Abstract: A method for clarifying water by liquid/solid separation comprising dosing the water to be clarified with a copolymer produced by the emulsion polymerization of only hydrophobic monomers where at least one hydrophobic monomer is an amine containing monomer which is hydrophobic when the amine is neutral and hydrophilic when the amine is salified.

Abstract: An improved method for dewatering thin slurries of very fine clay or clay-like material to yield high solids content filter cake, for example, 40% solids and greater, by the use of flocculating agent combinations involving polyethylene oxide-type flocculating agents and polyacarylamide-type flocculating agents. The method generally involves admixing the combination of flocculating agents with the slurry, dewatering the slurry by means of a mechanical dewatering apparatus and feeding the thickened slurry to a belt press filter.

Abstract: Waste drilling mud is stabilized for earthern burial. The waste drilling mud may be treated by flocculating, aggregating, agglomerating and dewatering the waste drilling mud and separating out free water. The free water may be reused or disposed of in a disposal well. The thickened, dewatered drilling mud solids may be further treated with a water absorbing binder to produce a residue which has sufficient bearing strength to support an earthen overburden and may be disposed of by burial. Suitable flocculating, agglomerating and dewatering polyelectrolytes may be used, including polyacrylamides, quarternary amine polymers and mixtures thereof. The water absorbing binders may include inorganic and organic materials, such as natural and synthetic water absorbing gums, polymers and inorganic colloidal absorbers.

Abstract: A method of spreading a pulp for the purpose of drying it naturally, the pulp having a solid fraction which has a d.sub.80 of less than 100 microns. This method comprises the following steps:(a) adjusting the level of solids of the pulp to between 2 and 25%;(b) adding a flocculating agent to the pulp and mixing it with same, the amount of said flocculating agent being between two-thirds of 98% of the optimum required fo the flocculation of said pulp; and(c) spreading the mixture of pulp and flocculating agent, in the open air, in a bed the sides of which are permeable, and the bottom of which has a slope of less than 5 meters per 1000 meters, said spreading taking place 1 to 20 minutes after the adding are mixing of the flocculating agent.

Abstract: Water can be removed from an aqueous clay slurry using techniques such as filtration wherein the slurry is contacted with an anionic polymer having a molecular weight in the range from about 3,000 to about 1,000,000. The water is removed from the slurry at a rapid rate in order to provide a clay cake.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing elemental sulfur particles from a hydrogen sulfide removal process which employs a regenerable, aqueous washing solution capable of absorbing hydrogen sulfide from an industrial gas stream and converting that hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur. The washing solution of such a process is contacted with bubbles of an oxygen-containing gas while in the presence of an effective amount of a cationic sulfur particle-size increasing polymeric flocculent to form a sulfur-containing froth from which the sulfur is recovered.

Abstract: Coal fines are flocculated from an aqueous suspension by adding an anionic polyelectrolyte, a soluble calcium salt, and a cationic polyelectrolyte to the suspension. The anionic polyelectrolyte is preferably a high charge density, high molecular weight acrylic acid/acrylamide copolymer or a high charge density high molecular weight terpolymer of acrylic acid/methacrylic acid/ethylacrylate. The cationic polyelectrolyte is preferably a high molecular weight, low charge density dimethylamino methylmethacrylate methyl chloride quaternary ammonium salt/acrylamide copolymer, an N,N dimethyl 2 hydroxy propyl imine homopolymer or low molecular weight, a diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride polymer, or ter polyepichlorohydrin dimethyl amine.

Abstract: Both waterborne and solvent enamels can be sprayed in a common paint spray booth and be detackified by a composition comprising a blend of a melamine-formaldehyde polymer, polyvinyl alcohol and a styrene acrylate copolymer. The invention also contemplates the use of these compositions in detackifying paint in paint spray booths.

Abstract: A method is provided herein for the treatment of sewage or other impure water. The method includes adding, to the sewage or other impure water in a mixing zone, all three individually but no more than two premixed together of the following: (a) an inorganic coagulant, (b) an anionic polymer, and (c) a cationic polymer, with intimate mixing of the added chemicals with the sewage or other impure water, with the proviso that (d) the inorganic coagulant, either alone or with the anionic polymer or the cationic polymer, cannot be added last; and (e) the anionic polymer and the cationic polymer cannot be intimately mixed and added together. This provides chemically-treated effluent having large, compact, firmly bonded, substantially-shear resistant and rapidly-separatable flocs therein. The flocs are separated from the liquid in a separating zone. Finally treated effluent effluent is removed from the separating zone.

Abstract: An improved method for extracting copper from copper minerals by heap leaching with dilute sulfuric acid which comprises agglomerating the copper mineral fines prior to their being formed into an heap with an agglomerating agent comprising an anionic acrylamide polymer which contains at least 5 mole percent of carboxylate or sulfonate groups and has a molecular weight of least 100,000.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for reducing the concentration of fine, residual solids still remaining suspended in clarified geothermal brine overflow from a primary brine clarification stage in which hot, flashed, silica-rich geothermal brine, containing suspended siliceous material, is gravity separated, comprises flowing the brine overflow from the primary clarification stage into a closed secondary clarifier vessel having an internal reaction well. Capacity of the secondary clarifier vessel provides a brine residence time in the vessel of between about 45 and about 150 minutes, the brine residence time in the reaction well being between about 10 and about 20 minutes. Brine in the vessel is blanketed with steam flashed from the brine to exclude air from the vessel. In the reaction well, the brine is contacted with a flocculating agent, such as a cationic, anionic, or non-ionic polyacrylamide having a molecular weight of at least about 1 million, in an amount of between about 0.

Abstract: A water clarification process wherein solids are separated by filtration through a porous septum utilizes as a filter precoat a coating of keratin-composition in the form of particles wherein at least 75 weight percent of the particles have a particle size no greater than 2.0 mm. In preferred embodiment, the material to be filtered is first treated with a combination of an organic polymeric flocculant and an organic polymer coagulant.

Abstract: Method for dewatering sewage sludge with the aid of organic polymeric flocculating agents (polyelectrolytes) made preferably by emulsion polymerization. To obtain optimum dewatering results, a substantial amount of the aqueous phase of the sludge is removed by decantation after flocculant addition prior to the dewatering treatment proper. The flocculated and thickened sludge may then be dewatered much more quickly with the dewatering behavior improved additionally by causing a reactivating flocculation to take place on the delivery side of the sludge feed pump. The Figures show a preferred embodiment of the inventive sludge dewatering system using a recessed plate press.

Abstract: An aqueous composition for conditioning an aqueous system, for example a sewage slurry, comprises an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, e.g. lime, and an anionic oligomeric polyelectrolyte, e.g. a salt of polyacrylic acid which composition has at least 40% by weight of particulate solid materials. Other components may include a weighting agent, e.g. calcium carbonate, a cationic flocculant, e.g. a polyacrylamide, and a base such as sodium hydroxide.

Abstract: An aqueous organic or inorganic suspension can be coagulated and then flocculated by flowing it past a shaped body comprising a mixture of water soluble multivalent metal coagulant and a water soluble organic polymeric flocculant in the form of substantially discrete particles. The surface of the shaped body is eroded by the flowing stream to form a solution of the coagulant in which the polymeric flocculant particles are entrained, and these subsequently dissolve into the suspension.

Abstract: A method and cleaning composition are the subject of the invention. The cleaning composition may take the form of an aqueous solution, a powder, or a concentrated powder or aqueous solution for addition to a cleaning solution. The additive includes an amine or polyacrylamide flocculant and a betaine stabilizer. When used in a detergent solution, the flocculant causes contaminates introduced into the water to precipitate and quickly settle to the bottom of the cleaning bucket. This keeps the upper part of the detergent solution clean and prevents the mop from picking up and subsequently redepositing the contaminates each time it is dipped in the bucket.

Abstract: An improved process for flocculating and clarifying colloidal coal slurries comprises contacting a coal liquor with a water-soluble, low molecular weight polymer with high anionic character; an inorganic coflocculant; and a water-soluble high molecular weight polymer with low anionic character. The low molecular weight polymer contains at least 50 mole percent nonionic monomer. The process allows coal liquor clarification to be performed using low total polymer dosages.

Abstract: Organic material, particularly organic material floating on a water surface, can be encapsulated by reacting, in the presence of the organic material, (A) a functionalized liquid polymer containing anhydride functional groups which groups are derived from an alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid anhydride and (B) an alkoxylated fatty monoamine or polyamine having from 1.5 to 15 moles of alkoxylate per mole of fatty amine. The functionalized polymer (A) may be, for example, maleinized polybutadiene and the alkoxylated fatty amine may be, for example, N,N.sup.1, N.sup.1 -tris (2-hydroxypropyl)-N-oleyl-1,3-diaminopropane. Preferably, the alkoxylated fatty amine is derived from a fatty amine having an iodine value of at least 65. The method may also be used to encapsulate a solid contaminated with organic material e.g. oil drilling cuttings.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an artificial soil, which has compound effects, and is used in a wide range, and is easy to handle, is obtained by mixing Shirasu, fine particles of fossils, pulverized organic materials and soil-aggregating agent powders, and a construction of a bed soil for a putting green having excellent drainage and water-holding property and fertilizer-holding property is obtained by forming the bed soil of an upper growth layer formed of the artificial soil formed of a mixture comprising Shirasu, fine particles of fossils, pulverized organic materials and soil-aggregating agent powders, sands and soils and a lower drainage-layer formed of sands or mainly comprising sands.

Abstract: A method of treating liquid wastes containing heavy metal chelate compounds which comprises reducing the pH of liquid wastes containing the heavey metal chelate compounds to 4 or less, adding iron polysulfate or at least one heavy metal ion selected from a source of Fe.sup.++, Fe.sup.+++, Cu.sup.++, Ni.sup.++ and Zn.sup.++ other than the iron polysulfate to form an iron chelate compound, then forming a solution containing Ca.sup.++ ions at pH 9 or more, and flocculating to precipitate thereby separating the resulting heavy metal hydroxides. The method gives a high heavy metal and COD removal rates, as well as showing good separability for flocks upon flocculating treatment.

Abstract: The present invention provides the methyl chloride and dimethyl surfate quaternary ammonium salts of 1-acryloyl-4-methyl piperazine, their homopolymers and copolymers, and water clarification processes in which is used polymers of 1-acryloyl-4-methyl piperazine.

Abstract: A paint spray booth detackifying composition which includes mixtures of styrene-acrylate polymer and a melamine-formaldehyde polymer and the method of using same.

Abstract: Separation of gypsum from phosphoric acid liquor produced during the production of phosphoric acid from finely ground phosphate rock. These aids are characterized as containing sulfonate and acrylamide.

Abstract: A method for dewatering a slurry of solid particles suspended in a liquid using a twin belt press dewatering system, comprising the following steps:feeding the slurry of solid particles into the dewatering system;feeding a cationic amine salt solution into the dewatering system at a point just prior to the mixing drum, the cationic amine salt being a latex copolymer of acrylamide and dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate sulfuric acid salt having a mole ratio in the range between about 30:70 to 70:30, preferably 53:47;mixing the cationic amine salt solution with the slurry of solid particles in the mixing drum; andfeeding the cationic amine salt solution/slurry mixture to the twin belt press, whereby the slurry of solid particles is dewatered. The cationic amine salt solution having a strength of less than 1% and a polymer concentration of about 35%.

Abstract: The clarification of a sodium aluminate liquor in the Bayer Process, especially the liquor obtained by Kelly filter filtration of the supernatant from the primary settling stage, is improved by flocculation with a polymer of the formula CH.sub.2 .dbd.C(R.sup.1)CONHR.sup.2 NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sup.2 is straight or branched chain C.sub.2-8 alkylene having at least 2 carbon atoms in the backbone and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently selected from C.sub.1-4 alkyl.

Abstract: A process for thickening gold ore slurries or slimes for gold purification which comprises adding to such gold ore slimes an effective amount of flocculant comprising a terpolymer containing 5-35 mole % 2-AMPS, 5-45 mole % sodium acrylate and 50-90 mole % acrylamide, said terpolymer having an RSV of at least 20.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a coagulant for minute mineral particles in suspension, comprising a copolymer of 0.5 to 10 mol % of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid or a salt thereof, 40 to 99.5 mol % of N-hydroxymethylacrylamide and 0 to 59.5 mol % of acrylamide and showing a reduced viscosity of 10 to 30 dl/g in an aqueous 1N solution of sodium chloride at a temperature of 25.degree. C. and a concentration of the copolymer of 0.1 g/dl therein, and a method for coagulating the minute mineral particles in a suspension, comprising adding the coagulant a neutral waste water.

Abstract: The suspended solids content of Bayer process streams is reduced by contacting said stream with a polymer which contains hydroxamic acid groups.

Abstract: A cross linked high molecular weight polymer formed from a water soluble monomer or blend of monomers and which has IV and/or solubility and/or rheology properties indicating that it would be unsuitable for use as a flocculant can be used as a flocculant after shearing the polymeric material. The shearing may be applied to the polymeric material before addition to the suspension that is to be flocculated or can be applied to the suspensionthat is being flocculated. The shearing increases the intrinsic viscosity of the polymeric material and can improve its rheology and solubility. The polymeric material must be of high molecular weight.

Abstract: Heavy metals are removed from effluent waters using the sequential steps comprising:A. Adding a surfactant;B. pH adjustment;C. Adding a cationic coagulant;D. Adding a flocculant; and,E. Recovering the floc formed by the flocculant.

Abstract: A method of conditioning sludge formed in paint spray booths, where the detackifier is a melamine-formaldehyde, polyvinyl alcohol and styrene-acrylate paint detackier by adding a water conditioner that includes acrylamide/dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate methylsulfate quat.

Abstract: Aqueous mineral slurries containing 10% by weight or more of finely divided mineral solids are flocculated prior to dewatering and/or thickening to obtain improved throughput and/or to reduce moisture in the dewatered product, by treating the slurries with polymers comprising at least about 1% by weight 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propyl sulfonic acid copolymerized with acrylamide and/or other suitable water-soluble monomers. The polymers must have a Brookfield viscosity of at least 7000 cps at 7.5% concentration in water. Flocculation of the mineral slurries with these polymers also provides improved re-dispersibility of the dewatered mineral in the filter cake. During redispersion, additional dry mineral may be added to obtain a final solids content as high as 70% or more. The Brookfield viscosity of the final high solids slurry comprising a significant portion of filter cake treated with the flocculants of this invention is not detrimentally affected.

Abstract: A method of breaking an oil-in-water emulsion which comprises the steps of treating said oil-in-water emulsion with at least a de-emulsifying amount of a water dispersible terpolymer formed by polymerization from an acrylamide monomer, a water soluble cationic monomer and a water insoluble, hydrophobic monomer, and separating the formed water phase from the formed phase of terpolymer and the oil.

Abstract: Oil is dehydrated and/or desalted by the influence of a dewatering and desalting formulation which can be characterized as an admixture of (i) a demulsifier preferably an alkylene oxide alkyl phenol-formaldehyde condensate such as a poly ethoxylated nonylphenolformaldehyde condensate and (ii) a deoiler which is usefully a polyol such as ethylene glycol or poly (ethylene glycol) of Mw ranging from 106 to 44,000 and preferably ethylene glycol.The aqueous formulation may usefully contain a cosolvent such as isopropanol.

Abstract: The invention provides partial esters of a polymer containing maleic anhydride or maleic acid radicals and an alkoxylated alcohol, an alkoxylated alkyl phenol or a polyalkylene glycol.The products are useful as demulsifiers for water-in-oil emulsions.

Abstract: The present invention teaches an improved process for clean-up of waste waters containing organic contaminants. In addition, the process is useful for breaking or resolving oil-in-water emulsions, such as those produced during oil recovery operations. Both the extent of clean-up based on residual oil left in the waste water and the efficiency of clean-up based on the treat rate of additive have been found to be significantly improved using the novel process of this invention. The novel process involves the use of a low level of a water dispersible terpolymer consisting of acrylamide, acrylic acid or its salts, and alkylacrylamide or alkylacrylate or alkylmethacrylate; or copolymers consisting of acrylamide and alkylacrylamide or alkylacrylate or alkylmethacrylate alone or in combination with a cationic species used to control the charge, usually negative charge reduction to near neutral, of the oil or organic contamination droplets in the emulsion being treated.

Abstract: A process for reducing the concentration of fine, residual solids still remaining suspended in clarified geothermal brine overflow from a primary brine clarification stage in which hot, flashed, silica-rich geothermal brine, containing suspended silicious material, is gravity separated, comprises flowing the brine overflow from the primary clarification stage into a closed secondary clarifier vessel having an internal reaction well. Capacity of the secondary clarifier vessel provides a brine residence time in the vessel of between about 45 and about 150 minutes, the brine residence time in the reaction well being between about 10 and about 20 minutes. Brine in the vessel is blanketed with steam flashed from the brine to exclude air from the vessel. In the reaction well, the brine is contacted with a flocculating agent, preferably a cationic polyacrylamide having a molecular weight of at least about 1 million, in an amount of between about 0.25 and about 2 parts per million.

Abstract: A process for the decolorization of alkaline pulp such as that derived from paper waste water wherein the waste water is contacted with a strong mineral acid, contacted with a coagulated agent and then the solid coagulum is separated and neutralized to liquify the color bodies in concentrated form.

Abstract: Polymers having recurring units derived from monomers of formula ICH.sub.2 .dbd.C(R.sup.1) CONHR.sup.2 NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 Iwherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sup.2 is straight or branched chain C.sub.2-8 alkylene having at least 2 carbon atoms in the backbone and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently selected from C.sub.1-4 alkyl, most preferably quaternized dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide polymers, for instance copolymerized with acrylamide, are used as flocculating agents in processes where the polymer is present during part at least of the process in solution in the presence of free chlorine.

Abstract: When flocculating an aqueous suspension of suspended solids using a high molecular weight synthetic polymeric flocculant, the shear stability of the flocs is increased if the polymeric material includes polymeric particles of below 10 .mu.m dry size. The flocculated solids can therefore be subjected to shear without increasing the amount of discrete suspended solids in the aqueous medium and generally they are subjected to shear by shearing the aqueous medium containing them, either before dewatering, generally on a centrifuge, piston press or belt press, or by continuously agitating them, for instance in a chemical reaction medium. The polymeric material is generally formed by mixing into water polymeric particles made by reverse phase or emulsion polymerization in the presence of added cross linking agent. Alternatively, particles insolubilized by insoluble monomer may be used. A reverse phase dispersion of water soluble polymer may be used if the particles remain undissolved, e.g.

Abstract: A method of removing impurities from water which comprises treating these impurity-containing waters with a few parts per million of a water-soluble polymer containing a major portion of Diallyldimethyl Ammonium Chloride and ether.A. from 5 to 25 mole percent of either acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, or,B. from 5 to 25 mole percent of either acrylic acid or methacrylic acid and from 1-10 percent of a hydroxy C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkyl acrylate or methacrylate:which polymer is characterized as having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.5.

Abstract: Polymers containing as little as 5 mole percent of 1-acryloyl-4-methyl piperazine are superior flocculants for treating raw sewage sludges and sludges obtained by biological degradation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for improving the utilization of water-soluble, high molecular weight (molecular weight above about 1,000,000) polyelectrolytes in the dewatering of aqueous suspensions. By aging a mixture of the polyelectrolyte and water for a period of at least 6 hours to form an aged solution the amount of polyelectrolyte required to effectively dewater an aqueous suspension may be reduced to as little as 50% of the amount required when an unaged solution is used.

Abstract: The flocculation performance, for instance on low pressure or other pressure filtration (such as a belt press), of a solution of a high molecular weight organic polymeric flocculant having IV above 4 is improved by subjecting the solution to degradation, preferably by mechanical shear such as through a Silverson mixer or by a fast rotating blade.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process to improve the suspended solids removal by the filter cloth used in the clarification of leached uranium ore, comprising contacting the filter cloth with an effective amount of an acrylamide polymer.

Abstract: A process of flocculating suspended solids which comprises treating such suspension with an effective amount of a flocculant comprising a water-soluble terpolymer which contains sulfonate groups and has an RSV of at least 15.

Abstract: A suspension may be flocculated using a water soluble substantially linear polymer having a single point intrinsic viscosity above 3 and that is a copolymer of two or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers including at least 0.5% by weight of monomer carrying pendant hydrophobic groups. The cationic polymers are novel. Preferred polymers are those in which the hydrophobic group is introduced as an allyl ether.

Abstract: Described herein is a process for flocculating taconite tailings which comprises (a) forming a concentrated aqueous solution from a water-soluble ter- or higher polymer water-in oil emulsion, (b) diluting said concentrated aqueous solution of ter- or higher polymer formed in step (a) with additional water, (c) mixing the diluted solution of (b) with taconite tailings under appropriate floc forming conditions and (d) allowing the suspended solids to settle to form an essentially clear aqueous supernatant.

Abstract: Particulate materials in aqueous media such as heat exchange systems are dispersed by introducing into the system a polymer blend comprising about 50 to 99% by weight of (A) a water-soluble, dissociating, low molecular weight polymer of at least one alpha, beta-monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, and about 50 to 1% by weight of (B) a water-soluble, dissociating, lower molecular weight polymer selected from (1) vinyl aromatic polymers and (2) polymers of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid. A typical polymer blend comprises, in neutralized form, (A) polyacrylic acid terminated with thioglycolic acid and (B) a polymer of sulfonated styrene and maleic anhydride.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersions of solids are readily flocculated in high brine-containing aqueous media using polymeric anionic flocculants containing from 5 to about 20 weight percent of repeating units containing a carboxyl group, e.g., sodium acrylate.