Patent · US Expired

Hydrophobically associating polymers for oily water clean-up

US4734205A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
17References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 8, 1986
Grant dateMar 29, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 8, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC02F1/54
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention teaches an improved process for clean-up of waste waters containing organic contaminants. In addition, the process is useful for breaking or resolving oil-in-water emulsions, such as those produced during oil recovery operations. Both the extent of clean-up based on residual oil left in the waste water and the efficiency of clean-up based on the treat rate of additive have been found to be significantly improved using the novel process of this invention. The novel process involves the use of a low level of a water dispersible terpolymer consisting of acrylamide, acrylic acid or its salts, and alkylacrylamide or alkylacrylate or alkylmethacrylate; or copolymers consisting of acrylamide and alkylacrylamide or alkylacrylate or alkylmethacrylate alone or in combination with a cationic species used to control the charge, usually negative charge reduction to near neutral, of the oil or organic contamination droplets in the emulsion being treated. The process of this invention is effective for the clean-up of waste waters containing organic contaminants and for the breaking of oil-in-water produced emulsions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.