Recovery and reuse of nonionic surfactants from aqueous solutions
AssigneeRhodia Inc.
InventorsMark E. Ventura, Manilal S. Dahanayake
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Abstract
Contaminated aqueous systems can be cleaned using an ultra-filtration system that allows for high recovery yields of the surfactant employed therein for recycle and reuse. The system employs specific alcohol alkoxylate nonionic surfactants which remain polar and solvated at the higher operating temperatures of the system. The surfactant/contaminant containing aqueous system is ultra-filtered resulting in the surfactant passing through with the permeate at extremely high yields for recovery and reuse.
Claims9
A process for the recovery of surfactants from an aqueous surfactant/contaminant-containing solution wherein said solution is ultrafiltered in order to recover said surfactant from the permeate for recycle and re-use, said process comprising the use of an effective amount of a nonionic surfactant that remains polar and solvated at the operating temperature of the ultrafiltration system, said nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alcohol alkoxylate heteric copolymer surfactants.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.