Methods of using natural products as dewatering aids for fine particles
First Claim
1. A process for dewatering a slurry of fine particulate material comprising:
- i) rendering the material hydrophobic, ii) adding lipids dissolved in organic solvent, iii) agitating the slurry to allow for the lipid molecules to adsorb on the surface of the hydrophobized material so that its hydrophobicity is increased, and iv) subjecting the slurry containing the particulate material, whose water contact angle has now been increased, to a mechanical method of dewatering, so that the moisture of the particulate material is reduced.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of dewatering fine particulate materials is disclosed. In this method, an aqueous slurry of fine particles is treated with appropriate hydrophobizing reagents so that the particulate material becomes moderately hydrophobic. A lipid of vegetable or animal origin is then added to the slurry in solutions of light hydrocarbon oils and short-chain alcohols, so that the hydrophobic lipid molecules adsorb on the moderately hydrophobic surface and, thereby, greatly enhance its hydrophobicity. By virtue of the enhanced hydrophobicty, the water molecules adhering to the surface are destabilized and more readily removed during the process of mechanical dewatering. The moisture reduction can be further improved using appropriate electrolytes in conjunction with the lipids, spraying surface tension lowering reagents onto the filter cake, subjecting the cake to a suitable vibratory means, and using combinations thereof.
-
Citations
51 Claims
-
1. A process for dewatering a slurry of fine particulate material comprising:
-
i) rendering the material hydrophobic, ii) adding lipids dissolved in organic solvent, iii) agitating the slurry to allow for the lipid molecules to adsorb on the surface of the hydrophobized material so that its hydrophobicity is increased, and iv) subjecting the slurry containing the particulate material, whose water contact angle has now been increased, to a mechanical method of dewatering, so that the moisture of the particulate material is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A process for dewatering a slurry of fine particulate material comprising:
-
i) rendering the material hydrophobic, ii) adding an inorganic electrolyte, iii) adding a lipid dissolved in an organic solvent, iv) agitating the slurry to allow for the lipid molecules to adsorb on the surface of the hydrophobized particulate material so that its hydrophobicity is increased, and v) subjecting the slurry containing the particles, whose water contact angle has now been increased, to a mechanical method of dewatering, so that the amount of the lipids required to achieve a requisite moisture content of the particulate material is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A process for dewatering a slurry of fine particulate material comprising:
-
i) rendering the material hydrophobic, ii) adding a lipid in organic solvent, iii) agitating the slurry to allow for the lipid molecules to adsorb on the surface of the hydrophobized particulate material so that its hydrophobicity is enhanced, and iv) subjecting the conditioned slurry containing the particulate material, whose water contact angle has now been increased, to a vibratory means, so that an increased moisture reduction is achieved at a given cake thickness. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A process for dewatering a slurry of fine particulate material comprising:
-
i) rendering the material hydrophobic, ii) adding a lipid dissolved in organic solvent, iii) agitating the slurry to allow for the lipid molecules to adsorb on the surface of the hydrophobized particulate material so that its hydrophobicity is increased, and iv) subjecting the conditioned slurry containing the particulate material, whose water contact angle has now been increased, to a filtration process in which a surface tension lowering reagent is added to the filter cake in the form of fine spray, so that an increased moisture reduction is achieved at a given cake thickness. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. A process for dewatering a slurry of fine particulate material comprising:
-
i) rendering the material hydrophobic, ii) adding an inorganic electrolyte to the slurry, iii) adding a lipid dissolved in an organic solvent, iv) agitating the slurry to allow for the lipid molecules to adsorb on the surface of the hydrophobized particulate material so that its hydrophobicity is increased, and v) subjecting the conditioned slurry containing the particulate material, whose water contact angle has now been increased, to a filtration process in which a surface tension lowering reagent is added to the filter cake in the form of fine spray while the filter cake is subjected to a vibratory means, so that an increased moisture reduction is achieved using less reagents. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
Specification