Method and system for disposing of contaminated paraffin wax in an ecologically acceptable manner
AssigneeParaffin Solutions, Inc.
InventorCarl J. Chauvin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of treating blocks of waste paraffin wax entailing initially subdividing the wax into particles less than one cubic inch in size, and preferably in elongated string or rod form, then intimately mixing the particles with a viscous hydrocarbon liquid in a first mixing zone by agitation. The mixture is passed through a centrifugal pump where further mixing and further comminution of the wax particles occurs as a result of cavitation and pump impeller impact. A slurry of wax in hydrocarbon is discharged from the centrifugal pump and recycled at least once back through the first mixing zone and then back to the pump.
Claims14
A method of removing and disposing of wax buildup from a first pipeline, comprising:
- (a) removing said wax buildup from said first pipeline in the form of paraffinic wax chunks;
- (b) passing said paraffinic wax chunks through a first stage size reduction apparatus and thereby extruding said paraffinic wax chunks into spaghetti-like strings of paraffinic wax;
- (c) after step (b), mixing said strings of paraffinic wax with a carrier oil to form a slurry;
- (d) passing said slurry through a second stage size reduction apparatus wherein said slurry is subjected to a shearing action to further reduce the size of said strings of paraffinic wax into still smaller wax particles;
- and
- (e) pumping slurry discharged from said second stage size reduction apparatus into a receiving pipeline carrying a refinable petroleum oil for transport with said refinable petroleum oil to a refinery.
A method of removing and disposing of wax buildup from a first pipeline, comprising:
- (a) pigging said first pipeline and thereby removing said wax buildup from said first pipeline in the form of hydrocarbon contaminated hard paraffinic wax chunks;
- (b) extruding said paraffinic wax chunks into spaghetti-like strings of paraffinic wax;
- (c) after step (b), mixing said strings of paraffinic wax with a carrier oil to form a string and carrier oil slurry;
- (d) passing said string and carrier oil slurry at least once through a centrifugal pump;
- (e) during step (d), shearing said strings of paraffinic wax in said centrifugal pump to break said strings into still smaller wax particles, thus forming a wax particle and carrier oil slurry;
- and
- (f) pumping said wax particle and carrier oil slurry with a second pump into a receiving pipeline carrying a refinable petroleum oil for transport with said refinable petroleum oil to a refinery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.