Separation of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon containing liquid
DCFirst Claim
1. A filtration media bed for removal of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon containing liquid comprising:
- a hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent comprising alternating units of at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of styrene, pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butylene, ethylene, isoprene, butadiene, and propylene, said hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent having a particle size ranging from a fine powder to about 700 micron; and
a filtration enabler intimately mixed with said polymeric absorbent to provide channels through said filtration media bed to achieve a desired flow rate of the hydrocarbon-free liquid, said filtration enabler having a particle size about the same as a particle size of said polymeric absorbent;
wherein upon contacting the filtration media bed with the hydrocarbons, the hydrocarbons partially dissolve a surface of said polymeric absorbent, prior to said polymeric absorbent substantially absorbing the hydrocarbons, whereby said polymeric absorbent becomes tacky and absorbs said hydrocarbons allowing hydrocarbon-free liquid to flow through said filtration media bed, and wherein upon excessive hydrocarbon exposure said polymeric absorbent dissolves, tackifies and forms a plug at least at a top portion of said filtration media bed to seal off and prevent further discharge of the hydrocarbons upon excessive hydrocarbon exposure.
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Abstract
A novel filtration media employing polymeric absorbents comprising a material selected from the group consisting of styrene, pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butylene, ethylene, isoprene, butadiene, propylene and mixtures thereof; and a filtration enabler intimately mixed with the polymeric absorbent. Preferably, the filtration enabler comprises clay, ground glass, talc, mica, recycled rubber, sand, gravel, vermiculite, recycled plastic chips, an inert, non-absorbent material, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the polymeric absorbent may be further compounded to incorporate about 10 to 50% recycled or waste plastic scrap, scrap polyolefins, inorganic fillers, or other inexpensive, relatively inert solids. Other compounding materials may include clay, talc, mica, ground glass, silica, and mixtures thereof. Upon contact with a hydrocarbon containing liquid, the liquid partially dissolves the polymeric absorbent forming a partial filtration barrier prior to the filtration media substantially absorbing the hydrocarbons, and allowing hydrocarbon-free liquid to flow through the filtration media. In situations of a leak or spill wherein an excess of hydrocarbons are present, the filtration media forms a plug to seal and prevent further discharge of the hydrocarbons. The filtration media may be placed inside a portable container for insertion into an existing drain such that hydrocarbon containing liquid is filtered through the device allowing hydrocarbon-free liquid to flow from the device. The filtration media has a thickness within the container adapted to substantially filter out hydrocarbons while capable of forming a plug in an excess of hydrocarbons. The filtration media of the present invention may be employed in pits, pipes, and self-contained cartridges of various sizes to remove and contain hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon containing liquid or a hydrocarbon spill or leak, and that the absorbent will form a plug in an excess of hydrocarbons entering the pit, pipe or cartridge. Also described are methods of filtering and preventing discharge of a hydrocarbon containing liquid.
63 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A filtration media bed for removal of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon containing liquid comprising:
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a hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent comprising alternating units of at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of styrene, pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butylene, ethylene, isoprene, butadiene, and propylene, said hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent having a particle size ranging from a fine powder to about 700 micron; and
a filtration enabler intimately mixed with said polymeric absorbent to provide channels through said filtration media bed to achieve a desired flow rate of the hydrocarbon-free liquid, said filtration enabler having a particle size about the same as a particle size of said polymeric absorbent;
wherein upon contacting the filtration media bed with the hydrocarbons, the hydrocarbons partially dissolve a surface of said polymeric absorbent, prior to said polymeric absorbent substantially absorbing the hydrocarbons, whereby said polymeric absorbent becomes tacky and absorbs said hydrocarbons allowing hydrocarbon-free liquid to flow through said filtration media bed, and wherein upon excessive hydrocarbon exposure said polymeric absorbent dissolves, tackifies and forms a plug at least at a top portion of said filtration media bed to seal off and prevent further discharge of the hydrocarbons upon excessive hydrocarbon exposure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A portable device for placement in a drain for filtering hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon containing liquid comprising:
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a rigid container having a first end and a second end, the first end having an external lip and a first internal lip, and the second end having a second internal lip;
a first porous layer disposed within said container on the second internal lip; and
a filtration media bed capable of forming a plug in an excess of hydrocarbons comprising a hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent comprising alternating units of at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of styrene, pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butylene, ethylene, isoprene, butadiene, and propylene, wherein upon contact with said hydrocarbons said hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent partially dissolves and tackifies thereby absorbing said hydrocarbons preventing discharge of said hydrocarbon into said environment, and wherein upon contact with said excessive amount of said hydrocarbon containing liquid, said polymeric absorbent partially dissolves, tackifies and forms said plug at least at a top portion of said filtration media bed to seal off and prevent further discharge of said hydrocarbons; and
a filtration enabler intimately mixed with said polymeric absorbent to provide channels through said filtration media bed to achieve a desired flow rate of the hydrocarbon-free liquid, said filtration enabler having a particle size about the same as a particle size of said polymeric absorbent, said filtration media bed compressed into said container;
wherein the device may be inserted into an existing drainage device such that a hydrocarbon containing liquid is filtered through said device allowing hydrocarbon-free liquid to flow from said device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
a second porous film disposed over said filtration media bed; a non-porous material disposed within said container over said second porous layer and said filtration media bed; and
a netting disposed over said non-porous material, said netting fitted under the first internal lip of said container, wherein said non-porous material is adapted to control the contact rate of hydrocarbons to said filtration media bed.
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11. The device of claim 8 wherein said filtration media bed has a thickness within said container adapted to substantially filter out hydrocarbons while capable of forming said plug in an excess of hydrocarbons.
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12. The device of claim 8 wherein said filtration enabler is an inert solid selected from the group consisting of recycled rubber, sand, gravel, vermiculite, recycled plastic chips and a mixture thereof.
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13. The device of claim 8 wherein the hydrocarbons flow through said container to contact said filtration media bed, and wherein the polymeric absorbent of said filtration media bed is adapted to form a tacky, semi-solid prior to absorption of the hydrocarbons creating said plug.
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14. The device of claim 8 wherein the hydrocarbon containing liquid has an excessive amount of hydrocarbons such that the polymeric absorbent of said filtration media bed is adapted to form said plug at least at said top portion of said filtration media bed preventing discharge of the hydrocarbons, whereby said plugged absorbent may be removed to reveal remaining fresh, unplugged absorbent.
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15. The device of claim 8 further including a float situated in a sufficient space within said container between the second porous layer and the second internal lip wherein said float prevents back wash of any liquid through said container while allowing the hydrocarbon-free liquid to flow through.
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16. A device for the containment of hydrocarbon containing liquid comprising:
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a rigid container having a first end and a second end, the first end having an external lip and a first internal lip, and the second end having a second internal lip;
a first porous layer disposed within said container on the second internal lip; and
a filtration media bed comprising;
a hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent blend comprising alternating units of at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of styrene, pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butylene, ethylene, isoprene, butadiene, and propylene mixed with up to about 50% inert solids, wherein said hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent blend is adapted to partially dissolve and tackify upon contact with said hydrocarbons and form a filtration barrier at least at a top portion of said filtration media bed upon excessive hydrocarbon exposure; and
a filtration enabler intimately mixed with said polymeric absorbent blend to provide channels through said filtration media bed to achieve a desired flow rate of the hydrocarbon-free liquid, said filtration enabler having a particle size about the same as a particle size of said polymeric absorbent blend, said filtration media bed compressed into said container;
wherein upon contact with a hydrocarbon containing liquid having an excess of hydrocarbons, said filtration media bed forms said filtration barrier at least at said top portion of said filtration media bed to seal and prevent further discharge of the hydrocarbon containing liquid. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
a second porous layer disposed over said filtration media bed; a non-porous material disposed within said container over said second porous layer and said filtration media bed; and
a netting disposed over said non-porous material, said netting fitted under the first internal lip of said container, wherein said non-porous material is adapted to control the contact rate of hydrocarbons to said filtration media bed.
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19. The device of claim 16 wherein said filtration enabler is an inert, non-absorbent material.
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20. A filtration media bed for absorbing hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon containing liquid capable of plugging during hydrocarbon overload comprising:
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a hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent blend comprising alternating units of at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of styrene, pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butylene, ethylene, isoprene, butadiene, and propylene mixed with up to about 50% inert solids, wherein said hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent is adapted to partially dissolve and tackify upon contact with said hydrocarbons and form a filtration barrier at least at a top portion of said filtration media bed upon excessive hydrocarbon exposure, said polymeric absorbent blend having a particle size ranging from about 200 micron to about 700 micron; and
up to about 75% filtration enabler mixed with said hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent blend, said filtration enabler adapted to form channels within the filtration media bed to provide a good flow rate through the filtration media bed while absorbing substantially all hydrocarbons in the waste stream prior to plugging during hydrocarbon overload, said filtration enabler having substantially the same particle size as said polymeric absorbent blend.
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21. A portable device for placement in a drain for filtering hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon containing liquid comprising:
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a rigid container having a first end and a second end, the first end having an external lip and a first internal lip, and the second end having a second internal lip;
a first porous layer disposed within said container on the second internal lip; and
a filtration media bed having a thickness within the container adapted to substantially filter out hydrocarbons while capable of forming a plug in an excess of hydrocarbons comprising a hydrocarbon absorbing polymer absorbent blend of alternating units of at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of styrene, pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butylene, ethylene, isoprene, butadiene, and propylene mixed with up to about 50% inert solids, wherein said polymer absorbent blend is adapted to partially dissolve and tackify upon contact with said hydrocarbons and form said plug at least at a top portion of said filtration media bed upon excessive hydrocarbon exposure, said polymeric absorbent blend having a particle size ranging from about 200 micron to about 700 micron; and
up to about 75% filtration enabler mixed with said hydrocarbon absorbing polymeric absorbent blend, said filtration enabler adapted to form channels within the filtration media bed to provide a good flow rate through the filtration media bed while absorbing substantially all hydrocarbons in the waste stream prior to plugging during hydrocarbon overload, said filtration enabler having substantially the same particle size as said polymeric absorbent blend;
wherein the device may be inserted into an existing drainage device such that a hydrocarbon containing liquid is filtered through said device allowing hydrocarbon-free liquid to flow from said device.
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Specification