Environmentally benign anti-icing or deicing fluids

Abstract

Deicing compositions comprised of hydroxyl-containing organic compounds and/or organic acid salts are disclosed.

1 - 45 . (canceled)  
   
   
       46 . A deicing and/or anti-icing composition comprising at least one of the following industrial or agricultural streams: 
 a. a glycerol-containing stream comprising at least fifteen weight percent glycerol and impurities wherein said impurities comprise soluble salts;    b. a stream consisting essentially of hydroxycarboxylic acid salts selected from the group consisting of lactates, glycolates, gluconates and mixtures thereof and, optionally, water and/or low molecular weight sugars;    c. a stream comprising hydroxycarboxylic acid salts selected from the group consisting of lactates, glycolates, gluconates and mixtures thereof wherein said salts are produced by reacting at least part of the hydroxycarboxylic acids originally contained in said stream and, optionally, water;    d. a stream consisting essentially of hydrocarbyl aldosides and, optionally, water and/or monosaccharides, and    e. mixtures of one or more of said streams.    
   
   
       47 . A compositions as defined in  claim 46  further comprising an additional hydroxyl-containing organic compound selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl aldosides, sorbitol, maltitol, monosaccharides, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerol and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       48 . A composition as defined in  claim 46  further comprising one or more organic acid salts selected from the group consisting of a carbonic acid salt, a carboxylic acid salt, a hydroxycarboxylic acid salt, a dicarboxylic acid salt and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       49 . A composition as defined in  claim 46  further comprising amino acids or their salts, boric acid or its salts, lignin components or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       50 . A method for deicing and/or anti-icing surface(s) comprising applying a composition as defined in  claim 46  to said surface(s).  
   
   
       51 . A liquid for industrial or commercial use comprising an effective freezing point lowering amount of a composition as defined in  claim 46 .  
   
   
       52 . A method for maintaining a liquid in an unfrozen state said method comprising employing a liquid comprising an effective freezing point lowering amount of a composition as defined in  claim 46 .  
   
   
       53 . A method for deicing and/or anti-icing vegetation comprising applying a composition as defined in  claim 46  to vegetation.  
   
   
       54 . A composition as defined in  claim 46  further comprising an effective freezing point reducing amount of an inorganic salt.  
   
   
       55 . A composition as defined in  claim 46  further comprising an effective freezing point reducing amount of an industrial or agricultural stream selected from the group consisting of grain stillage; grain steepwaters; wood stillage; agricultural or milk fermentation process products; desugared beet molasses; cane molasses; hydrogenation products of sugars, monosaccharides, maltodextrins; and mixtures of any of the foregoing.  
   
   
       56 . A method for deicing and/or anti-icing a surface(s) or a liquid, said method comprising applying to said surface(s) or said liquid an agent comprising one or more of industrial or agricultural streams selected from the group consisting of: 
 a. an impure glycerin-containing stream comprising at least twenty percent (20%) of glycerin, further containing soluble salt(s) and optionally water and/or soluble salts,    b. a stream consisting essentially of hydroxycarboxylic acid salts selected from the group consisting of lactates, glycolates, gluconates and mixtures thereof and, optionally, water and/or low molecular weight sugars;    c. a stream comprising hydroxycarboxylic acid salts selected from the group consisting of lactates, glycolates, gluconates and mixtures thereof wherein said salts are produced by reacting at least part of the hydroxycarboxylic acids originally contained in said stream and, optionally, water;    d. a stream consisting essentially of hydrocarbyl aldosides and, optionally, water and/or monosaccharides, and    e. mixtures of one or more of said streams.    
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 56  wherein said impure glycerin-containing stream comprises at least thirty percent (30%) of glycerin, further containing soluble salt(s) and optionally water and/or soluble salts.  
   
   
       58 . The composition of  claim 49  wherein said amino acids are derived from proteins, peptides, polypeptides and/or industrial waste streams containing proteins, amino acids, peptides, and/or polypeptides.  
   
   
       59 . The composition of  claim 49  wherein said amino acids are derived from a component in said industrial stream.