Patent US4432887A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4432887A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
De-emulsification agents of microbiological origin
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-09-02
•
Granted: 1984-02-21
•
Expires: 2001-09-02
Abstract
Abstract There is provided a process for breaking or at least destabilizing oil-in-water emulsions and water-in-oil emulsions, which comprises adding to the emulsion a broth or portion of a broth resulting from the culture therein of specifically selected bacterial microorganisms of the genus Nocardia, Rhodococcus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium or Mycobacterium. In particular, the microorganisms, Nocardia amarae, Rhodococcus aurantiacus and Rhodococcus rubropertinctus have been found to yield broths, following cultivation, having exceptionally good properties as de-emulsifying agents.
Inventors
- 👤 James E. Zajic
- 👤 David G. Cooper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:49
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12P; C12P1/00; C12P1/04; B; B01; B01D; B01D17/00; B01D17/02; B01D17/04; B01D17/047; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/34; C10; C10G; C10G33/00; C12N; C12N1/00; C12N1/20; C12N1/205; C12P1/06; C12R; C12R2001/00; C12R2001/01; C12R2001/06; C12R2001/15; C12R2001/32; C12R2001/365
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A process of destabilizing an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion, which comprises treating the emulsion with an effective amount of at least a portion of the liquid broth resulting from the culturing and growth therein of a bacterial microorganism on a carbon-containing substrate under growth promoting conditions, said bacterial microorganism being one which produces effective de-emulsifying fermentation products for the type of emulsion chosen and being selected from the group of species consisting of Nocardia amarae, Nocardia erythropolis, Rhodococcus aurantiacus, Rhodococcus rubropertinctus, Arthrobacter paraffineus, Corynebacterium hydrocarboclastus, Corynebacterium oxydans, Corynebacterium petrophilum, Corynebacterium lepus, Corynebacterium fascians, Corynebacterium hydrocarbooxydans, Mycobacterium cuneatum, Mycobacterium petroleophillum, Mycobacterium parafortuitum, Mycobacterium rhodochrous and Mycobacterium brevicale.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A process of destabilizing an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion, which comprises treating the emulsion with an effective amount of at least a portion of the liquid broth resulting from the culturing and growth therein of a bacterial microorganism on a carbon-containing substrate under growth promoting conditions, said bacterial microorganism being one which produces effective de-emulsifying fermentation products for the type of emulsion chosen and being selected from the group of species consisting of Nocardia amarae, Nocardia erythropolis, Rhodococcus aurantiacus, Rhodococcus rubropertinctus, Arthrobacter paraffineus, Corynebacterium hydrocarboclastus, Corynebacterium oxydans, Corynebacterium petrophilum, Corynebacterium lepus, Corynebacterium fascians, Corynebacterium hydrocarbooxydans, Mycobacterium cuneatum, Mycobacterium petroleophillum, Mycobacterium parafortuitum, Mycobacterium rhodochrous and Mycobacterium brevicale.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The process of claim 1 wherein an oil-in-water emulsion stabilized with a neutral surfactant is destabilized by treating the emulsion with liquid broth from the culturing-growth therein of a bacterial microorganism selected from the group of species consisting of Corynebacterium hydrocarbooxydans, Corynebacterium hydrocarboclastus, Corynebacterium oxydans, Corynebacterium petrophilum, Corynebacterium lepus, Corynebacterium facsians, Nocardia amarae, Rhodococcus aurantiacus, Rhodococcus rubropertinctus, Arthrobactaer parrafineus and Mycobacterium cuneatum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the bacterial microorganism is selected from the group of species consisting of Corynebacterium lepus, Nocardia amarae, Rhodococcus aurantiacus, and Rhodococcus rubropertinctus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The process of claim 1 wherein an oil-in-water emulsion stabilized with an anionic surfactant is destabilized by treating the emulsion with liquid broth from the culturing and growth therein of a bacterial microorganism selected from the group of species consisting of Corynebacterium hydrocarboxydans, Corynebacterium hydrocarboclastus, Corynebacterium oxydans, Corynebacterium petrophilum, Corynebacterium lepus, Corynebacterium fascians, Nocardia amarae, Nocardia erythropolis, Mycobacterium parafortuitum and Mycobacterium rhodochrous.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the bacterial microorganism is selected from the group of species consisting of Corynebacterium oxydans, Corynebacterium petrophilum, Corynebacterium lepus, Corynebacterium fascians, Mycobacterium parafortuitum and Mycobacterium rhodochrous.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The process of claim 1 wherein an oil-in-water emulsion stabilized with a cationic surfactant is destabilized by treating the emulsion with liquid broth from the culturing and growth therein of a bacterial microorganism selected from the group of species consisting of Corynebacterium hydrocarboclastus, Corynebacterium oxydans, Corynebacterium petrophilum, Corynebacterium lepus, Corynebacterium fascians, Rhodococcus aurantiacus, Rhodococcus rubropertinctus, Arthrobacter parrafineus, Mycobacterium cuneatum, Mycobacterium petroleophillum, Nocardia erythropolis, Mycobacterium parafortuitum, Mycobacterium rhodochrous and Mycobacterium brevicale.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 6 wherein the bacterial microorganism is selected from the group of species consisting of Corynebacterium petrophilum, Corynebacterium lepus, Corynebacterium fascians, Mycobacterium cuneatum, Mycobacterium petroleophillum, and Mycobacterium brevicale.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a water-in-oil emulsion is destabilized by treating the emulsion with liquid broth from the culturing and growth therein of a bacterial microorganism selected from the group of species consisting of Corynebacterium hydrocarbooxydans, Corynebacterium hycrocarboclastus, Corynebacterium oxydans, Corynebacterium petrophilum, Corynebacterium lepus, Corynebacterium fascians, Nocardia amarae, Rhodococcus aurantiacus, Rhodococcus rubropertinctus, Arthrobacter parrafineus, Nocardia erythropolis, Mycobacterium parafortuitum, Mycobacterium rhodochrous and Mycobacterium brevicale.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the microorganism is selected from the group of species consisting of Corynebacterium petrophilum, Nocardia amarae, Rhodococcus aurantiacus, Rhodococcus rubropertinctus and Arthrobacter paraffineus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the water-in-oil emulsion is stabilized with a neutral surfactant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the treating composition comprises whole culture broths.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 11 in which from about 0.2 to about 1 volume of whole broth is added per 10 volumes of emulsion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the liquid broth is prepared by growing the bacterial microorganism on a hydrocarbon substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the liquid broth is prepared by growing the bacterial microorganism on a soluble carbohydrate substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3709783A
Cited
US3871956A
Cited
US3813316A
Cited
US4273872A
Cited
US4350770A
Cited
US4355109A
Cited
US4274954A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-02-20 | 1987-08-22 | 1988-02-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-02-20 | 1991-08-22 | 1992-02-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-02-20 | 1995-08-22 | 1996-02-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |