Removal of oxygen from water
AssigneeEnpar Technologies Inc.
InventorsGene Sidney Shelp, Ward Chesworth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
For alleviating acid mine drainage arising from oxygenated water passing through pyrite, the water is de-oxygenated in an intercepting protective layer, which comprises a mixture of grains of pyrite and grains of iron. The grain sizes, concentrations, etc are selected to create an ensemble of galvanic cells at the points of contact between the iron grains and the pyrite grains. The pyrite cathode material becomes cathode-protected, and the water becomes de-oxygenated, by the electrolytic action.
Claims16
Procedure for protecting water from acidity caused by passing relatively oxygenated water through a body of a sulphide mineral, wherein the procedure includes the steps of:
- providing a permeable layer of a protective material;
- providing the layer in such a manner and position relative to the body of sulphide mineral that the layer intercepts the water prior to the water entering the body;
- wherein the protective material comprises grains of material A and grains of material B;
- wherein material A comprises a sulphide mineral;
- wherein material B comprises a material that is more electro-positive than the sulphide mineral;
- wherein the materials A and B are electrically-conductive;
- thoroughly mixing the grains of materials A and B, whereby, on a random average basis, the grains of material A are in intimate touching contact with the grains of material B;
- passing the water into the layer, and maintaining electrolytic continuity in the layer, whereby the grains of materials A and B, where they touch, form galvanic cells, material A being the cathode thereof and material B being the anode.
Procedure for de-oxygenating water, wherein the procedure includes the steps of:
- providing a quantity of grains of a material A, and a quantity of grains of a material B;
- wherein material A comprises a sulphide mineral;
- wherein material B comprises a material that is more electro-positive than the sulphide mineral;
- wherein the materials A and B are electrically-conductive;
- making a mixture of the materials A and B by thoroughly mixing the grains of materials A and B, whereby, on a random average basis, the grains of material A are in intimate touching contact with the grains of material B;
- forming the mixture into a permeable layer, and passing the water into and through the permeable layer;
- maintaining electrolytic continuity in the mixture in the layer, whereby the grains of materials A and B, where they touch, form galvanic cells, material A being the cathode thereof and material B being the anode;
- wherein the layer is thick or deep enough that water emerging from the layer has had a sufficient residence time therein that the water has been at least partially de-oxygenated by its passage through the layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.