US3899419A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for chemical fractionation, defatting and dewatering of solids and suspensions
Assignee: Resources Conservation Co
•
Filing: 1974-06-21
•
Granted: 1975-08-12
•
Expires: 1994-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A process for dewartering solid matter containing bound or unbound water comprises mixing the solid matter with an amount of a composition having an inverse critical solution point in a twophase system with water. The amount of the composition used must be sufficient for substantially all of the bound or unbound water in the solid matter to be completely miscible in a single phase in the composition at or below a first predetermined temperature. The temperature of the mixture is then adjusted to or below the predetermined temperature. The mixture is then mechanically separated, as by filtering, into a solid fraction containing the solid matter and a liquid fraction containing the composition and substantially all of the water. The liquid fraction is separated into water and the composition by raising the temperature of the liquid fraction to above the determined temperature, at which temperature the liquid fraction separates into two liquid phases. The composition phase is then decanted from the water phase, after which the composition phase can be recycled for dewatering additional solid matter. The preferred compositions are those secondary or tertiary amines, preferably aliphatic, which exhibit an inverse critical solution point in a two-phase system with water. Mixtures of these amines can be used. Most preferred of these secondary and tertiary amines are those having the formula wherein, R1 can be hydrogen or alkyl, R2 and R3 can be alkyl radicals having one to six carbon atoms or alkenyl radicals having two to six carbon atoms, the total number of carbon atoms in the amine molecule being in the range of from three to seven, inclusive. An exemplary and preferred amine of this class is triethylamine. The solid matter to which this method is applicable includes a wide variety of materials including fecal matter (poultry feces and treated sewage sludge), other sludges (flocculant metal processing wastes), animal protein (egg white, whole eggs, whole fish, fish wastes, shellfish and shrimp wastes, and whole milk), and plant protein (spent brewer''s yeast, and green plants).
Inventors
- 👤 Carl F Emanuel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 22:39
CPC Classifications
F; F26; F26B; F26B5/00; F26B5/005; A; A23; A23B; A23B2/00; A23B2/90; A23B2/91; A23B5/00; A23B5/02; A23B5/025; A23C; A23C1/00; A23K; A23K30/00; A23K30/20; B; B01; B01D; B01D11/00; B01D11/02; B01D11/0288; C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/24; C02F1/26; C02F11/00; C02F11/002; C02F11/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S530/00; Y10S530/82; Y10S530/823; Y10S530/824; Y10S530/827; Y10S530/832; Y10S530/85; Y10S530/852; Y10S530/853; Y10S530/855; Y10S530/857; Y10S530/859
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
A METHOD FOR REMOVING WATER FROM A MIXTURE COMPRISING WATER AND PARTICULATE SOLID MATTER WHICH IS INSOLUBLE IN WATER COMPRISING: CONTACTING SAID MIXTURE WITH A LIQUID COMPOSITION TO FORM A SLURRY, SAID COMPOSITION HAVING AN INVERSE CRITICAL SOLUTION TEMPERATURE IN A TWO PHASE SYSTEM WITH WATER AND BEING SELECTED FROM A MEMBER OF OR MIXTURES OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUPS OF AMINES HAVING THE FORMULA R1-N(-R2)-R3 WHEREIN R1 IS A HYDROGEN OR AN ALKYL RADICAL, AND R2 AND R3 ARE ALKYL RADICALS HAVING FROM ONE TO SIX CARBON ATOMS OR ALKENYL RADICALS HAVING FROM TWO TO SIX CARBON ATOMS, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CARBON ATOMS IN THE AMINE MOLECULE BEING IN THE RANGE OF FROM THREE TO SEVEN, INCLUSIVE, AND SAID COMPOSITION BEING PRESENT IN SAID SLURRY IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST THE CRITICAL SOLUTION CONCENTRATION AT WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID WATER IN SAID MIXTURE IS COMPLETELY MISCIBLE I A SINGLE LIQUID PHASE IN SAID COMPOSITION, MECHANICALLY SEPARATING SAID SLURRY INTO A SOLID FRACTION COMPRISING SOLID MATTER WHICH IS INSOLUBLE IN SAID SLURRY AND A LIQUID FRACTION COMPRISING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID WATER AND SAID COMPOSITION WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID SLURRY AT A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH SAID WATER AND COMPOSITION ARE PRESENT IN A SINGLE LIQUID PHASE, AFTER SEPARATING SAID SOLID FRACTION, INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID LIQUID FRACTION TO A TEMPERATURE ABOVE SAID INVERSE CRITICAL SOLUTION TO FORM TWO LIQUID PHASES COMPRISING A COMPOSITION PHASE CONTAINING A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER AND A WATER PHASE CONTAINING A SMALL AMOUNT OF COMPOSITION, AND THEREAFTER MCHANICALLY SEPARATING SAID WATER PHASE FROM SAID COMPOSITION PHASE.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
269 words
A METHOD FOR REMOVING WATER FROM A MIXTURE COMPRISING WATER AND PARTICULATE SOLID MATTER WHICH IS INSOLUBLE IN WATER COMPRISING: CONTACTING SAID MIXTURE WITH A LIQUID COMPOSITION TO FORM A SLURRY, SAID COMPOSITION HAVING AN INVERSE CRITICAL SOLUTION TEMPERATURE IN A TWO PHASE SYSTEM WITH WATER AND BEING SELECTED FROM A MEMBER OF OR MIXTURES OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUPS OF AMINES HAVING THE FORMULA R1-N(-R2)-R3 WHEREIN R1 IS A HYDROGEN OR AN ALKYL RADICAL, AND R2 AND R3 ARE ALKYL RADICALS HAVING FROM ONE TO SIX CARBON ATOMS OR ALKENYL RADICALS HAVING FROM TWO TO SIX CARBON ATOMS, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CARBON ATOMS IN THE AMINE MOLECULE BEING IN THE RANGE OF FROM THREE TO SEVEN, INCLUSIVE, AND SAID COMPOSITION BEING PRESENT IN SAID SLURRY IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST THE CRITICAL SOLUTION CONCENTRATION AT WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID WATER IN SAID MIXTURE IS COMPLETELY MISCIBLE I A SINGLE LIQUID PHASE IN SAID COMPOSITION, MECHANICALLY SEPARATING SAID SLURRY INTO A SOLID FRACTION COMPRISING SOLID MATTER WHICH IS INSOLUBLE IN SAID SLURRY AND A LIQUID FRACTION COMPRISING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID WATER AND SAID COMPOSITION WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID SLURRY AT A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH SAID WATER AND COMPOSITION ARE PRESENT IN A SINGLE LIQUID PHASE, AFTER SEPARATING SAID SOLID FRACTION, INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID LIQUID FRACTION TO A TEMPERATURE ABOVE SAID INVERSE CRITICAL SOLUTION TO FORM TWO LIQUID PHASES COMPRISING A COMPOSITION PHASE CONTAINING A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER AND A WATER PHASE CONTAINING A SMALL AMOUNT OF COMPOSITION, AND THEREAFTER MCHANICALLY SEPARATING SAID WATER PHASE FROM SAID COMPOSITION PHASE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said amines are selected from triethylamine or diisopropylamine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 where the temperature during separation of the solid fraction and liquid fraction is at least as low as the inverse critical solution temperature of said composition with water.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the proportions of said composition to said water are in the range of one to seven parts by weight of said composition to one part by weight of water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said composition comprises triethylamine, the temperature of separation of said fractions being maintained below about 19*C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 comprising mechanically separating said slurry by filtration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 comprising: mechanically separating said slurry by vacuum filtration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: recycling said composition phase for contacting with additional amounts of said mixture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: separating from said water phase at least a portion of said composition in solution therewith, and recycling said portion of said composition for contacting with additional amounts of said mixture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said composition is separated from said water phase by steam stripping said composition from said water phase.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
52 words
A method for removing water from fecal matter comprising: combining fecal matter with a composition having an inverse critical solution temperature in a two phase system with water to form a slurry, said composition being selected from a member of or mixtures of members of the group of amines having the formula
Claim 13
Independent Claim
52 words
A method for removing water from fecal matter comprising: combining fecal matter with a composition having an inverse critical solution temperature in a two phase system with water to form a slurry, said composition being selected from a member of or mixtures of members of the group of amines having the formula
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said fecal matter comprises treated sewage sludge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said fecal matter comprises poultry feces.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising: raising the temperature of said liquid fraction above said inverse critical solution temperature to form two liquid phases comprising a water phase and a composition phase, and mechanically separating said water phase from said composition phase.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said poultry feces contain a component soluble in water and insoluble in said composition, the step further comprising: separating said component from said water phase.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 15 wherein urea is separAted from said water phase.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 15 wherein water soluble salts are separated from said water phase.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 14 wherein uric acid is separated from said water phase.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said poultry feces contain a component insoluble in water and soluble in said composition, the method further comprising: separating said component from said composition phase.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 19 wherein vitamin B-12 is separated from said composition phase.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 19 further comprising: recycling said composition phase for contacting with additional poultry feces.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
62 words
A method for removing water from a sludge comprising water and solid material which is insoluble in water comprising: contacting said sludge with a composition having an inverse critical solution temperature in a two phase system with water to form a slurry, said composition being selected from a member of or mixtures of members of the group of amines having the formula
Claim 25
Independent Claim
62 words
A method for removing water from a sludge comprising water and solid material which is insoluble in water comprising: contacting said sludge with a composition having an inverse critical solution temperature in a two phase system with water to form a slurry, said composition being selected from a member of or mixtures of members of the group of amines having the formula
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 22 further comprising: after separating said solid fraction, increasing the temperature of said liquid fraction to form two liquid phases comprising a water phase containing a small amount of composition and a composition phase containing a small amount of water, and mechanically separating said water phase from said composition phase.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 23 wherein the temperature to which said liquid fraction is increased is one at which the ratio of said composition to said water in said water phase is less than about 1 to 10.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 24 wherein said composition is triethylamine.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the temperature of said liquid fraction is increased to above 35*C.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 26 wherein the temperature of said liquid fraction is increased to the range of from about 50*C to about 70*C.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising: recycling said composition phase to contact additional amounts of said mixture.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 28 further comprising: stripping said composition remaining miscible in said water phase from said water phase, and recycling said composition so stripped to contact additional amounts of said mixture.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said mixture comprises a component other than water soluble in said composition, said method further comprising: treating said composition phase to remove said component.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said mixture comprises a component soluble in water, said method further comprising: treating said water phase to remove said component.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said sludge comprises an inorganic industrial processing waste.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
64 words
The method for separating water and other components from animal protein containing water and solid material insoluble in water comprising: contacting said animal protein with a composiTion having an inverse critical solution temperature in a two phase system with water for form a slurry, said composition being selected from a member of or mixtures of members of the group of amines having the formula
Claim 37
Independent Claim
64 words
The method for separating water and other components from animal protein containing water and solid material insoluble in water comprising: contacting said animal protein with a composiTion having an inverse critical solution temperature in a two phase system with water for form a slurry, said composition being selected from a member of or mixtures of members of the group of amines having the formula
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said animal protein comprises egg shell waste resulting from the removal of the shell from fresh eggs.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said animal protein comprises egg whites.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said animal protein comprises whole eggs.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said animal protein comprises fish processing wastes.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said animal protein comprises eviscerated fish.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said animal protein comprises shellfish processing wastes.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said animal protein comprises milk.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 33 wherein said animal protein contains a component soluble in said composition, the method further comprising: raising the temperature of said liquid fraction above said inverse critical solution temperature to form a composition phase containing said component and a water phase, and separating the water phase from said composition phase, and removing said component from said composition phase.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 41 wherein said component comprises a fatty material.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for removing water and other components from plant matter containing water and solid material which is insoluble in water comprising: contacting said plant matter with a composition having an inverse critical solution temperature in a two phase system with water to form a slurry, said composition being selected from a member of or mixtures of members of the group of amines having the formula
Claim 48
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for removing water and other components from plant matter containing water and solid material which is insoluble in water comprising: contacting said plant matter with a composition having an inverse critical solution temperature in a two phase system with water to form a slurry, said composition being selected from a member of or mixtures of members of the group of amines having the formula
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 43 wherein said plant matter comprises spent brewer''s yeast.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 43 wherein said plant matter comprises green plants.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 43 wherein said plant matter contains a component soluble in said composition, the method further compriSing: raising the temperature of said liquid fraction above said inverse critical solution temperature to form a composition phase containing said component and a water phase, and separating the water phase from said composition phase, and removing said component from said composition phase.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 46 wherein said component comprises a fatty material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-11 | 1979-02-10 | 1979-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-11 | 1983-02-10 | 1983-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-11 | 1987-02-10 | 1987-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |