Co-Agglomerated Composite Materials, Methods for Making Co-Agglomerated Composite Materials, and Methods for Using Co-Agglomerated Composite Materials

Abstract

A composite filter aid may include diatomaceous earth, natural glass, and a precipitated silica binder, wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 3 to 20 darcys. A composite filter aid may include diatomaceous earth, perlite, and a precipitated silica binder, wherein the filter aid has an alpha density less than 15 lbs/ft 3 . A method for making a composite material may include blending diatomaceous earth and perlite, adding alkali silicate to the blended diatomaceous earth and perlite, and precipitating the alkali silicate as a binder to make the composite material. A method for filtering a beverage may include using a composite filter aid and/or composite material.

1 - 82 . (canceled) 
     
     
         83 . A composite filter aid comprising:
 diatomaceous earth, natural glass, and a precipitated silica binder,   wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 2 to 20 darcys.   
     
     
         84 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 2 to 9 darcys. 
     
     
         85 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 9 to 20 darcys. 
     
     
         86 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 15 to 20 darcys. 
     
     
         87 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the diatomaceous earth comprises at least one of calcined diatomaceous earth and flux calcined diatomaceous earth. 
     
     
         88 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the natural glass comprises at least one of perlite, volcanic ash, pumice, shirasu, obsidian, pitchstone, and rice hull ash. 
     
     
         89 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a d 50  ranging from 30 to 70 microns. 
     
     
         90 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a d 90  ranging from 80 to 120 microns. 
     
     
         91 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the ratio of the diatomaceous earth to the natural glass ranges from 1:3 to 3:1 by weight. 
     
     
         92 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a BET surface area ranging from 5 m 2 /g to about 50 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         93 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has a median pore size ranging from 5 to 35 microns. 
     
     
         94 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has a surface area ranging from 5 to 40 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         95 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the porosity of the filter aid ranges from 3 to 7 liters per milligram. 
     
     
         96 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a beer soluble iron content of less than 5 ppm, as measured by ASBC. 
     
     
         97 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a beer soluble iron content of less than 1 ppm, as measured by ASBC. 
     
     
         98 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a cristobalite content of less than 6% by weight. 
     
     
         99 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has a cristobalite content of less than 1% by weight. 
     
     
         100 . The composite filter aid of  claim 83 , wherein the filter aid has an alpha density ranging from 9 to 15 lbs/ft 3 . 
     
     
         101 . A composite filter aid comprising:
 diatomaceous earth, perlite, and a precipitated silica binder,   wherein the filter aid has a wet density of less than 15 lbs/ft 3 .   
     
     
         102 . A method for making a composite material, the method comprising:
 blending diatomaceous earth and perlite;   adding alkali silicate to the blended diatomaceous earth and perlite; and   precipitating the alkali silicate as a binder to make the composite material.