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US 7,465,395 B2Granted
Methods and compositions for removing residues and substances from substrates using environmentally friendly solvents
AssigneeNorth Carolina State University
InventorsRuben G. Carbonell, Peter Kilpatrick, Nael Saki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Environmentally friendly solvents used to dissolve or remove residues and/or substances from substrates wherein the residue and/or substance is contacted with a Generally Recognized As Safe solvent to dissolve the residue and/or substance in the solvent followed by the extraction of the residue and/or substance from the solvent such as by contact with carbon dioxide.
Claims28
A method of dissolving a petroleum-based substance, comprising:
- introducing the petroleum-based substance to a reaction vessel, the petroleum substance comprising one or more of asphalt, asphaltenes and bitumen;
- contacting the petroleum-based substance with a benzoic acid ester-containing solvent introduced to the reaction vessel, the solvent being miscible with carbon dioxide and having a flash point greater than about 98° C.;
- dissolving at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance in the benzoic acid ester-containing solvent contacting the petroleum-based substance;
- removing a product from the reaction vessel, wherein the product comprises at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance dissolved in at least a portion of the solvent;
- and
- contacting the product with carbon dioxide such that the petroleum-based substance is precipitated from the product.
3 more elements
A method for recovering bitumen, comprising:
- contacting a substance containing bitumen with a benzoic ester-containing solvent having a flash point greater than about 98° C., the solvent being miscible with carbon dioxide;
- dissolving at least a portion of the bitumen from the substance in the ester-containing solvent;
- contacting the ester-containing solvent and dissolved bitumen with carbon dioxide to precipitate bitumen from the ester-containing solvent;
- and
- recovering the precipitated bitumen.
2 more elements
A method of dissolving a petroleum-based substance, comprising:
- introducing the petroleum-based substance to a reaction vessel, the petroleum substance comprising one or more of asphalt, asphaltenes and bitumen;
- contacting the petroleum-based substance with a GRAS ester-containing solvent having a flash point greater than about 98° C. introduced to the reaction vessel, the solvent being miscible with carbon dioxide;
- dissolving at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance in the ester-containing solvent;
- withdrawing at least a portion of the ester-containing solvent and dissolved portion of the petroleum-based substance from the reaction vessel as a product;
- and
- precipitating the petroleum-based substance from the product.
3 more elements
A method of dissolving a petroleum-based substance, comprising:
- introducing the petroleum-based substance to a reaction vessel, the petroleum substance comprising one or more of asphalt, asphaltenes and bitumen;
- contacting the petroleum-based substance with isopropyl benzoic acid ester (IPB) introduced to the reaction vessel;
- dissolving at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance in the IPB contacting the petroleum-based substance;
- removing a product from the reaction vessel, wherein the product comprises at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance dissolved in at least a portion of the IPB;
- and
- contacting the product with carbon dioxide such that the petroleum-based substance is precipitated from the product.
3 more elements
A method for recovering solvent, comprising:
- contacting a substance containing a petroleum-based substance with a benzoic acid ester-containing solvent having a flash point greater than about 98° C., the solvent being miscible with carbon dioxide, the petroleum substance comprising one or more of asphalt, asphaltenes and bitumen;
- dissolving at least a portion of the petroleum-based substance in the benzoic acid ester-containing solvent;
- contacting the benzoic acid ester-containing solvent and dissolved petroleum-based substance with carbon dioxide to precipitate the petroleum-based substance from the benzoic acid ester-containing solvent;
- and
- separating the solvent and the carbon dioxide to recover the solvent.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.