# US 9,433,918 B2 · Method of making diatomaceous earth granulate

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- Number: US 9,433,918 B2
- Document ID: US9433918B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/234,852
- Filed: 2012-07-25
- Published: 2014-12-18
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-27
- Assignees: Imerys Minerals Limited
- Applicants: Andrew Riley
- Inventors: Andrew Riley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433918B2

## CPC

- B01J 20/14: Diatomaceous earth
- B01D 15/00: Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with solid sorbents; Apparatus therefor
- B01D 15/125: {Pre-filtration}
- B01D 15/267: {using neutral sorbents, e.g. activated carbon or diatomaceous earth}
- B01J 20/28004: {Sorbent size or size distribution, e.g. particle size}
- B01J 20/28021: {Hollow particles, e.g. hollow spheres, microspheres or cenospheres}
- B01J 20/2803: {Sorbents comprising a binder, e.g. for forming aggregated, agglomerated or granulated products}
- B01J 20/3007: {Moulding, shaping or extruding}
- B01J 20/3042: {Use of binding agents; addition of materials ameliorating the mechanical properties of the produced sorbent}
- B01J 20/3078: {Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing}
- C09C 1/3027: {Drying, calcination}
- C09C 1/3036: {Agglomeration, granulation, pelleting}
- C01P 2004/03: obtained by SEM
- C01P 2006/10: Solid density
- C01P 2006/12: Surface area
- C01P 2006/17: Pore diameter distribution
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C09C: TREATMENT OF INORGANIC MATERIALS, OTHER THAN FIBROUS FILLERS, TO ENHANCE THEIR PIGMENTING OR FILLING PROPERTIES (treatment of materials specially adapted to enhance their filling properties in mortars, concrete or artificial stone C04B14/00, C04B18/00, C04B20/00); PREPARATION OF CARBON BLACK {; PREPARATION OF INORGANIC MATERIALS WHICH ARE NO SINGLE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS AND WHICH ARE MAINLY USED AS PIGMENTS OR FILLERS}
- C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

A method of making a diatomaceous earth granulate may include spray-drying a suspension including particles of diatomaceous earth, a liquid medium, and a binder, wherein inorganic solids in the suspension include at least 80 wt % diatomaceous earth. The method may further include recovering a diatomaceous earth spray-dried granulate. A granular diatomaceous earth product obtained by the method may include substantially spherical granules, each having a shell including diatomaceous earth surrounding a hollow core. The product may be used as a filter aid or in filtration.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of making a diatomaceous earth granulate, the method comprising:
spray-drying a suspension comprising particles of diatomaceous earth, a liquid medium, and a binder, wherein inorganic solids in the suspension comprise at least 80 wt % diatomaceous earth; and
recovering a diatomaceous earth spray-dried granulate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the solids in the suspension comprise at least 90 wt %.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the binder is a temporary binder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising calcining the spray-dried granulate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the binder is a permanent binder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
forming the spray-dried granulate into a shaped body; and
calcining the shaped body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the calcining is carried out at a temperature of at least 600° C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the calcining is carried out at a temperature of at least 800° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the calcining is carried out at a temperature of at least 900° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the calcination is performed for no more than 4 hours at peak calcination temperature.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A granular diatomaceous earth product obtained by the method of claim 1, wherein the granular diatomaceous earth product comprises substantially spherical granules, each having a shell comprising diatomaceous earth surrounding a hollow core.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The product according to claim 11, wherein the granular diatomaceous earth product is in the form of a free-flowing granulate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The product according to claim 11, wherein the granules have a d50 ranging from 10 μm to 250 μm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The product according to claim 11, wherein the granules have a d50 ranging from 20 μm to 100 μm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The product according to claim 11, wherein the granular diatomaceous earth product has a permeability of at least 1.0 Da.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The product according to claim 11, wherein the granular diatomaceous earth product has a permeability of at least 3.0 Da.

### Claim 17 (depends on 4)

A diatomaceous earth product obtained by the method of claim 4, wherein the said diatomaceous earth product comprises a mass of substantially spherical spray-dried granules formed into an integral body.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The diatomaceous earth product according to claim 17, wherein adjacent granules in the body are sintered to each other.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

A method of filtering a liquid comprising:
passing the liquid through a filter comprising the product according to claim 11.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method according to claim 19, wherein the method is performed without the aid of a pre-coat.

### Claim 21 (depends on 11)

A method of using a product according to claim 11, the method comprising using the product as a filter aid or in filtration.

### Claim 22

A method of filtering a liquid, the method comprising:
passing the liquid through a filter comprising at least one of granules of spray-dried diatomaceous earth or a shaped body formed from granules of spray-dried diatomaceous earth.