REMOVING CARBON NANOTUBES FROM A WATER SYSTEM

• US 20150114819A1
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation), Solid Carbon Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation), Solid Carbon Products LLC
• Inventors: Denton, Robert D., Noyes, Dallas B., Koveal, Russell J. Jr., Ring, Terry A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,975,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 203/31
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/267 by using a cyclone
• CPC Class Codes: B03D 1/24 Pneumatic mixing gases or vapours with liquids B01F23/20
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/16 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/168 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/04 by distillation or evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/24 by flotation C02F1/465 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/38 by centrifugal separation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/52 by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/56 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/72 by oxidation C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/725 by catalytic oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/74 with air aeration of stretches of water C02F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/10 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/34 from industrial activities not provided for in groups C02F2103/12 - C02F2103/32
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/36 from the manufacture of organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2305/08 Nanoparticles or nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 : Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines

Abstract

Methods and a system for removing carbon nanotubes from a water stream are provided herein. The system includes a purification vessel, wherein the purification vessel is configured to form a carbon oxide from the carbon nanotubes within the water stream.

Claims

1. A method for removing carbon nanotubes from a water stream, comprising flowing the water stream into a purification vessel, wherein the purification vessel is configured to form a carbon oxide from the carbon nanotubes within the water stream.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising using an air sparging process to form the carbon oxide from the carbon nanotubes within the water stream.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising adding a flocculant to the water stream to effect a separation of the carbon nanotubes from the water stream.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising mixing an ozone stream with the water stream to effect a separation of the carbon nanotubes from the water stream.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising using a hydrocyclone to remove the carbon nanotubes from the water stream.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising filtering the carbon nanotubes out of the water stream through a reverse osmosis process.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising forming the carbon oxide from the carbon nanotubes within the water stream through an oxidation process.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising using an underwater burner to produce an underwater flame for degrading the carbon nanotubes.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising using a flame degradation vessel to remove the carbon nanotubes from the water stream through a formation of steam.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising using a heat exchanger to recover at least a portion of the water stream from the steam through a condensation process.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising removing the carbon nanotubes from the water stream through a filtration process.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the water stream from a stream coming from a reactor through a chilling process.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising using molecular sieves to remove the carbon nanotubes from the water stream.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising using zeolites to remove the carbon nanotubes from the water stream.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein flowing the water stream into the purification vessel comprises flowing the water stream from a separation vessel to the purification vessel, and wherein the separation vessel is configured to perform an initial separation of the water stream from a carbon nanotube product.

16. A system for removing carbon nanotubes from a water stream comprising a purification vessel, wherein the purification vessel is configured to form a carbon oxide from the carbon nanotubes within the water stream.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the purification vessel comprises an air sparge vessel configured to remove the carbon nanotubes from the water stream by forming a froth phase that can be separated from a clean water phase using injected air.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the purification system is configured to inject a flocculant into the water stream, and wherein the flocculant causes a removal of the carbon nanotubes from the water stream.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the purification system is configured to form the carbon oxide from the carbon nanotubes within the water stream through an ozonolysis process.

20. The system of claim 16, comprising a hydrocyclone for removing large carbon nanotubes from the water stream before the water stream is flowed into the purification vessel.

21. The system of claim 16, comprising removing the carbon nanotubes from the water stream through a reverse osmosis process.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the purification vessel comprises an underwater burner configured to produce an underwater flame for degrading the carbon nanotubes.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the purification vessel comprises a flame degradation vessel configured to remove the carbon nanotubes from the water stream through a formation of steam.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the water stream is obtained from a stream coming from a reactor through a condensation process.

25. A method for purifying a water stream comprising carbon nanotubes, comprising:

flowing the water stream into a purification vessel;

injecting a chemical substance into the purification vessel; and

effecting a separation of the carbon nanotubes from the water stream through an interaction of the chemical substance with the carbon nanotubes within the purification vessel.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the chemical substance comprises air, and wherein effecting the separation of the carbon nanotubes from the water stream comprises effecting a removal of the carbon nanotubes through an air sparging process.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the chemical substance comprises a flocculant, and wherein effecting the separation of the carbon nanotubes from the water stream comprises removing the carbon nanotubes through an interaction of the flocculant with the carbon nanotubes within the purification vessel.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the chemical substance comprises ozone, and wherein effecting the separation of the carbon nanotubes from the water stream comprises removing the carbon nanotubes from the water stream through an ozonolysis process.

29. The method of claim 25, comprising removing the carbon nanotubes from the purification vessel by flowing the carbon nanotubes over a weir and into a collection vessel.