996/000307 WO1996037290A1 (en) | 1995-05-23 | 1996-05-22 | Separation of hydrocarbons and water from mixtures thereof |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0828555A1 true EP0828555A1 (en) | 1998-03-18 |
EP0828555A4 EP0828555A4 (en) | 1998-10-07 |
Family
ID=3787455
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP96914791A Withdrawn EP0828555A4 (en) | 1995-05-23 | 1996-05-22 | Separation of hydrocarbons and water from mixtures thereof |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0828555A4 (en) |
CN (1) | CN1185121A (en) |
AU (1) | AUPN311395A0 (en) |
BR (1) | BR9610859A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2221188A1 (en) |
NO (1) | NO975347L (en) |
WO (1) | WO1996037290A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN104383719B (en) * | 2014-12-01 | 2016-04-06 | 东北石油大学 | A kind of inversion fluid bed oil droplet grabber |
RU2757753C2 (en) * | 2016-08-16 | 2021-10-21 | Дональдсон Компани, Инк. | Separation of hydrocarbon liquid and water |
EP3752271A1 (en) | 2018-02-15 | 2020-12-23 | Donaldson Company, Inc. | Filter media configurations |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB323094A (en) * | 1928-11-23 | 1929-12-24 | Edwin Bruce Warren | Recovery of oily substances and purification of water containing oily substances |
US3676357A (en) * | 1969-03-06 | 1972-07-11 | Snam Progetti | Compositions useful for eliminating water surface pollution caused by organic substances |
DE2903056A1 (en) * | 1978-01-26 | 1979-08-09 | Budny Lucina | Binder for absorbing substances - comprises rigid styrene! resin foam particles, esp. used for removing oil from water |
US4182677A (en) * | 1975-04-03 | 1980-01-08 | Institut Francais Du Petrole | Modified rubber, its use as hydrocarbon absorber |
US4508626A (en) * | 1981-12-21 | 1985-04-02 | Exxon Research & Engineering Co. | Oil removal from water suspensions using ionic domain polymers |
GB2276373A (en) * | 1993-03-22 | 1994-09-28 | Kspw Env Res Tech Inc | Water treatment process |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4172031A (en) * | 1975-11-04 | 1979-10-23 | The Dow Chemical Company | Separation of oil from water |
DE3436944C1 (en) * | 1984-10-09 | 1989-02-02 | Daimler-Benz Ag, 7000 Stuttgart | Process for dewatering water/oil emulsions |
FR2635099B1 (en) * | 1988-08-05 | 1990-10-19 | Toulouse Inst Nal Sciences | GRANULAR MATERIAL WITH OLEOPHILIC CHARACTER FOR WATER TREATMENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE |
-
1995
- 1995-05-23 AU AUPN3113A patent/AUPN311395A0/en not_active Abandoned
-
1996
- 1996-05-22 EP EP96914791A patent/EP0828555A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1996-05-22 CN CN96194108A patent/CN1185121A/en active Pending
- 1996-05-22 CA CA002221188A patent/CA2221188A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1996-05-22 WO PCT/AU1996/000307 patent/WO1996037290A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-05-22 BR BR9610859A patent/BR9610859A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1997
- 1997-11-21 NO NO975347A patent/NO975347L/en unknown
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB323094A (en) * | 1928-11-23 | 1929-12-24 | Edwin Bruce Warren | Recovery of oily substances and purification of water containing oily substances |
US3676357A (en) * | 1969-03-06 | 1972-07-11 | Snam Progetti | Compositions useful for eliminating water surface pollution caused by organic substances |
US4182677A (en) * | 1975-04-03 | 1980-01-08 | Institut Francais Du Petrole | Modified rubber, its use as hydrocarbon absorber |
DE2903056A1 (en) * | 1978-01-26 | 1979-08-09 | Budny Lucina | Binder for absorbing substances - comprises rigid styrene! resin foam particles, esp. used for removing oil from water |
US4508626A (en) * | 1981-12-21 | 1985-04-02 | Exxon Research & Engineering Co. | Oil removal from water suspensions using ionic domain polymers |
GB2276373A (en) * | 1993-03-22 | 1994-09-28 | Kspw Env Res Tech Inc | Water treatment process |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See also references of WO9637290A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
BR9610859A (en) | 1999-07-27 |
CA2221188A1 (en) | 1996-11-28 |
WO1996037290A1 (en) | 1996-11-28 |
AUPN311395A0 (en) | 1995-06-15 |
NO975347D0 (en) | 1997-11-21 |
EP0828555A4 (en) | 1998-10-07 |
CN1185121A (en) | 1998-06-17 |
NO975347L (en) | 1998-01-22 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
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17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19971124 |
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Effective date: 19980820 |
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RAP1 | Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred) |
Owner name: MURASAP INDUSTRIES LIMITED |
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RIN1 | Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected) |
Inventor name: CREELMAN, ROBERT AUCHTERLONIE Inventor name: ARTHUR, RONALD WILLIAM |
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17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 19991222 |
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STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
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18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
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