US2004091654A1PendingUtilityA1

Controlled release of additives in cooling systems

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Assignee: FLEETGUARD INCPriority: Aug 24, 2001Filed: Nov 3, 2003Published: May 13, 2004
Est. expiryAug 24, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Dennis KellyJoseph C. DrozdThomas BlakemoreDoug HudgensHarold R. Martin
B01D 2313/042B01D 2313/041B01D 35/30B01F 21/22Y10T428/1352C02F 1/001F01P 2011/068C02F 2103/023F01P 11/06B01F 25/316B01D 63/00B01D 67/0088C02F 2303/04C09K 5/10C02F 1/688
43
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Claims

Abstract

A container for releasing a chemical additive into a coolant composition comprises a coolant-impermeable casing having a hollow interior and an additive composition comprising at least one coolant soluble additive. The additive is held within the container by at least one coolant-permeable element provided at or near an opening in the casing and is effective to provide for release of additive(s) into the coolant composition. Methods of releasing additives into coolant compositions are also provided.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container for releasing a chemical additive in a liquid coolant comprising: 
 a coolant-impermeable casing defining a substantially hollow interior and at least one opening;    a coolant additive composition provided in the interior of said casing, said coolant additive composition comprising a chemical additive soluble in a liquid coolant; and    at least one coolant-permeable element provided at or near the opening of the casing and effective to provide for release of a portion of the chemical additive into the liquid coolant in contact with the casing.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the casing is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of metals, polymeric materials, combinations thereof and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2  wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of metals, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene vinyl acetate, polypropylene vinyl acetate, combinations thereof and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the casing is a substantially cylindrical-shaped casing.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein the at least one opening comprises at least one open end of the cylindrical-shaped casing or at least one side opening in a sidewall of the cylindrical-shaped casing.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the casing is a substantially bowl-shaped casing.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6  further comprising a cap member disposed across a top of the substantially bowl-shaped casing.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 6  wherein the at least one opening is located in a top of the substantially bowl-shaped casing, in a side of the substantially bowl-shaped casing or in a bottom of the substantially bowl-shaped casing.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the at least one coolant-permeable element comprises an at least partially coolant soluble seal.  
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9  wherein the at least partially coolant soluble seal comprises a support structure coated with a coolant soluble polymer.  
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10  wherein the support structure comprises a wire screen, a woven cloth or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the at least one coolant-permeable element includes a filter member.  
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the at least one coolant-permeable element includes a porous membrane.  
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13  wherein the at least one coolant-permeable element includes at least one retention member effective in retaining the membrane in a substantially fixed position relative to the casing.  
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 13  wherein the porous membrane is a microporous membrane having a pore size of between about 0.2 microns to about 300 microns.  
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 13  wherein the porous membrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metals, glasses, polymeric materials, papers, combinations thereof and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 12  wherein said filter member comprises a semi-permeable membrane.  
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 17  wherein the semi-permeable membrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metals, glasses, polymeric materials, papers, combinations thereof and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings and the at least one coolant-permeable element comprises a corresponding plurality of coolant-permeable elements.  
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the coolant additive composition is provided in a particulate form.  
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the coolant additive composition is present in the casing in a liquid form.  
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the chemical additive is selected from the group consisting of corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, buffering agents and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the at least one coolant-permeable element is at least partially coated with a polymeric coating material.  
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the at least one coolant-permeable element comprises a seal assembly.  
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 24  wherein the seal assembly includes a coolant-soluble seal.  
     
     
         26 . A method for releasing a chemical additive at a sustained rate into a coolant composition comprising placing the container of  claim 1  in contact with the coolant composition.  
     
     
         27 . A method for releasing a chemical additive at a sustained rate into a coolant composition comprising placing the container of  claim 4  in contact with the coolant composition.  
     
     
         28 . A method for releasing a chemical additive at a sustained rate into a coolant composition comprising placing the container of  claim 6  in contact with the coolant composition.  
     
     
         29 . A method for releasing a chemical additive at a sustained rate into a coolant composition comprising placing the container of  claim 9  in contact with the coolant composition.  
     
     
         30 . A method for releasing a chemical additive at a sustained rate into a coolant composition comprising placing the container of  claim 13  in contact with the coolant composition.  
     
     
         31 . A method for releasing a chemical additive at a sustained rate into a coolant composition comprising placing the container of  claim 17  in contact with the coolant composition.  
     
     
         32 . A seal assembly comprising: 
 a coolant-permeable membrane sized and adapted to be positioned in or near an opening in a casing defining a hollow interior containing a coolant additive soluble in a coolant, the membrane is adapted to be positioned so that substantially all of the additive leaving the hollow interior through the opening passes through the membrane; and    a seal member sized and adapted to be positioned relative to the opening in the casing to prevent additive leaving the hollow interior through the opening when the seal member is intact.    
     
     
         33 . The seal member of  claim 32  wherein the seal member is adapted to be compromised in the presence of a coolant, thereby allowing additive to leave the hollow interior through the opening.  
     
     
         34 . The seal assembly of  claim 33  wherein the seal member is at least partially coolant-soluble.  
     
     
         35 . The seal assembly of  claim 32  wherein the seal member comprises a support structure and a coolant-soluble polymer.  
     
     
         36 . The seal assembly of  claim 35  wherein the support structure includes at least one of a wire screen and a woven cloth.  
     
     
         37 . The seal assembly of  claim 32  which further comprises at least one retention member sized and adapted to be positioned to be effective in retaining the membrane in a substantially fixed position relative to the casing.  
     
     
         38 . A coolant permeable assembly comprising: 
 a coolant-permeable membrane sized and adapted to be positioned in or near an opening in a casing defining a hollow interior containing a coolant additive soluble in a coolant, the membrane is adapted to be positioned so that substantially all of the additive leaving the hollow interior through the opening passes through the membrane; and    at least one retention member sized and adapted to be positioned to be effective in retaining the membrane in a substantially fixed position relative to the casing.    
     
     
         39 . The assembly of  claim 38  wherein the membrane comprises at least one of a porous membrane element and a semi-permeable membrane element.  
     
     
         40 . The coolant-soluble assembly of  claim 38  wherein the membrane comprises a microporous membrane element.

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