| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20090196968 | PRESERVATION OF ORGANIC LIQUIDS - A method is provided for treating cooking oil during frying operations, which comprises in situ treatment of the oil with a source of calcium or magnesium combined with silicate such that the calcium or magnesium substantially does not leach into the oil. The filter treatment materials may be cement clinker, OPC, calcium silicate and combinations or mixtures thereof e.g. a combination of white OPC clinker and white OPC. The filter treatment materials may be in the form of a free briquette or block immersed in the oil. In other embodiments a decontaminating or filter cartridge is provided for fitting to a deep oil or fat cooker or a frying basket and comprises a foraminous housing containing filtering or decontaminant material. The cartridge may be used in association with a deep oil or fat fryer having a base formed with a depression defining a cool spot, the cartridge fitting in or on said cool spot. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20100006503 | MEMBRANE STRUCTURES AND THEIR PRODUCTION AND USE - A method is provided for forming zeolite membranes in internal surfaces of a plurality of conduits in a cylindrical porous ceramic monolith, the conduits extending from one end of the monolith to the other, said method including a step of: flowing a pre-treatment liquid including a zeolite initiating agent into the conduits; causing at least part of a carrier liquid component of the treatment liquid to flow from the conduits into and through the body of the monolith to the exterior; and causing zeolite crystals to be deposited in the porous internal surfaces of the conduits as the carrier liquid component flows into the monolith. The substrates may be pre-conditioned for membrane formation by a method which comprises: (a) forming an aqueous suspension of zeolite particles; and (b) passing the suspension alternately (i) through the tubular conduits and (ii) out through the walls of the tubular conduits so as to deposit a layer of zeolite particles on the inner surfaces of the tubular conduits; wherein the porous substrates are treated in chambers arranged e.g in annularly and the suspension is supplied to the chambers from a first common manifold via respective delivery tubes and is recovered via recovery tubes leading to a second common manifold, the first and second manifolds and the supply and recovery tubes being configured so that the branch path to and from each chamber is substantially the same. After pre-conditioning, formation of membranes may be by depositing or crystallizing a zeolite membrane on the zeolite particles by gel crystallization. A membrane structure is also provided which comprises a tubular porous ceramic monolith having tubular conduits each having an internal diameter of (5) to (9) mm formed within the monolith with a zeolite membrane formed on the internal surface of each of the conduits, wherein either there are four conduits and the monolith is longer than 600 mm or there are five or more conduits. The invention also provides methods for removal of water from organic liquids and methods for the purification of water using the above membrane structures e.g. to remove residual water from ethanol or butanol or to produce high purity water. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100090165 | PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF ORGANIC SOLVENTS - A method is provided for separating water from an organic solvent which comprises: passing the solvent through at least one conduit within a porous ceramic with a zeolite membrane formed on the internal surface of the conduit; recovering solvent of reduced water content from the conduit; and recovering water which has passed via the membrane through the ceramic to the exterior thereof. The velocity at which the solvent is passed through the conduit induces turbulent flow for scouring solids from the surface of the membrane and reducing or preventing concentration of the organic solvent on the membrane surface e.g. at 1-6 m/s The invention also provides a method of separating water from an organic solvent which comprises: supplying the solvent to first, second and third tanks; circulating solvent between the first tank and zeolite membranes to separate water therefrom; recovering separated water from the membranes; supplying fresh solvent to the second tank; recovering solvent separated of water from the third tank in heat-exchange relationship with solvent supplied to the second tank; and on completion of water separation initiating at least a first new processing cycle in which recovery is from the first tank, circulation is from the second tank and supply is to the third tank. On completion of said first new processing cycle at least a second cycle may be initiated in which supply is to the first tank, recovery is from the second tank and circulation is from the third tank. Apparatus is also provided for separating first and second fluids, comprising: a multiplicity of tubular porous ceramic monoliths having tubular conduits formed within the monolith with a zeolite membrane formed on the internal surface of each of the conduits; first and second support plates each formed with a multiplicity of holes for receiving the ends of the monoliths for supporting said monoliths in spaced parallel relationship, the holes where they open to outer faces of the support plates being formed with counterbores; O-rings in the counterbores for supporting the monoliths in the apertures each at a small clearance from its respective hole; first and second cover plates attached to the first and second support plates and formed with holes corresponding to the holes in the support plate leading to enlarged inwardly facing regions in which ends of the monoliths are received, attachment of the cover plate compressing the O-rings to seal against the monolith; and a housing having a flow passage in which the first and second support Phoenix,002-PCT26 plates are welded; wherein the support plates have outer surfaces machined flat after the support plates have been welded in position. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100170851 | MEMBRANE STRUCTURES AND THEIR PRODUCTION AND USE - A method is provided for forming zeolite membranes in internal surfaces of a plurality of conduits in a cylindrical porous ceramic monolith, the conduits extending from one end of the monolith to the other and being disposed in a single annulus, said method including a step of: flowing a pre-treatment liquid ( | 07-08-2010 |
| 20110250330 | PRESERVATION OF ORGANIC LIQUIDS - A method is provided for preserving cooking oil which may be cold or heated or during frying operations, which comprises in situ treatment of the oil withal least one oil-permeable cement body which has been hydraulically hardened from a paste comprising cement clinker and cement e.g. white OPC clinker and white OPC. The invention further comprises cooking oil having therein at least one oil-permeable cement body which has been hydraulically hardened from a paste comprising cement clinker and cement and an oil-permeable cement body for use in the above method. | 10-13-2011 |
