# US 11,299,409 B2 · Polymer compositions and methods of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,409 B2 - Document ID: US11299409B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/781,893 - Filed: 2016-12-07 - Published: 2020-05-28 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-08 - Assignees: Kemira Oyj; Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - Applicants: Kemira Oyj; Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - Inventors: Logan Jackson; Thomas J. Lynch; Ronald Robinson; Frances Fournier; Hong Yang; Sukhjit Aujla; Do Hoon Kim; Dennis Arun Alexis; Varadarajan Dwarakanath; David Espinosa; Taimur Malik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299409B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/56: Macromolecular compounds - C02F 11/147: using organic substances (C02F11/148 takes precedence) - C08F 220/06: Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof - C08J 3/03: in aqueous media - C08J 3/07: from polymer solutions - C08L 33/26: Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylamide or methacrylamide - D21H 17/375: {Poly(meth)acrylamide} - C02F 2103/10: from quarries or from mining activities - C08F 220/56: Acrylamide; Methacrylamide - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - D21H: PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Provided herein are liquid polymer (LP) compositions comprising an acrylamide (co)polymer, as well as methods for preparing inverted polymer solutions by inverting these LP compositions in an aqueous fluid. The resulting inverted polymer solutions can have a concentration of acrylamide (co)polymer of from about 50 to about 15,000 ppm, and a filter ratio of 1.5 or less at 15 psi using a 1.2 μm filter. Also provided are methods of using these inverted polymer solutions in dewatering, clarification, flocculation and/or thickening applications, and the like. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: inverting a liquid polymer (LP) composition in an aqueous fluid to provide an inverted polymer solution having a concentration of synthetic (co)polymer of from 50 to 15,000 ppm; wherein the LP composition comprises (i) one or more hydrophobic liquids, (ii) one or more synthetic (co)polymers, (iii) one or more emulsifying surfactants having an HLB value of from 2 to 10, (iv) one or more inverting surfactants, and (v) water present in an amount of less than 10% by weight based on the total weight of all the components of the LP composition; wherein the inverted polymer solution has a filter ratio of 1.5 or less at 15 psi using a 1.2 μm filter; and contacting a process water stream with the inverted polymer solution, wherein the process water stream comprises one or more contaminants, the one or more contaminants comprising solids, silt, metal particles, emulsifiers, cleaners, soaps, solvents, or a combination thereof, and wherein the contacting is effective to dewater, flocculate, clarify, thicken, or coagulate the process water stream. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more synthetic (co)polymers are present in the liquid polymer (LP) composition at an amount of at least 39%, by weight, based on the weight of the LP composition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid polymer (LP) composition is in the form of an inverse emulsion, and the one or more synthetic (co)polymers are present in the LP composition at any amount of up to 38%, by weight, based on the weight of the LP composition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inverted polymer solution is an aqueous unstable colloidal suspension. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inverted polymer solution is an aqueous stable solution. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous fluid further comprises a surfactant, an alkalinity agent, a co-solvent, a chelating agent, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more synthetic (co)polymers comprise one or more acrylamide (co)polymers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more synthetic (co)polymers are present in the LP composition at an amount of less than 12% by weight, based on the total weight of the LP composition. ### Claim 9 A method of dewatering a suspension of dispersed solids, the method comprising: (a) intermixing an effective amount of a liquid polymer (LP) composition or an inverted polymer solution, with a suspension of dispersed solids; and (b) dewatering the suspension of dispersed solids; wherein the inverted polymer solution has a filter ratio of 1.5 or less at 15 psi using a 1.2 μm filter; wherein the inverted polymer solution is formed from inverting the liquid polymer (LP) composition in an aqueous fluid, the LP composition comprising: (i) one or more synthetic (co)polymers dispersed or emulsified in one or more hydrophobic liquids, (ii) one or more emulsifying surfactants having an HLB value of from 2 to 10, (iii) one or more inverting surfactants, and (iv) water present in an amount of less than 10% by weight based on the total weight of all the components of the LP composition; and wherein the suspension of dispersed solids is derived from a sewage sludge, municipal water, industrial processes, food processing, mining or mineral production or processing, coal refuse, tailings, Bayer process, hydrate flocculation and precipitation, biotechnological applications, or agricultural applications. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more synthetic (co)polymers are present in the liquid polymer (LP) composition at an amount of at least 39%, by weight, based on the weight of the LP composition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the liquid polymer (LP) composition is in the form of an inverse emulsion, and the one or more synthetic (co)polymers are present in the LP composition at any amount of up to 38%, by weight, based on the weight of the LP composition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the inverted polymer solution is an aqueous unstable colloidal suspension. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more synthetic (co)polymers comprise one or more acrylamide (co)polymers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more synthetic (co)polymers are present in the LP composition at an amount of less than 12% by weight, based on the total weight of the LP composition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more emulsifying surfactants have an HLB value of from 2 to less than 7.