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US 2021/0340469 A1Published application
Method to remove explosive and toxic gases and clean metal surfaces in hydrocarbon equipment
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorsAshley Zachariah, Richard M. Kelly, Michael St. James, Joseph E. Gulayets
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of rapidly decontaminating and making safe for entry, hydrocarbon contaminated equipment by sequencing a cleaning mist or foam, an encapsulating mist or foam and a dry carrier gas.
Claims17
A method for removing hydrocarbon contaminants and toxic gases from a system, comprising the steps of:
- (i) providing a dry carrier gas source;
- (ii) providing an encapsulating agent source;
- (iii) providing a surfactant source (iv) providing a cleaning agent with a high solubility index from a cleaning agent source;
- (iv) mixing the cleaning agent and the dry carrier gas in a high shear mixing device to create a liquid mist/foam which is introduced into the system so as to solubilize the heavy organic residues on metal surfaces;
- (v) mixing the encapsulating agent and the dry carrier gas in a high shear mixing device to create a liquid mist/foam which is introduced into the system to cap generation of toxic gases from remaining organic residue;
- (vi) delivering dry carrier gas from the dry carrier gas source to the system to remove all liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon contaminants out of said system (viii) sequencing or cycling of at least two of the following steps (iv), (v) and (vi) until concentration of explosive gases (LEL's) reaches acceptable limits.
3 more elements
A method for removing hydrocarbon contaminants and toxic gases from a system, comprising the steps of:
- (i) providing a dry carrier gas source;
- (ii) providing an encapsulating agent source;
- (iii) providing a surfactant source;
- (iv) mixing the encapsulating agent and the dry carrier gas in a high shear mixing device to create a liquid mist/foam which is introduced into the process system to cap generation of toxic gases from remaining organic residue;
- (v) delivering dry carrier gas from the dry carrier gas source to the system to remove all liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon contaminants out of said process equipment (vi) sequencing or cycling of steps (iv) and (v) until concentration of explosive gases (LEL's) reach acceptable limits.
2 more elements
A method for removing hydrocarbon contaminants and toxic gases from a process system, comprising the steps of:
- (i) providing a dry carrier gas source;
- (ii) providing a surfactant source;
- (iii) providing a cleaning agent with a high solubility index from a cleaning agent source;
- (iv) mixing the cleaning agent and the dry carrier gas in a high shear mixing device to create a liquid mist which is introduced into the process system so as to solubilize the heavy organic residues on metal surfaces;
- (v) delivering dry carrier gas from the dry carrier gas source to the process equipment to remove all liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon contaminants out of said process equipment (vi) sequencing or cycling of steps (iv) and (v) until concentration of explosive gases (LEL's) reach acceptable limits.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.