Methods and compositions for removing residues and substances from substrates using environmentally friendly solvents
OwnerRuben G. Carbonell, Peter Kilpatrick +1inventors
InventorsRuben G. Carbonell, Peter Kilpatrick, Nael Zaki
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Abstract
Environmentally friendly solvents used to dissolve or remove residues and/or substances from substrates wherein the residue and/or substance is contacted with a Generally Recognized As Safe solvent to dissolve the residue and/or substance in the solvent followed by the extraction of the residue and/or substance from the solvent such as by contact wiht carbon dioxide.
Claims117
A method of dissolving a petroleum-based substance, comprising:
- introducing the petroleum-based substance to a reaction vessel;
- contacting the petroleum-based substance with a carbon dioxide miscible solvent introduced to the reaction vessel;
- dissolving at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance in the carbon dioxide miscible solvent contacting the petroleum-based substance;
- removing a product from the reaction vessel, wherein the product comprises at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance dissolved in at least a portion of the solvent;
- and
- contacting the product with carbon dioxide such that the petroleum-based substance is precipitated from the product.
A method for recovering bitumen, comprising:
- contacting a substance containing bitumen with an ester-containing solvent;
- dissolving at least a portion of the bitumen from the substance in the ester-containing solvent;
- contacting the ester-containing solvent and dissolved bitumen with carbon dioxide to precipitate bitumen from the ester-containing solvent;
- and
- recovering the precipitated bitumen.
A method of removing a substance from a substrate, comprising:
- introducing the substrate having a desired substance for removal to a reaction vessel;
- contacting the substrate with a GRAS solvent introduced to the reaction vessel;
- dissolving at least a portion of the substance from the substrate in the GRAS solvent;
- withdrawing at least a portion of the ester-containing solvent and dissolved portion of the substance from the reaction vessel as a product;
- and
- contacting the product with carbon dioxide or a hydrocarbon gas to precipitate the substance from the product.
A method of dissolving a petroleum-based substance, comprising:
- introducing the petroleum-based substance to a reaction vessel;
- contacting the petroleum-based substance with an ester-containing solvent introduced to the reaction vessel;
- dissolving at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance in the ester-containing solvent;
- withdrawing at least a portion of the ester-containing solvent and dissolved portion of the petroleum-based substance from the reaction vessel as a product;
- and
- precipitating the petroleum-based substance from the product.
The method of claim 93, wherein the ester-containing solvent is a liquid benzoic acid ester-containing solvent.
The method according to claim 101, wherein the salicylic acid ester-containing solvent is isopropyl salicylate.
A method of dissolving a substance from an aqueous stream, comprising:
- contacting an aqueous stream containing the substance with a water insoluble GRAS solvent;
- dissolving at least a portion of the substance from the aqueous stream with the GRAS solvent;
- separating the GRAS solvent with dissolved substance from the aqueous stream;
- and
- precipitating the substance from the GRAS solvent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.