Methods of using modified natural products as dewatering aids for fine particles
OwnerRoe-Hoan Yooninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Naturally occurring lipids of vegetable and animal origin are broken into smaller molecules, and used as dewatering aids. The process of breaking the molecules include transesterification, interesterification, and saponification followed by acidulation. The modified lipid molecules can adsorb on the surface of the particles to be dewatered and greatly enhance their hydrophobicity, which will help increase the rate of dewatering and hence reduce cake moisture. The modified lipids are more effective dewatering aids than the naturally occurring unmodified lipids, possibly because they can more readily form close-packed monolayers of hydrophobes on the surface of the particles.
Claims15
A process for dewatering a slurry of fine particulate material, comprising:
- i) increasing the hydrophobicity of said material to exhibit a water contact angle less than 90°,
- ii) adding a water insolable modified lipid dissolved in an organic solvent or mixtures of organic solvents to said slurry, wherein said modified lipid is a reaction product of a lipid or mixture of lipids broken into smaller molecules by either transesterification, saponification followed by acidulation, or by interesterification,
- iii) agitating the slurry to allow for the modified lipid molecules to adsorb on the surface of said material so that its hydrophobicity is enhanced and said material exhibits a water contact angle over 60°, and
- iv) subjecting the agitated slurry containing the material, to a mechanical method of dewatering for removing moisture from said material.
A process for dewatering a slurry of naturally hydrophobic particulate material, comprising:
- i) adding a water insoluble modified lipid dissolved in an organic solvent or mixtures of organic solvents to said slurry, wherein said modified lipid is a reaction product of a lipid or mixture of lipids broken into smaller molecules by either transesterification, saponification followed by acidulation, or by interesterification,
- ii) agitating the slurry to allow for said modified lipid molecules to adsorb on the surface of said naturally hydrophobic particulate material so that its hydrophobicity is enhanced and said material exhibits a water contact angle over 60°, and
- iii) subjecting the agitated slurry containing the particulate material, to a mechanical method of dewatering for removing moisture from said material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.