Particulate sorbing and deodorizing mixtures containing synthetic and clay sorbents

Claim 2

A particulate, water and oil sorbing composition comprising a substantially uniform mixture of fuller's earth sorbent clay particles and sorbent synthetic particles, said clay particles being present relative to said synthetic particles in a ratio by weight of about 0.5:9.5 to about 4:6; wherein said clay particles have a bulk density of about 0.4 to about 0.9 kilograms per liter, sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 50 percent of the weight of said particles, and have a size distribution such that no more than about 60 weight percent of said particles pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen; and wherein said synthetic particles have a bulk density of about 0.5 to about 0.9 kilograms per liter, sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 30 percent of the weight of said particles, and have a size distribution such that no more than about 25 weight percent of said particles pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 3

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said weight ratio is about 1:9 to about 3:7.

Claim 4

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said weight ratio is about 1.5:8.5 to about 2.5:7.5.

Claim 5

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said clay particles have a size distribution such that no more than about 40 weight percent pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 6

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said clay particles have a size distribution such that no more than about 20 weight percent pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 7

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said synthetic particles have a size distribution such that no more than about 15 weight percent pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 8

The composition according t claim 1 wherein said clay particles have a bulk density of about 0.4 to about 0.65 kilograms per liter.

Claim 9

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said clay particles sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 60 percent of the weight of said particles.

Claim 10

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said clay particles sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 80 percent of the weight of said particles.

Claim 11

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said synthetic particles are calcium sulfate dihydrate-containing granules.

Claim 12

The composition according to claim 10 wherein said synthetic, calcium sulfate dihydrate-containing granules have a bulk density of about 0.5 to about 0.8 kilograms per liter.

Claim 13

The composition according to claim 10 wherein said synthetic, calcium sulfate dihydrate-containing granules sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 50 percent of the weight of said granules.

Claim 14

The composition according to claim 10 further comprising a water or oil sorbing constituent, said water or oil sorbing constituent comprising calcium carbonate, portland cement, vermiculite, pumice, activated carbon, diatomaceous earth, wood chips or sawdust, in addition to said sorbant clay particles and said synthetic, calcium sulfate dihydrate-containing granules.

Claim 15

The composition according to claim 10 wherein said synthetic, calcium sulfate dihydrate-containing granules contain at least about 50 weight percent calcium sulfate dihydrate.

Claim 16

A particulate, water and oil sorbing composition comprising a substantially uniform mixture of sorbent fuller's earth clay particles and sorbent synthetic calcium sulfate dihydrate granules, said clay particles being present relative to said calcium sulfate dihydrate granules at a ratio by weight of about 1:9 to about 3:7; wherein said clay particles have a bulk density of about 0.4 to about 0.65 kilograms per liter, sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 60 percent by weight of said particles, and have a size distribution such that no more than about 40 weight percent of said particles pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen; and wherein said synthetic calcium sulfate dihydrate granules have a bulk density of about 0.5 to about 0.8 kilograms per liter, sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 50 percent of the weight of said granules, and have a size distribution such that no more than about 15 weight percent pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 17

A particulate, water and oil sorbing composition comprising a substantially uniform mixture of sorbent fuller's earth clay particles and sorbent synthetic calcium sulfate dihydrate granules, said clay particles being present relative to said calcium sulfate dihydrate granules at a ratio by weight of about 1:9 to about 3:7; wherein said clay particles have a bulk density of about 0.4 to about 0.65 kilograms per liter, sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 60 percent by weight of said particles, and have a size distribution such that no more than about 40 weight percent of said particles pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen; and wherein said synthetic calcium sulfate dihydrate granules have a bulk density of about 0.5 to about 0.8 kilograms per liter, sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 50 percent of the weight of said granules, and have a size distribution such that no more than about 15 weight percent pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 18

The composition according to claim 15 wherein at least about 1 percent by weight of said composition is of a size to pass through a 40 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 19

The composition according to claim 15 wherein about 3 to about 5 weight percent of said composition is of a size to pass through a 40 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 20

The composition according to claim 15 wherein at least about 50 weight percent of said composition passes through a 6 mesh sieve screen and is retained on a 40 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 21

The composition according to claim 15 wherein at least about 60 weight percent of said composition passes through a 6 mesh sieve screen and is retained on a 40 mesh sieve screen, and about 3 to about 5 weight percent of said composition passes through a 40 mesh sieve screen.

Claim 24

The method according to claim 20 wherein said particulate synthetic sorbent comprises synthetic calcium sulfate dihydrate granules, said granules containing at least about 50 weight percent calcium sulfate dihydrate.

Claim 25

The method according to claim 21 wherein the weight ratio of said particulate fuller's earth clay to said calcium sulfate dihydrate granules is about 1.5:8.5 to about 2.5:7.5.

Claim 26

The method according to claim 20 wherein said particulate fuller's earth has a bulk density of about 0.4 to about 0.9 kilograms per liter, sorb water or oil in an amount of more than about 50 percent of the weight of said particles, and have a size distribution such that no more than about 60 weight percent of said particles pass through a 2 mesh sieve screen and are retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen, and said particulate synthetic sorbent has a bulk density of about 0.5 to about 0.9 kilograms per liter, sorbs water or oil in an amount of more than about 30 percent of the weight of said synthetic sorbent, and has a size distribution such that no more than about 25 weight percent of said synthetic sorbent passes through a 2 mesh sieve screen and is retained on a 6 mesh sieve screen.