Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
  • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
  • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
  • E02B15/042—Devices for removing the oil by combustion with or without means for picking up the oil
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A20/00—Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
  • Y02A20/20—Controlling water pollution; Waste water treatment
  • Y02A20/204—Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills

Definitions

• the cellular ceramic nodules have a multiplicity of 370,883 10/1887 Moore ..431/4 Separate Closed n and the outer Surface of the nodules has 405,786 6/1889 Ludde.. ..431/298 plurality Ofcup shaped'recess portions 755,376 3/1904 Lucke ..431/7 1,149,870 8/1915 Thompson, Jr.
• This invention relates to a process for the burning of a combustibIe liquid and more particularly to a process for the complete combustion of a layer of combustible liquid floating on a body of water.
• Another proposed solution to the problem comprises covering the surface of the pollutant liquid with particulate silica particles which have been coated with a surface active agent to render the silica particle hydrophobic.
• One problem inherent in the use of this method arises from the fact that not all of the pollutant liquid is consumed and the residue agglomerates with the silica particles leaving crusty patches of siliceous pollutant residue floating on the water's surface. The pollutant residue must be scooped or otherwise removed from the surface.
• a plurality of cellular ceramic ,nodules are deposited on the free surface of the combustible liquid to be burned so that they float thereon.
• the nodules are wetted by the combustible liquid and then the liquid is ignited and burned on the exposed upper surface of the nodules remote from the major portion of the layer of liquid being burned. Combustion of the liquid on the exposed upper surface of the nodule is thereafter continued in a substantially self-sustaining manner until substantially all of the combustible liquid has been burned orconsumed in the combustion process.
• ignition and sustained combustion of the liquid takes place.
• the film of combustible liquid on the upper surface of the nodule is continually replaced with liquid from the layer of combustible liquid through capillary action.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a process for enabling or enhancing the combustion of a combustible liquid which is otherwise difficult to ignite or difficult to sustain combustion.
• This invention provides an improved process for removing liquid combustible'pollutants from a body of water and for enabling and enhancing the combustion of liquids generally.
• the cellular ceramic nodules deposited on the upper free surface of the combustible liquid enable and enchance the combustion that results in the complete combustion and removal of the combustible liquid from the surface of the body of water.
• the nodules enhance and maintain the combustion of the liquid, it is believed the nodules isolate portions of the combustible liquid from the layer in contact with the body of water and continually replace the isolated liquid burned by other liquid from the layer floating on the body of water until substantially all of the liquid is thereby bumed.-lt should be understood, however, that there is no intention to be bound by the above or any of the following explanations concerning the manner or mechanisms through which this invention functions.
• the cellular ceramic nodules suitable for use in this process may be prepared in accordance with the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,024 from a pulverulent glassy material and a cellulating agent or from other pulverulent materials and a cellulating agent in accordance with the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,441,396.
• a description of the process for providing a textured surface on the nodule may be found in copending application Ser. No. 727,242, filed May 7, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,218, and entitled Tower Packing Element".
• the cellular ceramic nodules enable and enhance combustion'of the combustible liquid to be removed from the body of water through interaction of the physical characteristics of the nodules,'such as the surface morphology, the density the impermeability, the chemical composition, the thermal characteristics, and the like.
• the nodules may have an apparent density of between about 6 and 30 pounds per cubic foot and a thermal conductivity of between about 0.40 to 0.50 Btu./hr./sq.ft./F./in. at 75 F.
• the nodules can be made in many different sizes. Nodules of a size between oneeighth and one-half inch with an apparent density of between 10 and 20 pounds per cubic foot were found suitable.
• the nodules are made by admixing relatively fine pulverulent glass with a cellulating agent such as carbon blacker the like.
• a binder is then added to the mixture which is then pelletized and subsequently coated with a parting agent that serves to maintain the pellets discrete during the cellulation process.
• the coated pellets are heated in a rotary furnace or kiln to a cellulating temperature and the pellets cellulate to form substantially spherical cellular ceramic nodules with acontinuous outer skin.
• pulverulent glass is a preferred constituent of the cellular ceramic nodules, other glassy materials as described in U.S.-Pat. No. 3,441,396 may be used.
• the tenn ceramic is intended to encompass both pulverulent formulated glass and other suitable pulverulent glassy materials.
• the cellular ceramic nodules thus produced have a core of individual completely closed cells of ceramic material and a continuous outer skin of ceramic material.
• the cellular ceramic nodules produced as described above be abraded or otherwise treated to remove the relatively thin continuous outer skin and a portion of the layer of underlying closed cells to expose, over the entire surface of the nodule, a portion of the layer of cells therebeneath.
• the cells on the abraded surface are opened to form a surface having a plurality of contiguous individual cup like recessed portions or cell fragments.
• the outer surface of the abraded nodules appears as an irregular textured surface, for brevity the plurality of concave cup shaped depressions comprising the outer surface of the abraded nodules will be referred to hereinafter as an irregular textured surface.
• the cellular ceramic nodules produced as described above exhibit many characteristics which are readily and preferentially adaptable for the herein described process.
• the combustion enhancing agent should be impervious or impermeable to the flow of fluids into and through the combustion enhancing agent. Therefore, all of the liquid to be burned remains on the surface of the combustion enhancing agent and is accessible for combustion and ultimate burning.
• the combustion enhancing agent remaining after combustion of the combustible liquid is substantially devoid of the combustible liquid, thereby obviating further treatment or purification of the combustion enhancing agent.
• the nodules have a density less than the density of the water and preferably less than the density of the liquid to be burned. It is essential that the nodules float on the upper surface of the water and preferably on the upper free surface of the liquid to be burned. It is also preferred that the nodules float on the liquid to be burned with only a portion of the nodule submerged below the surface of the liquid to be burned. Nodules' produced as previously described generally have an apparent density of between about 6 pounds per cubic foot and 30 pounds per cubic foot. Nodules with a density of the above range have exhibited a high degree of efiiciency whenused in this process.
• the agent have a chemical composition that is inert and unreactive with the material to be burned as well as with the surrounding atmosphere and the'body of water on which it floats.
• the cellular ceramic nodule is chemically inert with respect to combustible liquid hydrocarbons, air and water so that the surface morphology of the nodule will not be altered substantially during the combustion process and the density and other desirable properties of the nodule will not be altered substantially during the combustion of the combustible liquid thereon.
• the outer surface of the cellular ceramic nodule be irregular and textured with a continuum of contiguous concave cell portions, it is preferred that the gross configuration of the nodule'be substantially spherical.
• the substantially spherical configuration provides greater efficiency and istherefore preferred. However, the process can be practiced even with an inventory of nodules that exhibit a substantial degree of nonsphericity. s
• the size of the cellulanceramic nodule isa function of several parameters, among which are the nature of the liquid to be burned; the specific composition and unique morphology of the cellular ceramic nodule employed: the cell size of'the nodule; the ambient physical conditions around the system comprising the nodule; the combustible liquid to be burned, and the underlying water; and the temperature and other physical and chemical characteristics internal to the system comprising the nodules and the two liquids. ln some relatively common circumstances nodules having a diameter of between about one-eighth inchand one-half inch were found suitable for use in this process. in use with common crude oil and other petroleum products, nodules having a diameter of about onefourth inch were found to be highly effective for use in this process.
• the thermal properties of the cellular ceramic nodules contribute substantially to the combustion process.
• the efficiency of combustion and of liquid removal are substantially enhanced-where the combustion enhancing agent operates in the physical system as a thermal insulator between the body of water and the film of combustible liquid on the surface of the nodule.
• the nodules used in this process have a thermal conductivity substantially lower than the combustible liquid. With crude petroleum, other common petroleum products and other hydrocarbon liquids, nodules having a thermal conductivity of between about 0.40 and 0.50
• the melting point of the nodules be substantially higher than the flash point and combustion temperature of the combustible liquid.
• the cellular ceramic nodules produced according to the above described process maintain their physical integrity and surface morphology up to temperatures of about l,600 F.
• the use of nodules having a high melting point is also desirable because the process has been found to enhance both the temperature and the rate of combustion for a given combustible liquid.
• the high melting point enables and supports extremelyrapid and complete combustion of the combustible liquid 7 and reduces the amount of unburned hydrocarbons introduced into the atmosphere.
• the liquid forms a thin film around the exposed outer surface of each cellular ceramic nodule and that film is maintained in place by the attractive or adhesive forces generated by the intermolecular forces and attractions between the molecules of the liquid and the cellular glass nodules.
• surface. capillarity on the surface of the nodule takes place in that preferentially the film of combustible liquid rises onto the exposed nodule surface from the surrounding layer of combustible liquid and the film is continually replaced from the layer by this surface capillarity.
• the process functions efficiently if only a monolayer, or partial monolayer, of cellular ceramic nodules are positioned on the surface of the combustible liquid.
• the ignition and combustion of the combustible liquid is sustained in a combustion zone which may be defined as the upper or exposed surface of the cellular ceramic nodules remote from the underlying body of water.
• a combustion zone which may be defined as the upper or exposed surface of the cellular ceramic nodules remote from the underlying body of water.
• the creation of the thin film of liquid permits ignition of the liquid by the mere application of heat by means of an open flame on the upper surface of the nodules.
• an igniter such as a highly flammable fluid which has.
• a relatively low flash point can be added to the combustible liquid to facilitate ignition of the combustible liquid. lt should be noted, however, that only a relatively small amount of the igniter need be added to the combustible liquid to initiate ignition. After ignition is initiated there is a flame spread across the other nodules in' the layer to propagate combustion throughout the entire layer of nodules.
• the amount of liquid supplied to the combustion zone that is the upper surface of the cellular ceramic nodules, is, in this process, optimized in the sense that sufiicient liquid is supplied to the combustion zone to support rapid, high temperature combustion while excess combustible liquid is maintained below or out of the combustion zone, thereby preventing the wasteful transfer of heat through the combustible liquid to portions of that liquid not being burned in the combustion zone.
• the zone of combustion is maintained at the upper surface of the cellular ceramic nodules which have the previously discussed thermal insulating properties, thereby separating the heat source from the underlying water and minimizing the heat loss to the body of water therebelow.
• the nodules function as thermal insulators during combustion thereby preventing loss of heat to the underlying water and confining and concentrating the available heat to the region of combustion in the thin film of liquid on the surface of the nodules.
• the impervious nature of the cellular ceramic nodules prevents the absorption of liquid into the nodules themselves with the result that all of the liquid is maintained available for combustion and the surface area of the nodules remains unchanged throughout the process to provide a relatively fixed combustion zone.
• a substantially spherical shape of the nodules is preferred in their use in this process because the spherical characteristic provides only point contact between contiguous nodules so as not to interfere substantially with capillary spaces between the nodules. It is also believed that the surface morphology of a spherical nodule contributes substantially to the film formation of the combustible liquid previously discussed.
• a layer of cellular ceramic nodules having a diameter of about one-fourth inch and an apparent density of about 17 pounds per cubic foot were floated on the upper surface of the motor oil.
• a few millimeters of a low flash point igniting agent were added to the motor oil at one location on the surface.
• the motor oil in the vicinity of the igniting agent was easily ignited by an open flame from a propane torch. After ignition, combustion was continuous and spread over the entire surface of the container. It appeared that combustion was taking place on the upper surface of the cellular ceramic nodules. The combustion of the motor oil was rapid andcomplete. The surface of the water after combustion terminated appeared clean with little or no residue remaining and the cellular ceramic nodules were dry and substantially devoid of residue.
• the process of this invention provides a means for ignition and complete combustion of a liquid with complete combustion of even the heavy and less combustible constituents of that liquid. Combustion occurs rapidly and at high temperatures, reducing the volume and noxious nature of the smoke and fumes produced thereby avoiding or reducing pollution of the atmosphere.
• the water on which the layer of combustible liquid was floating is left clean and uncontaminated and the nodules remaining present no problem and do not require removal from the area.
• the nodules as previously discussed are substantially free of the oil residue and if left on the surface of the water are not harmful to human beings or to plants or animals.
• the nodules will abrade against each other and disintegrate, or if washed up on a beach or stream bank, will eventually disintegrate by abrasion due to wave action and be assimilated into the soil of the area.
• the nodules although made of a glassy or ceramic material, do not have sharp edges in the sense that they do not cut the surface of the skin and are therefore harmless to persons coming in contact with the cellular ceramic nodules.
• a process for burning a combustible liquid comprising,
• said body of combustible liquid comprises a layer of combustible liquid floating on the upper surface of a body of water
• a process for burning a combustible liquid comprising,
• a process for burning a combustible liquid as set forth in claim 3 which includes,
• said cellular ceramic nodules have a textured irregular outer surface.
• a process for burning a combustible liquid as set forth in claim 5 which includes,
• a process for burning a combustible liquid comprising,
• said cellular ceramic nodules are substantially spherical in shape and have a diameter greater than oneeighth inch, wetting the exposed upper surface of said cellular ceramic nodules with said combustible liquid, continuously replacing said thin film of combustible liquid by separating a film of said combustible liquid from said layer and having said filmv flow along the upper exposed surface of said cellular ceramic nodules.
• said cellular ceramic nodules are substantially spherical in shape and have a textured irregular outer surface
• said cellular ceramic nodules are substantially spherical in shape and have a textured irregular outer surface

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Heat-Pump Type And Storage Water Heaters (AREA)
• Solid Fuels And Fuel-Associated Substances (AREA)
• Removal Of Floating Material (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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Cited By (40)

Citations (7)

• 1969
  • 1969-06-02 US US829746A patent/US3661497A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1970
  • 1970-05-20 GB GB2445770A patent/GB1308623A/en not_active Expired
  • 1970-05-29 DE DE19702026177 patent/DE2026177A1/de active Pending
  • 1970-06-01 ES ES380266A patent/ES380266A1/es not_active Expired
  • 1970-06-01 BE BE751263D patent/BE751263A/xx unknown
  • 1970-06-01 FR FR7020058A patent/FR2049759A5/fr not_active Expired

Patent Citations (7)

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