Nanogas Shear Separation for Low-Residual Oil Slurries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing oil from particulate matter, such as sand, glass, and hazardous railway ballast, result in high residual oil contamination levels, making disposal difficult and hazardous, and require high energy consumption or equipment attrition.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the use of a nanogas solution, composed of nanobubbles in water, is injected into a pipe carrying a slurry of particulate matter, shearing and admixing to separate oil from the particulates, utilizing low injection pressures and nanobubbles to reduce oil density and viscosity, facilitating separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional centrifuges or hydrocyclones are used to separate oil from particulate matter, then some oil removal is achieved, but residual oil contamination remains high (up to 15 wt. % or less than 3 wt. % under optimal conditions)
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the separation process by using high-pressure nanogas injection (e.g., 100-10,000 psi) to create intense shear forces and micro-bubble disruption that conventional low-pressure centrifuges and hydrocyclones cannot achieve. This parameter change enables reduction of residual oil contamination from 3-15 wt. % to below detection limits
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs high-pressure gas injection through nozzles to create pneumatic shear forces that strip oil from particulate matter surfaces. The nanogas (micro-bubble) injection system uses compressed gas to generate intense local turbulence and shear, representing an advancement from conventional hydraulic centrifugal separation
2Object-generated harmful factors
If Denver Attrition cell with fast agitator impeller is used to shear oil from solids, then residual oil contamination is reduced to less than 5 wt. %, but large amounts of energy are required and high equipment attrition rates occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical impeller system with a high-pressure gas injection system. Instead of using a fast-rotating mechanical agitator that consumes large energy and causes equipment wear, the invention uses pneumatic shear forces from nanogas injection to achieve oil removal with minimal energy input and no mechanical contact with the slurry
3Object-generated harmful factors
If Denver Attrition cell with fast agitator impeller is used to shear oil from solids, then residual oil contamination is reduced to less than 5 wt. %, but high equipment attrition rates occur due to damage to the impeller
Solution Approach 1:
The invention eliminates mechanical moving parts that contact the slurry by using high-pressure gas injection. This substitution of mechanical shear with pneumatic shear prevents impeller damage and equipment attrition, significantly improving equipment durability and reducing maintenance requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Achieves low residual oil contamination levels of less than 200 ppm by weight, reducing disposal hazards and energy consumption, and effectively separating oil from particulates using nanogas shearing and admixing processes.
Implementation Method 1
shearing and admixing the slurry with the nanogas solution thereby forming an admixture
Implementation Method 2
nanobubbles to reduce oil density and viscosity, facilitating separation
Data Source
AI summary
A process for separation of a slurry by radially injecting a stream of a nanogas solution at a shear-focus volume within a pipe; passing an aqueous slurry through the pipe along a direction of flow and through the shear-focus volume; and shearing and/or admixing the slurry with the nanogas solution within the shear-focus volume.