Brine derived from a subterranean bedrock

Abstract

The present invention relates to a brine derived from a subterranean bedrock. A brine derived from a subterranean bedrock comprises 10 to 30 wt% sodium (Na); 0.01 to 0.50 wt% calcium (Ca); 0.001 to 0.40 wt% potassium (K); and water to make a total concentration of 8 to 50%. The brine further comprises iron. The brine further comprises nickel (Ni) or zinc (Zn). The brine has a practical salinity unit (PSU) of 200 to 400 grams per kilogram.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a brine derived from underground bedrock, particularly a brine that is magnesium-free and has no bitter taste. Background Technology

[0002] Salt, containing sodium chloride as its main component, is a salty additive. Salt, present in the bodily fluids of humans and animals, plays a vital role in maintaining osmotic pressure. Salt makes bodily fluids alkaline and has the function of balancing acidity and alkalinity within them. Salt can be classified into sea salt, made from seawater containing approximately 3% salt, and refined salt, processed from sea salt. Furthermore, salt can include rock salt mined from deposits and used for industrial purposes, mechanical salt produced by ion-exchange electrodialysis, or manufactured salt, produced by recrystallizing mechanical salt or sea salt after melting and washing. These various types of salt can be produced by various methods and can be made into edible substances by selectively adding suitable ingredients. For example, Korean Publication No. 10-2009-0113927 discloses a method for manufacturing edible salt containing organic minerals. Furthermore, Korean Publication No. 10-2016-0007737 discloses a processed salt containing lactic acid bacteria GABA and a method for producing the same, wherein GABA has the function of lowering blood pressure. Salt can be added to food, used as a cosmetic ingredient, for medical purposes, or for various purposes in various industrial fields. Typically, salt can be added to food in crystalline form or used in solution form. However, if salt were made into a liquid form with an appropriate concentration, its handling and use would likely become more convenient. However, this salt form is not disclosed in the prior art.

[0003] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art and has the following objectives.

[0004] [Purpose of the Invention]

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a salt derived from underground bedrock that is extracted from underground bedrock, is in a liquid state, maintains an appropriate concentration, and is free of magnesium. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to one embodiment of the invention, a brine sourced from underground bedrock comprises 10% to 30% sodium (Na); 0.01% to 0.50% calcium (Ca); 0.001% to 0.40% potassium (K); and water to achieve a total concentration of 8% to 50%.

[0007] According to another embodiment of the invention, the brine also contains iron.

[0008] According to another embodiment of the invention, the brine also contains nickel (Ni) or zinc (Zn).

[0009] According to another embodiment of the invention, the actual salinity unit (PSU) of the brine is 200 g / kg to 400 g / kg.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the invention, the brine is stored in a storage container, wherein the inner surface of the container is coated with loess, fluoropolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), neoprene, or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

[0011] According to another embodiment of the invention, the brine flows along a flow passage containing a loess layer before storage. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 An embodiment of the method for producing brine derived from underground bedrock according to the present invention is shown.

[0013] Figure 2 An embodiment of a method for removing heavy components from brine during the production of the brine of the present invention is shown.

[0014] Figure 3 An embodiment of a structure for storing underground bedrock brine of the present invention is shown.

[0015] Figure 4 An embodiment of a structure for removing foreign matter or heavy metals during the production of the underground bedrock brine of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] A brine derived from underground bedrock contains 10% to 30% sodium (Na); 0.01% to 0.50% calcium (Ca); 0.001% to 0.40% potassium (K); and water to make the total concentration 8% to 50%. The brine also contains iron. It may also contain nickel (Ni) or zinc (Zn). The practical salinity unit (PSU) of the brine is 200 g / kg to 400 g / kg.

[0017] Figure 1 An embodiment of the method for producing brine derived from underground bedrock according to the present invention is shown.

[0018] Reference Figure 1 A method for producing brine derived from underground bedrock may include collecting the brine (step P11); removing impurities or foreign matter from the collected brine (step P12); controlling the concentration of the brine (step P13); and storing the brine (step P14).

[0019] Brine originating from underground bedrock can be subsurface water flowing above the bedrock, or it can exist at depths of 100 meters or more. This type of brine may exist in regions such as Laos in Southeast Asia, where it can remain underground for extended periods without evaporation, or it may remain flowing above the bedrock. Since the brine has existed underground for a long time, it may be in a state where heavy metals and harmful substances need to be removed. Once the location of the brine is confirmed, it can be pumped out through pipes or the brine flowing to the surface can be collected (step P11). This subsurface bedrock brine can be explored in various ways. If exploration confirms the existence of subsurface bedrock brine, it can be collected using intake pipes made of metal materials such as stainless steel.

[0020] If the bedrock brine is collected in various ways, foreign matter can be removed (step P12). The bedrock brine itself may not contain foreign matter, but various foreign matter or impurities may be introduced during the collection or handling of the bedrock brine. Such foreign matter or impurities can be removed using a stainless steel mesh or various sieves. For example, a 50-mesh to 500-mesh mesh can be used to remove foreign matter or impurities, but this is not a limitation.

[0021] When removing foreign matter or impurities from the collected bedrock brine, the concentration of the brine can be controlled (step P13). The concentration of the bedrock brine can be controlled by evaporating water from the collected bedrock brine, and can also be controlled by selectively adding distilled water. The concentration can be measured during the collection of the bedrock brine to control the concentration, and the concentration released as the final product can be determined. The amount of water evaporated during the collection or treatment process can be calculated, and based on this, the amount of water to be evaporated or the amount of distilled water to be added can be determined. Then, a predetermined amount of water can be evaporated by natural evaporation or artificial evaporation, or a predetermined amount of distilled water can be added. The concentration can be controlled in various ways, but is not limited to these.

[0022] If the concentration of the collected bedrock brine is controlled through various methods, the controlled bedrock brine can be stored (step P14). The bedrock brine can be stored in a sealed tank made of a material (stuff) such as stainless steel or polypropylene, which will not corrode the brine or produce sediment. For example, the bedrock brine can be stored in a sealable tank and maintained at a temperature between 10°C and 20°C. Bedrock brine can be stored in a variety of ways, but is not limited to these.

[0023] The bedrock brine produced in this manner may contain 10% to 30% by weight sodium (Na); 0.01% to 0.50% by weight calcium (Ca); 0.001% to 0.40% by weight potassium (K); and water to make the total concentration 8% to 50%. The brine may also contain iron. Furthermore, it may contain nickel (Ni) or zinc (Zn). Additionally, the PSU (Practical Salinity Unit) of the brine may be between 200 g / kg and 400 g / kg. For various reasons, harmful substances such as heavy metals may be added to the bedrock brine; these harmful substances can be removed in an appropriate manner.

[0024] Figure 2 An embodiment of a method for removing heavy components from brine during the production of the brine of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Reference Figure 2 The method for removing heavy metals from brine includes controlling the flow rate of the fluid (step P21); passing through a metal mesh (step P22); passing through a red clay layer (step P23); and identifying the precipitate (step P24).

[0026] The collected bedrock brine can flow along a channel used to remove foreign matter containing heavy metals, and the flow rate of the brine can be controlled at 0.05 m / s to 1.0 m / s (step P21). A metal mesh, made of stainless steel and with a mesh size of 10 to 200 mesh, can be installed at the channel. Multiple metal meshes can be installed separately along the channel, and each mesh can be installed in a removable manner. For example, a mesh that has been used for a period of time can be replaced, and multiple meshes can be replaced alternately. The bedrock brine can flow through the metal mesh (step P22), and then the brine can pass through a red clay layer (step P23). The red clay layer can be made of red clay or loess calcined at a temperature of 700°C to 1000°C, and can be installed on the bottom surface of the channel. The red clay layer can be made in the form of a bed. The length of the red clay layer can be, for example, 0.5 m to 20.0 m, but is not limited thereto. The underground bedrock brine from the red clay bed can be held in, for example, a conical tank for 10 to 48 hours to check for sediment (step P24). Furthermore, if some sediment is present, it can be removed from the conical tank using appropriate methods. Sediment identification and removal can be carried out in various ways, but are not limited to these.

[0027] Figure 3 An embodiment of a structure for storing underground bedrock brine of the present invention is shown.

[0028] Reference Figure 3 The underground bedrock brine can be stored in storage container 31, which can have a conical shape or a cylindrical upper part and a conical lower part. Storage container 31 can be made of wood, polymers such as polypropylene, or metal materials such as stainless steel, but is not limited to these. Due to the properties of the brine, the inner surface of storage container 31 can be coated to prevent corrosion. For example, coating 32 can be formed from materials such as loess, fluoropolymers, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), neoprene rubber, or EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber). When coating 32 is made of loess, the loess can be calcined loess at a temperature between 150°C and 1000°C. The loess layer can be formed on the inner surface of the storage container using the following adhesives:

[0029] Natural adhesives, such as starch adhesives, dextrin, animal glue, gelatin, casein, soy protein, tannin, rosin, or fish glue; aqueous polymers, such as cellulose, polyether, PVA (polyvinyl acetate), and polyvinylpyrrolidone; solvent adhesives, such as polychloroprene, polyurethane, natural rubber, or synthetic rubber; hot melt adhesives, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyether, polyurethane, or ethylene vinyl acetate; reactive adhesives, such as epoxy resins, polyurethane, polyether, or cyanoacrylate; or macromolecule dispersive emulsion adhesives, such as polyvinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, acrylics, natural rubber, or synthetic rubber.

[0030] The thickness of coating 32 can be from 100 μm to 2000 μm, but is not limited to this. When coating 32 is made of fluoropolymer, neoprene, or EPDM, the thickness of coating 32 can be from 10 μm to 200 μm. Alternatively, an electropolished layer with a thickness of 10 μm to 200 μm can be formed by electropolishing. Coating 32 can be formed in various ways, but is not limited to this. When brine B is filled into storage container 31 coated as described above, the concentration can be measured by concentration meter 33 and transmitted to concentration control module 34. Concentration control module 34 can adjust the operation of control tank 35 based on the concentration value transmitted from concentration meter 33 to control the concentration of brine B stored in storage container 31. Specifically, distilled water stored in control tank 35 can be introduced into storage container 31 in a predetermined amount through control tube 351 to maintain the concentration of brine B stored in storage container 31. The brine B stored in storage container 31 can be discharged through discharge control module 36, which discharges brine B by operating discharge control valve V installed on discharge pipe 37. One end of discharge pipe 37 can be connected to the lower part of storage container 31. Filter 38 can be installed inside the lower part of storage container 31, and filter 38 can be made of materials such as zeolite, barley stone, activated carbon, etc. Multiple flowing holes 38_1 to 38_N with diameters of 200 μm to 1000 μm can be uniformly formed on filter 38. Filter 38 can have the function of ultimately removing foreign matter, heavy metals, or similar components from the brine discharged from storage container 31 for use. Storage container 31 can be maintained at a temperature of, for example, 5°C to 25°C, and a temperature control module 39 can be installed to maintain the temperature of storage container 31. Temperature control module 39 can be, for example, a cooler that circulates cooling water around the circumferential surface of storage container 31 to maintain the temperature of storage container 31 within a predetermined range. The storage container 31 can be made in various structures, but is not limited to them.

[0031] Figure 4 An embodiment of a structure for removing foreign matter or heavy metals during the production of the underground bedrock brine of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Reference Figure 4The brine can be supplied through the supply pipe 41 and can flow through the flow control module 42 and along the flow channel 43. A loess layer 44 can be formed on the upper surface of the flow channel 43, and the thickness of the loess layer 44 can be, for example, 0.5 mm to 10.0 mm. The loess layer 44 can be formed, for example, from loess containing the following components: 40 wt% to 50 wt% silica; 20 wt% to 30 wt% alumina; 3 wt% to 15 wt% iron oxide; 1.0 wt% to 3.0 wt% magnesium oxide; 5 wt% to 10 wt% calcium carbonate; 1.0 wt% to 4.0 wt% sodium; and 1.0 wt% to 3.0 wt% potassium. Alternatively, loess layer 44 may be formed from loess comprising the following components: 50% to 70% by weight SiO2; 15% to 25% by weight Al2O3; 3% to 8% by weight Fe2O3; 1% to 5% by weight K2O; 0.3% to 1.0% by weight MgO; 0.1% to 0.5% by weight Na2O; and other components. Loess layer 44 may be formed from loess calcined at a temperature of 100°C to 1000°C. Loess layer 44 may be formed by adding water, but optionally, loess layer 44 may be formed by using natural binders such as starch, dextrin, animal glue, gelatin, casein, soy protein, tannin, rosin, or fish glue. Loess layer 44 may be formed in various ways, and brine may flow along the upper surface of loess layer 44 to remove harmful components containing heavy metals. Multiple meshes 45_1 to 45_K can be installed separately from each other, and each of meshes 45_1 to 45_K can have an opening size of 10 to 200 mesh, but is not limited to this. Meshes 45_1 to 45_K can be electropolished to prevent corrosion. Brine guided along flow channel 43 can flow to the aforementioned storage container through discharge control module 46. The collected brine can be guided to the storage container along flow channels with various structures, but is not limited to this.

[0033] The following is an implementation plan for producing edible underground bedrock brine according to the above method.

[0034] Example

[0035] A. The bedrock brine at a depth of 150 meters was identified and collected, and the collected bedrock brine was identified as 306 PSU.

[0036] B. The collected underground bedrock brine is processed into an edible form through processes such as removing impurities, controlling concentration, and storage. The components of this edible form are as follows:

[0037] Sodium 13170.69 mg / 100g; Calcium 2686.05 mg / kg; Potassium 1627.28 mg / kg; Iron 4.35 mg / kg; Nickel 0.0089 mg / kg; and Zinc 0.10 mg / kg.

[0038] C. The edible bedrock brine was tested for heavy metals, and the results are shown in Table 1. This test was conducted in accordance with the Korean Food Codex 2023.

[0039]

[0040]

[0041] It can be seen that the underground bedrock brine according to this embodiment contains more salt than seawater, and the brine may be suitable for consumption because it does not contain heavy metal components.

[0042] Sensory evaluation has been conducted on the underground bedrock saline water according to this implementation plan.

[0043] Sensory evaluation

[0044] The sensory evaluation consisted of taste, ease of use, aftertaste, flavor, and appetite, with commercially available sea salt used as a control. The sensory evaluation was conducted as follows:

[0045] The brine according to this embodiment is sprayed onto the grilled meat, while the control salt is placed in a salt dish, and the grilled meat is dipped in it before eating.

[0046] Fifty participants were selected for evaluation, and the project evaluation was conducted as follows:

[0047] Valuation range: 0 to 10 (scale), with the minimum score and maximum score being 0 and 10 respectively. The higher the score, the better the effect.

[0048] In addition, 10 subjects used brine according to this embodiment instead of sea salt during 30 days of cooking and tested whether it had an appetite-enhancing effect. The effect was assessed as positive (+), slightly (++), significantly (+++), and excellent (++++). The results are shown in Table 2, with each item expressed as a mean.

[0049]

[0050]

[0051] The bedrock brine according to the present invention was found to have no bitter taste, but rather a slightly sweet taste, thus indicating that the brine according to the present invention is more effective than the control salt. Furthermore, an overall improvement in appetite was observed after 30 days of use.

Claims

1. A brine sourced from underground bedrock, comprising: 10% to 30% sodium (Na); 0.01% to 0.50% calcium (Ca); 0.001% to 0.40% potassium (K); and water to make a total concentration of 8% to 50%.

2. The brine according to claim 1, wherein the brine further comprises iron.

3. The brine according to claim 1, wherein the brine further comprises nickel (Ni) or zinc (Zn).

4. The brine according to claim 1, wherein the actual salinity unit (PSU) of the brine is from 200 g / kg to 400 g / kg.

5. The brine according to claim 1, wherein the brine is stored in a storage container, wherein the inner surface of the container is coated with loess, fluoropolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), chloroprene rubber or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

6. The brine according to claim 1, wherein the brine flows along a channel having a loess layer before storage.

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