US6857436B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of cleaning passageways using a mixed phase flow of a gas and a liquid
Assignee: Olympus Corp
•
Filing: 2002-07-16
•
Granted: 2005-02-22
•
Expires: 2022-07-16
Abstract
Abstract A method of cleaning surfaces using a mixed phase cleaning mixture of an aqueous solution and a flow of gas sufficient to produce droplets of the liquid which are entrained by the gas for a time sufficient to clean tubing of various lengths and geometries and porous membranes to remove biofilm, debris and contaminants.
Inventors
- 👤 Mohamed Emam Labib
- 👤 Ching-Yue Lai
- 👤 Peter A. Materna
- 👤 Geoffrey Lawrence Mahon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:12
CPC Classifications
C; C11; C11D; C11D3/00; C11D3/395; C11D3/3956; A; A61; A61C; A61C1/00; A61C1/0061; A61C1/0076; A61L; A61L2/00; A61L2/16; A61L2/18; A61L2/186; A61L2/22; A61M; A61M1/00; A61M1/14; A61M1/16; A61M1/168; A61M1/1682; A61M1/169; B; B01; B01D; B01D65/00; B01D65/02; B01D65/022; B08; B08B; B08B9/00; B08B9/02; B08B9/027; B08B9/032; B08B9/0321; B08B9/0326; B08B9/0327; C11D3/02; C11D3/04; C11D3/042; C11D3/044; C11D3/12; C11D3/14; C11D3/39; C11D3/3947; C11D3/48; C23; C23G; C23G5/00; A61L2103/00; A61L2103/15; B01D2321/00; B01D2321/04; B01D2321/20; B01D2321/2066; B08B2209/00; B08B2209/02; B08B2209/022; C11D2111/00; C11D2111/10; C11D2111/14; C11D2111/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for cleaning a pipeline comprising: (a) forming a mixture of gas and liquid in the pipeline wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets; and (b) passing the mixture of gas and liquid through the pipeline at a flow rate and at a volumetric ratio of gas to liquid sufficient to provide a local shear stress at the inside of the pipeline of at least about 53 Pa and to provide the droplets throughout the length of the pipeline.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for cleaning a pipeline comprising: (a) forming a mixture of gas and liquid in the pipeline wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets; and (b) passing the mixture of gas and liquid through the pipeline at a flow rate and at a volumetric ratio of gas to liquid sufficient to provide a local shear stress at the inside of the pipeline of at least about 53 Pa and to provide the droplets throughout the length of the pipeline.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the gas to the liquid is at least about 50:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the gas to the liquid is less than about 6,000:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture of gas and liquid is provided within the pipeline at a velocity of at least about 10 m/s.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture of gas and liquid is provided within the pipeline at a velocity of at less than about 100 m/s.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises a cleaning agent comprising at least one of a surfactant, an oxidizing agent, an alcohol, and a non-surfactant detergent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an anionic surfactant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 7 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of fatty acid soaps having an alkyl chain length of up to about 18 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 7 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of sodium dodecyl sulfate, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfate, alkyl benzene sulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, acyl iosthionates, acyl glutamates, N-acyl sarcosinates, alkenyl succinates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an amphoteric surfactant comprising at least one of alkyl dimethyl amine oxides, alkyl carboxy betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines, amide-amino acid type amphoterics, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a nonionic surfactant comprising at least one of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyethylene alkyl phenyl ethers, polyethylene fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esthers, polyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sugar esters of fatty acids, alkyl polyglycosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, fatty acid monoglycerides, alkyl monoglycerol ethers, fatty acid polypropolene glycol esters, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a cationic surfactant comprising at least one of ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, pyridinium salts, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the mixture comprises a dispersant.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the mixture comprises an antifoaming agent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the mixture comprises a chelating agent.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for cleaning a membrane, the method comprising: (a) applying a mixture of gas and liquid to a membrane in a housing, the mixture comprising the gas and the liquid phase at a volumetric ratio of at least about 50:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C., and wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets and the liquid comprises at least one cleaning agent.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for cleaning a membrane, the method comprising: (a) applying a mixture of gas and liquid to a membrane in a housing, the mixture comprising the gas and the liquid phase at a volumetric ratio of at least about 50:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C., and wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets and the liquid comprises at least one cleaning agent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 16 , further comprising: (a) rinsing the membrane with water.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the gas phase to the liquid phase is less than about 6,000:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the membrane comprises at least one of ultrafiltration membrane and a reserve osmosis membrane.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture is provided at a velocity of at least about 10 m/s.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture is provided at a velocity of less than about 100 m/s.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 16 , further comprising: (a) soaking the membrane with the liquid phase.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture is provided at a temperature above ambient temperature.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises at least one of a surfactant, an oxidizing agent, an alcohol and a non-surfactant detergent.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an anionic surfactant.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 25 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of fatty acid soaps having an alkyl chain length of up to about 18 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 25 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of sodium dodecyl sulfate, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfate, alkyl benzene sulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, acyl iosthionates, acyl glutamates, N-acyl sarcosinates, alkenyl succinates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an amphoteric surfactant comprising at least one of alkyl dimethyl amine oxides, alkyl carboxy betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines, amide-amino acid type amphoterics, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a nonionic surfactant comprising at least one of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyethylene alkyl phenyl ethers, polyethylene fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esthers, polyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sugar esters of fatty acids, alkyl polyglycosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, fatty acid monoglycerides, alkyl monoglycerol ethers, fatty acid polypropolene glycol esters, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a cationic surfactant comprising at least one of ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, pyridinium salts, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture comprises a dispersant.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture comprises an antifoaming agent.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture comprises a chelating agent.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for cleaning a heat exchanger, the method comprising: (a) applying a mixture of gas and liquid to a tube side of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the mixture comprising the gas and the liquid at a volumetric ratio of least about 50:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C., and wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets and the liquid comprises at least one cleaning agent.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for cleaning a heat exchanger, the method comprising: (a) applying a mixture of gas and liquid to a tube side of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the mixture comprising the gas and the liquid at a volumetric ratio of least about 50:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C., and wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets and the liquid comprises at least one cleaning agent.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the gas phase to the liquid phase is less than about 6,000:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture is provided at a velocity of at least about 10 m/s.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture is provided at a velocity of less than about 100 m/s.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture is provided at a temperature above ambient temperature.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises at least one of a surfactant, an oxidizing agent, an alcohol and a non-surfactant detergent.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an anionic surfactant.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 40 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of fatty acid soaps having an alkyl chain length of up to about 18 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 40 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of sodium dodecyl sulfate, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfate, alkyl benzene sulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, acyl iosthionates, acyl glutamates, N-acyl sarcosinates, alkenyl succinates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an amphoteric surfactant comprising at least one of alkyl dimethyl amine oxides, alkyl carboxy betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines, amide-amino acid type amphoterics, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a nonionic surfactant comprising at least one of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyethylene alkyl phenyl ethers, polyethylene fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esthers, polyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sugar esters of fatty acids, alkyl polyglycosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, fatty acid monoglycerides, alkyl monoglycerol ethers, fatty acid polypropolene glycol esters, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a cationic surfactant comprising at least one of ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, pyridinium salts, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture comprises a dispersant.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture comprises an antifoaming agent.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture comprises a chelating agent.
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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) | 2008-02-22 | 2008-08-23 | 2009-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-02-22 | 2012-08-23 | 2013-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-02-22 | 2016-08-23 | 2017-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |