US3853753A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Removing oil from waste water with sulfur
Assignee: BP America Production Co
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Filing: 1970-10-13
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Granted: 1974-12-10
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Expires: 1990-10-13
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to water pollution control and concerns a system for removing dispersed oil from water by contacting the oily water with sulfur to cause the oil to coalesce or agglomerate. In a preferred embodiment, the water containing the dispersed oil is passed through a bed of granular media presenting a surface area of solid phase sulfur to coalesce the dispersed oil. The coalesced oil is then separated from the water.
Inventors
- 👤 Loyd Wardwell Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:14
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/68; C02F1/681; B; B01; B01D; B01D17/00; B01D17/02; B01D17/0202; B01D17/04; B01D17/045; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/05; Y10S588/00; Y10S588/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
34 words
A METHOD OF REMOVING DISPERSED OIL FROM OILY WATER WHICH COMPRISES: CONTACTING ELEMENTAL SULFUR IN THE SOLID PHASE WITH SAID OILY WATER TO AGGLOMERATE THE OIL; AND SEPARATING THE AGGLOMERATED OIL FROM THE WATER.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
34 words
A METHOD OF REMOVING DISPERSED OIL FROM OILY WATER WHICH COMPRISES: CONTACTING ELEMENTAL SULFUR IN THE SOLID PHASE WITH SAID OILY WATER TO AGGLOMERATE THE OIL; AND SEPARATING THE AGGLOMERATED OIL FROM THE WATER.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method as defined in claim 1 in which the sulfur is coated on sand which is arranged to form a bed of granular media, such sand having grain size of between about 0.5 to 8mm in diameter and in which the step of contacting sulfur in the solid phase includes flowing said oily water through said bed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as defined in claim 2 in which the oily water is flowed through said bed of granular media at a velocity of not over 20 gallons/minutes/square foot of cross sectional area of said bed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 1 in which the sulfur covering the sand has an average thickness of about 0.1 to about 3mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as defined in claim 1 in which the sulfur is arranged in a granular bed and in which said oily water is flowed through the granular bed at a flow rate below the velocity required to fluidize said bed.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
36 words
A method of removing dispersed oil from oily water which comprises: mixing yellow sulfur particles with said oily water to cause the oil to coagulAte with the sulfur particles; separating the water from said coagulated sulfur-oil.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
36 words
A method of removing dispersed oil from oily water which comprises: mixing yellow sulfur particles with said oily water to cause the oil to coagulAte with the sulfur particles; separating the water from said coagulated sulfur-oil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as defined in claim 6 including the steps of passing said coagulated sulfur-oil through a heated separator; removing oil from the upper part of said separator and molten sulfur from the lower part.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 7 including making a sulfur slurry from said molten sulfur and mixing said sulfur slurry with said water.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as defined in claim 6 in which the ratio of sulfur to oil is at least about one part by weight of sulfur to one part by weight of oil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 6 in which the sulfur-oil ratio by weight is about three to one.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of removing dispersed oil from oily water which comprises: flowing the oily water into a container; simultaneously adding sulfur particles to said container while agitating the oily water to form an oil-sulfur precipitate; removing water from the upper portion of said container; removing sulfur-oil precipitate from the lower portion of said container.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of removing dispersed oil from oily water which comprises: flowing the oily water into a container; simultaneously adding sulfur particles to said container while agitating the oily water to form an oil-sulfur precipitate; removing water from the upper portion of said container; removing sulfur-oil precipitate from the lower portion of said container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as defined in claim 11 including the steps of separating said sulfur and said oil from said sulfur-oil precipitate and returning the recovered sulfur to said container to again form a precipitate with the oil in said oily water.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
20 words
A method of removing oil from water which comprises contacting said oil with a solid material consisting of elemental sulfur.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
20 words
A method of removing oil from water which comprises contacting said oil with a solid material consisting of elemental sulfur.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-09 | 1978-06-10 | 1978-12-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-09 | 1982-06-10 | 1982-12-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-09 | 1986-06-10 | 1986-12-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |