ZEOLITE COMPOSITE MATERIALS FOR WASTE ODOR CONTROL

• US 20080293614A1
• Filed: 05/21/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Maine System Board of Trustees
• Original Assignee: University of Maine System Board of Trustees
• Inventors: BISHOP, Karl Duncan, RUTHVEN, Douglas M., BILODEAU, Michael A., MACKAY, Susan G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,100,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/507
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/014 containing sorbent material, e.g. activated carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/90 Odorous compounds not provided for in groups B01D2257/00 - B01D2257/708
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/183 Physical conditioning without chemical treatment, e.g. drying, granulating, coating, irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/186 Chemical treatments in view of modifying the properties of the sieve, e.g. increasing the stability or the activity, also decreasing the activity
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28004 Sorbent size or size distribution, e.g. particle size
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28028 Particles immobilised within fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28033 Membrane, sheet, cloth, pad, lamellar or mat
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/004 Covering of dumping sites
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/30 Landfill technologies aiming to mitigate methane emissions

Abstract

A composite material for environmental odor control is useful in controlling odors from waste, for example, as an alternative daily cover for landfills and in composting applications. The composite material includes a fiber web and a zeolite containing metals to promote absorption of odorous gas.

Claims

1. A waste odor control composite comprising:

(a) a fiber web; and

(b) one or more zeolites containing between about 0.2% and about 4% Zn by weight, and between about 0.4% and about 4% by weight of one or more metals chosen from K, Li, Mg, Ba and Fe,

wherein the odor control composite has a weight per unit area between about 30 g/m² and about 250 g/m² and a tensile strength between about 10 Nm/g and about 200 Nm/g.

2. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the odor control composite has a weight per unit area between about 40 g/m² and about 150 g/m².

3. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein at least one zeolite is incorporated within the fiber web.

4. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the zeolite incorporated within the fiber web has a median particle size of less than about 50 microns with 95% of the particles smaller than about 100 microns.

5. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein at least one zeolite is coated on a surface of the fiber web.

6. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the zeolite coated on a surface of the fiber web has a median particle size of less than about 25 microns with 95% of the particles smaller than about 50 microns.

7. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the odor control composite further comprises an additional natural or synthetic zeolite.

8. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the fiber web comprises plant based cellulose fibers.

9. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the fiber web comprises wood pulp.

10. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein at least one zeolite contains between about 1% and about 3% Zn by weight.

11. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein at least one zeolite contains between about 0.4% and about 4% by weight of one or more metals chosen from K, Li, Mg and Ba.

12. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the composite is configured as an alternative daily cover for a landfill.

13. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the composite is configured as a roll having a width of at least about 36 inches and a diameter of at least about 24 inches.

14. The odor control composite of claim 1, wherein the composite is configured as a composting bag.

15. An odor control composite comprising:

(a) a fiber web; and

(b) one or more first zeolites incorporated within the fiber web, wherein the one or more first zeolites contains between about 0.2% and about 4% Zn by weight, and between about 0.4% and about 4% by weight of one or more metals chosen from K, Li, Mg, Ba and Fe, and wherein the one or more first zeolites has a median particle size of less than about 50 microns with 95% of the particles smaller than about 100 microns; and

(c) one or more second zeolites coated on a surface of the fiber web, wherein the one or more second zeolites contains between about 0.2% and about 4% zinc by weight, and between about 0.4% and about 4% by weight of one or more metal ions chosen from K, Li, Mg, Ba and Fe, and wherein the one or more second zeolites has a median particle size of less than about 25 microns with 95% of the particles smaller than about 50 microns.

16. The odor control composite of claim 15, further comprising an additional natural or synthetic zeolite.

17. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein at least one zeolite contains between about 1% and about 3% Zn by weight.

18. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein at least one zeolite contains between about 0.4% and about 4% by weight of one or more metals chosen from K, Li, Mg and Ba.

19. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein the fiber web comprises plant based cellulose fibers.

20. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein the fiber web comprises wood pulp.

21. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein the composite has a weight per unit area between about 30 g/m² and about 250 g/m².

22. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein the composite has a tensile strength between about 10 Nm/g and about 200 Nm/g.

23. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein the composite is configured as an alternative daily cover for a landfill.

24. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein the composite is configured as a roll having a width of at least about 36 inches and a diameter of at least about 24 inches.

25. The odor control composite of claim 15, wherein the composite is configured as a composting bag.

26. A method of making an odor control composite, the method comprising:

(a) contacting at least one zeolite with a solution of one or more metal ions, whereby the one or more metal ions diffuses into the zeolite to form at least one ion exchanged zeolite;

(b) preparing first zeolite particles of at least one ion exchanged zeolite having a median particle size of less than about 50 microns with 95% of the particles smaller than about 100 microns;

(c) contacting fibers with a liquid to form a slurry;

(d) incorporating the first zeolite particles into the fiber slurry;

(e) forming a fiber web from the slurry;

(f) preparing second zeolite particles of at least one ion exchanged zeolite having a median particle size of less than about 25 microns with about 95% of the particles smaller than about 50 microns; and

(g) applying the second zeolite particles to one or more surfaces of the fiber web.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising forming the fiber web into an alternative daily cover for a landfill.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising forming the fiber web into a roll having a width of at least about 36 inches and a diameter of at least about 24 inches.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising forming the fiber web into a compost bag.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein contacting the zeolite with a solution of one or more metal ions comprises contacting the zeolite with a solution containing Zn⁺².

31. The method of claim 26, wherein contacting the zeolite with a solution of one or more metal ions comprises contacting the zeolite with a solution containing one or more metal ions chosen from K⁺, Li⁺, Mg²⁺, Ba²⁺, Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein contacting the zeolite with a solution of one or more metal ions comprises contacting clinoptilolite with a solution containing Zn⁺².

33. The method of claim 26, wherein contacting fibers with a liquid to form a slurry comprises combining wood pulp with water.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein forming a fiber web from the slurry comprises a wet-laid process.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein forming a fiber web from the slurry comprises a fourdrinier or twin wire forming process.

36. A method of controlling odor from a landfill, the method comprising covering at least a portion of the landfill with an alternative daily cover comprising an odor control composite, the odor control composite comprising:

(a) a fiber web; and

(b) one or more zeolites containing between about 0.2% and about 4% Zn by weight, and between about 0.4% and about 4% by weight of one or more metals chosen from K, Li, Mg, Ba and Fe,

wherein the odor control composite has a weight per unit area between about 30 g/m² and about 250 g/m² and a tensile strength between about 10 Nm/g and about 200 Nm/g.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein covering at least a portion of the landfill comprises providing the alternative daily cover in the form of a roll having a width of at least about 36 inches and a diameter of at least about 24 inches, and unrolling the roll over an exposed surface of a landfill.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising ballasting the alternative daily cover.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein ballasting comprises placing waste derived ballast, sand, boiler ash, or ground organic matter on the unrolled cover.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein ballasting comprises placing weights on a surface of the cover as it is unrolled.