Product for treating contaminated fluids and method of making and using the same

• US 6,578,715 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: M-I LLC (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: M-I LLC (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Braga, Thomas G., Scranton, Delbert C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walker, W. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENON, KRISHNAN S
• Application Number:
  US09/912,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20030085170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 502/400, 502/100, 502/416, 502/84, 504/101, 422/177, 422/900, 423/210, 428/905, 210/758, 210/749, 210/505
• US Class Current: 210/505
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/01 Deodorant compositions compositions released by contact with a liquid A61L9/05
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/304 Hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/306 Organic sulfur compounds, e.g. mercaptans
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/48 Sulfur compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/52 Hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/85 with gas-solid contact
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/02 comprising inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/0222 Compounds of Mn, Re
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/0237 Compounds of Cu
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/0277 Carbonates of compounds other than those provided for in B01J20/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/06 comprising oxides or hydroxides of metals not provided for in group B01J20/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/12 Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/46 Materials comprising a mixture of inorganic and organic materials materials coated or impregnated on a carrier B01J20/32
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/286 using natural organic sorbents or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

A product, capable of treating contaminated fluids, preferably gases, is disclosed. The product contains a carrier, an activated metal oxide, an odor counteractant, a carrier for the odor counteractant, and an agent which limits diffusion of the odor counteractant. The product removes sulfur contaminants, such as hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans, while also reducing and/or neutralizing other common odor causing compounds in fluids, preferably gases. Methods of making and using the product are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A product for treating contaminated fluids, said product comprising:

(a) an amount of a First carrier equal to between about 25% and about 98% by weight of said product;

(b) an amount of metal oxide equal to between about 2% and about 75% by weight of said product;

(c) an amount of odor counteractant equal to between about 0.1% and about 40% by weight of said product;

(d) an amount of a second carrier for said odor counteractant equal to between about 1% and about 70% by weight of said product, said amount of odor counteractant in a mixture with said amount of carrier to substantially inhibit said amount of metal oxide from reacting with said amount of odor counteractant; and

,

(e) an amount of an agent which limits diffusion or said odor counteractant equal to between about 1% and about 75% by weight of said product.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein said odor counteractant is selected from the group consisting of essential oils, esters, mineral acids, organic acids, alkalines, and combinations thereof.

3. The product of claim 1, wherein said metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of iron oxide, iron hydroxide, zinc oxide, zinc hydroxide, and combinations thereof.

4. The product of claim 3, wherein said metal oxide includes an amount of activator, equal to between about 0.1% and about 20% by weight of said product, said activator selected from the group consisting of copper oxides, copper metals, copper carbonates, copper salts, copper alloys, platinum oxides, gold oxides, silver oxides, cadmium oxides, nickel oxides, palladium oxides, lead oxides, mercury oxides, tin oxides, cobalt oxides, manganese oxides, manganese carbonates, manganese metals, manganese salts, manganese alloys, and combinations thereof.

5. The product of claim 1, wherein said metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of manganese oxide, manganese hydroxide, and combinations thereof.

6. The product of claim 5, wherein said metal oxide includes an amount of activator, equal to between about 0.1% and about 20% by weight of said product, said activator selected from the group consisting of copper oxides, copper metals, copper carbonates, copper salts, copper alloys, platinum oxides, gold oxides, silver oxides, cadmium oxides, nickel oxides, palladium oxides, lead oxides, mercury oxides, tin oxides, cobalt oxides, and combinations thereof.

7. The product of claim 1, wherein said first carrier is mulch, said mulch selected from the group consisting of bark, wood products, compost, leaves, straw, soil, clays, carbon, limestone, shale, volcanic rock and combinations thereof.

8. The product of claim 1, wherein said second carrier for said odor counteractant is selected from the group consisting of clay, mulch, shale, carbon, porous styrofoam, porous ceramic, and combinations thereof.

9. The product of claim 1, wherein said agent is added in an amount which saturates said carrier for said odor counteractant.

10. The product of claim 1, wherein said agent is selected from the group consisting of water, glycols, diluents, and combinations thereof.

11. The product of claim 1, wherein the amount of said carrier is equal to between about 50% and about 75% by weight of said product.

12. The product of claim 1, wherein the amount of said metal oxide is equal to between about 35% and about 50% by weight of said product.

13. The product of claim 1, wherein the amount of said odor counteractant is equal to between about 1% and about 20% by weight of said product.

14. The product of claim 1, wherein the amount of said second carrier for said odor counteractant is equal to between about 5% and about 50% by weight of said product.

15. A method of using a product in ambient temperature to treat contaminated fluids, said method comprising placing said product in a vessel, said vessel constructed to allow the contaminated fluid to flow through said vessel, and thereby directly contacting said product, said product is comprised of a first carrier, an activated metal oxide, water, an odor counteractant, and a second carrier, said second carrier in a mixture with said odor counteractant to substantially inhibit said activated metal oxide from reacting with said odor counteractant.

16. The method of using a product of claim 15, wherein said product comprises:

(a) an amount or said First carrier equal to between about 25% and about 98% by weight of said product;

(b) an amount of activated metal oxide equal to between about 2% and about 75% by weight of said product;

(c) an amount of odor counteractant equal to between about 0.1% and about 40% by weight of said product;

(d) an amount of water equal to between about 1% by weight of said product and about 75% by weight of said product; and

,

(e) an amount of said second carrier for said odor cotinteractant equal to between about 1% and about 70% by weight of said product.

17. The method of using a product of claim 15, wherein said product is used to treat contaminated sewage gas.

18. A mulch product for treating contaminated fluids, wherein said product comprises:

(a) an amount of bark mulch equal to between about 50% and about 75% by weight of said product;

(b) an amount of activated iron oxide equal to between about 35% and about 50% by weight of said product, said activated iron oxide includes an amount of activator equal to between about 0.25% and about 5% by weight of said product, said activator is a copper compound;

(c) an amount of clay equal to between about 5% and about 50% by weight of said product;

(d) an amount or water equal to between about 1% by weight of said product and 75% by weight of said product; and

,

(e) an amount of odor counteractant equal to between about 1% and about 20% by weight of said product, said odor counteractant selected from the group consisting of essential oils, esters, mineral acids, organic acids, alkalines, and combinations thereof, said amount of odor counteractant in a mixture with said amount of clay to substantially inhibit said amount of iron oxide from reacting with said amount of odor counteractant.

19. A product for treating contaminated fluids, wherein said product chemically reduces hydrogen sulfide levels of contaminated fluids to non-detectable levels, and neutralizes malodors by contacting the contaminated fluids with reactive constituents of said product, said product comprising:

(a) an amount of carrier equal to between about 25% and about 98% by weight of said product;

(b) an amount of activated metal oxide equal to between about 2% and about 75% by weight of said product; and

,

(c) an amount of odor counteractant composition in a mixture so as to be substantially inhibited from reacting with said amount of activated metal oxide.

20. The product for treating contaminated fluids of claim 19, wherein the hydrogen sulfide levels are reduced to between about 20% and about 99% of the hydrogen sulfide levels originally found in the contaminated fluids.

21. A product for treating contaminated fluids, said product comprising mulch, an activated metal oxide, an odor counteractant, and a carrier for said odor counteractant, said odor counteractant and said carrier for said odor counteractant in a mixture such that said odor counteractant is substantially inhibited from reacting with said activated metal oxide, and an agent, which limits diffusion or said odor counteractant.