Process for deabsorbing oil from oil absorbent
AssigneeInsight Environmental Services, Inc.
InventorGordon S. Bond
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process is shown for deabsorbing oil from an oil absorbent material. A citric oil-in-water emulsion is formulated having an aqueous external phase and having a dispersed internal phase which is comprised of a distilled citric oil. The hydrocarbon contaminated material is immersed within the citric oil-in-water emulsion, whereby absorbed hydrocarbons are extracted from the oil absorbent material.
Claims13
A process for deabsorbing oil from an oil absorbent material contaminated with absorbed hydrocarbons, comprising the steps of:
- formulating a citric oil-in-water emulsion having an aqueous external phase and having a dispersed internal phase comprised of a distilled citric oil, the internal phase being present in the range from about 1 to 10% by volume of the total emulsion, and stabilizing said emulsion by adjusting the pH within the range from about 9.0 to about 10.5;
- contacting the hydrocarbon contaminated material with the citric oil-in-water emulsion thus formulated by immersing, the hydrocarbon contaminated material within the citric oil-in-water emulsion, whereby the absorbed hydrocarbons are extracted from the oil absorbent material into the emulsion;
- removing the oil absorbent material from the emulsion containing the extracted hydrocarbons;
- allowing the emulsion to stand, whereby the emulsion separates into at least a top, hydrocarbon layer and a bottom, emulsion layer;
- and
- separating off the top, hydrocarbon layer.
A process for treating an absorbent material contaminated with absorbed hydrocarbons, comprising the steps of:
- formulating a citric oil-in-water emulsion having an aqueous external phase and having a dispersed internal phase comprised of a distilled citric oil, the internal phase being present in the range from about 1 to 10% by volume of the total emulsion, and stabilizing said emulsion by adjusting the pH within the range from about 9.0 to about 10.5;
- contacting the hydrocarbon contaminated material with the citric oil-in-water emulsion thus formulated by immersing the hydrocarbon contaminated material within the citric oil-in-water emulsion at an agitation station;
- agitating the emulsion containing the hydrocarbon contaminated material at the agitation station, whereby the hydrocarbons are extracted from the absorbent material into the agitated emulsion;
- circulating the agitated emulsion containing the extracted hydrocarbons to a separating station where the agitated emulsion is allowed to stand and separate into at least a top, hydrocarbon layer and a bottom, emulsion layer;
- and
- separating off the top, hydrocarbon layer and recirculating the bottom, emulsion layer to the agitation station.
A process for deabsorbing oil from an oil absorbent material contaminated with absorbed hydrocarbons, comprising the steps of:
- formulating a citric oil-in-water emulsion having an aqueous external phase and having a dispersed internal phase comprised of distilled D-limonene, the internal phase being present in the range from about 1 to 10% by volume of the total emulsion, and stabilizing said emulsion by adjusting the pH within the range from about 9.0 to about 10.5;
- contacting the hydrocarbon contaminated material with the citric oil-in-water emulsion thus formulated by immersing the hydrocarbon contaminated material within the citric oil-in-water emulsion at an agitation station;
- agitating the emulsion containing the hydrocarbon contaminated material at the agitation station, whereby the hydrocarbons are extracted from the absorbent material into the agitated emulsion;
- circulating the agitated emulsion containing the extracted hydrocarbons to a separating station where the agitated emulsion is allowed to stand and separate into at least a top, hydrocarbon layer, a middle layer containing components of the emulsion, and a bottom, waste layer.
- separating off the top, hydrocarbon layer and recycling;
- recirculating the middle layer containing the components of the emulsion to the agitation station;
- and
- separating off the bottom, waste layer and passing it to a waste holding tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.