US3674684A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Continuous fluid-solid contact method and apparatus
Assignee: T-HYDRONAUTICS Inc A CORP OF TX
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Filing: 1970-07-13
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Granted: 1972-07-04
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Expires: 1990-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for removing a first component from a fluid stream comprises contacting the fluid stream with a continuously moving bed of filter material, contained within a separation column, recovering the contaminated filter material, and regenerating it for reuse. The continuously moving bed of filter material is moved through a contact zone in the separation column by creating a hydraulic force on the material from the flow of a carrier liquid through the material. The fluid stream can be an oil-water mixture from which oil is removed by an absorbent filter material.
Inventors
- 👤 Ayre Gollan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:20
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D15/00; B01D15/02; B01D11/00; B01D11/02; B01J; B01J47/00; B01J47/10; C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/28; B01D15/08; B01D15/10; B01D15/18; B01D15/1892; C02F1/40; C02F1/42; C02F2101/00; C02F2101/30; C02F2101/32; C02F2103/00; C02F2103/008; C02F2201/00; C02F2201/001; C02F2209/00; C02F2209/40; C02F2303/00; C02F2303/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the first component is a solid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the first component is a liquid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the first component is a gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the removal of the first component by the filter material is accomplished by ion exchange.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid stream is introduced and contacted with the solid filter material at a point intermediate the particle inlet and exit ends of the column.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the removed filter material is regenerated by separating the first component from the filter material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the regenerated filter material is fed into the separation column.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the first component is a liquid and is separated from the filter material by heating the removed filter material to increase the fluidity of the liquid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 9 including applying centrifugal force to the filter material to aid in removing the liquid from the filter material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the first component is a liquid and is separated by contacting the filter material with a solvent for the liquid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 11 including applying centrifugal force to the filter material to aid in removing the liquid from the filter material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the first component contains Bunker ''''C'''' oil and the solvent is diesel oil.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the removed filter material is a dissolvable plastic and the removed filter material is dissolved in a solvent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid stream is an oil-water, liquid-liquid mixture, and the filter material is an absorbent material capable of removing oil from the mixture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 15 wherein the oil includes Bunker ''''C'''' oil.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid stream is passed transversely through the moving filter material.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
179 words
An apparatus for continuously removing a first component from a fluid stream comprising: a. an elongated sEparation column having a particle inlet end for admitting solid filter material and a particle exit end for removing solid filter material; b. a bed of solid filter material positioned within the separation column between the ends of the column; c. an inlet opening for introducing a fluid stream into the separation column and contacting the fluid stream with the solid filter material; d. means for creating and maintaining a hydraulic force acting on the bed in a first direction from the particle inlet end toward the particle exit end to consolidate the filter material and continuously move it through the column in the first direction from the particle inlet end toward the particle exit end by flowing a carrier liquid through the filter material in the first direction and withdrawing it at a point intermediate the ends of the column; and e. an outlet opening intermediate the particle inlet and exit ends for removing an exiting fluid flow from the filter material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 18 including means for regenerating the removed filter material by separating the first component from the filter material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 19 including means for contacting the filter material with a solvent for removing the first component from the filter material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 19 including means to apply centrifugal force to the filter material to aid in removing the first component from the filter material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the inlet opening and outlet opening are laterally aligned for permitting the fluid stream to flow laterally through the separation column.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 18 including control means to vary the flow rate of the carrier liquid to control the hydraulic force produced in the column.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
199 words
An apparatus for continuously removing a first component of a fluid stream comprising: a. an elongated separation column having a core and an exterior shell which surrounds the core, said shell having a particle inlet end for admitting solid filter material and a particle exit end for removing solid filter material; b. a bed of solid filter material positioned within the shell between the particle inlet and exit ends; c. an inlet opening for introducing a fluid stream into said shell and contacting the fluid stream with the solid filter material; d. means for creating and maintaining a hydraulic force acting on the bed in a first direction from the particle inlet end toward the particle exit end to consolidate the filter material and continuously move it through the column in the first direction from the particle inlet end toward the particle exit end by flowing a carrier liquid through the filter material in the first direction and withdrawing it at a point intermediate the ends of the column; and e. an outlet opening intermediate the particle inlet end and exit end for permitting an exiting fluid flow to be removed from the filter material and into said core.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
163 words
A process for continuously moving a first component from a fluid stream comprising: a. providing a bed of solid filter material is an elongated separation column having a particle inlet end and a particle exit end; b. introducing fresh filter material to the particle inlet end of the column; c. creating and maintaining a hydraulic force acting on the bed in a first direction from the particle inlet end toward the particle exit end to consolidate the filter material and continuously move it through the column in the first direction by flowing a first liquid stream through the filter material in the first direction and withdrawing it at a point intermediate the ends of the column; d. introducing a fluid stream into the column and contacting it with the solid filter material to remove a first component of the fluid stream; and e. separately removing the filter material containing the first component of the fluid stream and the fluid stream from the column.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of Claim 25 wherein the first liquid stream is a carrier liquid that introduces the fresh filter material to the particle inlet end of the column.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
183 words
An apparatus for continuously removing a first component from a fluid stream comprising: a. an elongated separation column having a particle inlet end for admitting solid filter material and a particle exit end for removing solid filter material; b. a bed of solid filter material positioned within the separation column between the ends of the column; c. an inlet opening for introducing a fluid stream into the separation column and contacting the fluid stream with the solid filter material; d. means for introducing fresh filter material to the particle inlet end of the column; e. means for creating and maintaining a hydraulic force acting on the bed in a first direction from the particle inlet end toward the particle exit end to consolidate the filter material and continuously move it through the column in the first direction by flowing a first liquid stream through the filter material in the first direction and withdrawing it at a point intermediate the ends of the column; and f. an outlet opening intermediate the ends of the column for removing an exiting fluid from the filter material.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
205 words
An apparatus for continuously removing a first component of a fluid stream comprising: a. an elongated separation column having a core and an exterior shell which surrounds the core, said shell having a particle inlet end for admitting solid filter material and a particle exit end for removing solid filter material; b. a bed of solid filter material positioned within the shell between the particle inlet and exit ends; c. an inlet opening for introducing a fluid stream into said shell and contacting the fluid stream with the solid filter material; d. means for introducing fresh filter material to the particle inlet end of the column; e. means for creating and maintaining a hydraulic force acting on the bed in a first direction from the particle inlet end toward the particle exit end to consolidate the filter material and continuously move it through the column in the first direction by flowing a first liquid stream through the filter material in the first direction and withdrawing it at a point intermediate the ends of the column; and f. an outlet opening intermediate the particle inlet end and exit end for permitting an exiting fluid flow to be removed from the filter material and into said core.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-04 | 1976-01-03 | 1976-07-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-04 | 1980-01-03 | 1980-07-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-04 | 1984-01-03 | 1984-07-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |