The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 06, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 05, 1999
Philip Dean Hill, Baton Rouge, LA (US);
Thomas Edwin Pruitt, Deer Park, TX (US);
Forrest Lee Sanders, Katy, TX (US);
Gilles Guerin, Eaubonne, FR;
Bruno Langlois, Sainte Genevieve des Bois, FR;
Rhodia Inc., Cranbury, NJ (US);
Abstract
A process for the preparation of an aqueous tar suspoemulsion includes the steps of mixing a mixture including (a) a viscous tar composition formed from a tar, from inorganic solids and, optionally, from water; (b) water (W); (c) a surface-active agent (SA) exhibiting a hydrophilicity/lipophilicity balance (HLB) of at least 10; and, optionally, (d) a thickening water-soluble polymer (TWP) with a molecular mass of greater than 10,000. The relative amounts of constituents (W), (SA) and, optionally, (TWP) are such that the viscosity of the (W)+(SA)+optional (TWP) mixture is preferably equal to or greater than the viscosity of the tar. An optional embodiment of the process provides for dilution of the mixture obtained with water or with an aqueous acidic solution. By virtue of providing a pumpable medium, the process is particularly advantageous for cleaning sulfuric acid tars/sludges from containers/vessels such as transportation containers, pipes, and storage tanks, without the necessity of placing personnel in intimate physical contact with the material to be removed.