Method of removing oil from a mixture of tool steel swarf granular material and oil

Abstract

A method of removing oil from a mixture of tool steel swarf granular material and oil. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

1 . (canceled) 
   
   
       2 . A method of removing oil from a mixture of granular material and oil, said method comprising the steps of:
 loading said mixture of granular material and oil into an extraction vessel;   contacting said mixture with supercritical carbon dioxide at a pressure and at a temperature sufficient to remove a substantial portion of said oil from said mixture of granular material and oil;   flowing a sufficient quantity of supercritical carbon dioxide through said mixture for a sufficient period of time to yield a reduced oil content solids product and supercritical carbon dioxide containing oil from said mixture of granular material and oil;   separating said solids product from the supercritical carbon dioxide containing oil from said solids product; and   removing said solids product from the extraction vessel.   
   
   
       3 - 15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said granular material comprises one of: optical glass granules and catalyst granules. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the contaminant liquid is either oil-based and/or aqueous-based;   contacting said mixture with supercritical carbon dioxide at 4300 PSI or greater; and   the supercritical carbon dioxide is maintained at a pressure less than 9200 PSI and temperature less than 110° C.   
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 one of: the contaminant fluid is a hydrocarbon or mixtures of hydrocarbons, and the contaminant fluid is a mixture of hydrocarbons and aqueous-based components;   the supercritical carbon dioxide is maintained at a pressure level of at least 5000 PSI and a temperature of at least 60° C., to achieve greater than 88% oil removal; and   contacting said contaminated solids with supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO 2 ) flowing at treat rates of less than 30 gm CO 2 /gm of contaminated solids.   
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the supercritical carbon dioxide is maintained at a pressure level of at least 5000 PSI and a temperature of at least 68° C.;   separating the extracted contaminant by lowering the pressure (Flash) of the Supercritical carbon dioxide-contaminant extract to remove said contaminant by-product from the extract by flashing the carbon dioxide and leaving the contaminant liquid; and   selecting the pressure and temperature in the Flash to minimize oil content in the recycled carbon dioxide.   
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the supercritical carbon dioxide is maintained at a pressure of at least 8700 PSI and a temperature of at least 80° C.;   removing, on a continuous basis, and separating the contaminant fluids in the supercritical carbon dioxide extract by one or more stages of pressure reduction;   removing the separated contaminant fluid from the process;   removing the solids product, on a semi-continuous basis for each stage, replicating a counter current movement with respect to the flowing supercritical carbon dioxide;   emptying, recharging, and processing each stage with a total cycle time less than 120 minutes for the whole process;   providing up to 120 minutes of residence time in the extractor;   the metallic waste is a catalyst, nacent or on a metallic or non-metallic support; and   separating the extracted oil by lowering the pressure of the supercritical carbon dioxide oil extract to remove said oil by-product from the extract.