Claims
- 1. An oil-sorbing filter element including a first stage, the first stage being formed of a first medium comprising a consolidated, permeable mass of a first oleophilic polymeric material.
- 2. The filter element of claim 1 wherein the consolidated mass of the first medium has a density of between about 0.2-0.8 g/cm3.
- 3. The filter element of claim 1 wherein the first oleophilic polymeric material is oil-absorbing.
- 4. The filter element of claim 3 wherein the oil-absorbing first oleophilic polymeric material is a thermoplastic elastomer.
- 5. The filter element of claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic elastomer of first oleophilic polymeric material is a styrenic mid-block copolymer.
- 6. The filter element of claim 5 wherein the styrenic mid-block copolymer of the first oleophilic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), and combinations thereof.
- 7. The filter element of claim 3 wherein the oil-absorbing first oleophilic polymeric material is a copolymer of styrene and one or more of pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butadiene, butylene, propylene, ethylene, and isoprene.
- 8. The filter element of claim 1 wherein the first oleophilic polymeric material is oil-adsorbing.
- 9. The filter element of claim 8 wherein the oil-adsorbing first oleophilic polymeric material is a polyolefin.
- 10. The filter element of claim 1 wherein the first medium further comprises an oil-sorbing filler dispersed in the consolidated mass of the first oleophilic polymeric material.
- 11. The filter element of claim 10 wherein the filler is an activated carbon.
- 12. The filter element of claim 1 wherein the first stage is formed into a generally cylindrical shape.
- 13. The filter element of claim 12 wherein the cylindrical shape of the first stage is generally annular.
- 14. The filter element of claim 1 further including a second stage adjoining the first stage.
- 15. The filter element of claim 14 wherein the second stage is formed of a second medium comprising a fill of a second oleophilic polymeric material.
- 16. The filter element of claim 15 wherein the second oleophilic polymeric material is oil-absorbing.
- 17. The filter element of claim 16 wherein the oil-absorbing second oleophilic polymeric material is a thermoplastic elastomer.
- 18. The filter element of claim 17 wherein the thermoplastic elastomer of second oleophilic polymeric material is a styrenic mid-block copolymer.
- 19. The filter element of claim 18 wherein the styrenic mid-block copolymer of the second oleophilic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), and combinations thereof.
- 20. The filter element of claim 16 wherein the oil-absorbing second oleophilic polymeric material is a copolymer of styrene and one or more of pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butadiene, butylene, propylene, ethylene, and isoprene.
- 21. The filter element of claim 15 wherein the second oleophilic polymeric material is oil-adsorbing.
- 22. The filter element of claim 21 wherein the oil-adsorbing second oleophilic polymeric material is a polyolefin.
- 23. The filter element of claim 1 wherein the first medium further comprises an oil-sorbing filler dispersed in the consolidated mass of the first oleophilic polymeric material.
- 24. The filter element of claim 10 wherein the filler is an activated carbon.
- 25. The filter element of claim 15 wherein:
the first stage is formed into a generally cylindrical shape; and the fill of the second stage radially surrounds the consolidated mass of the first stage.
- 26. The filter element of claim 15 wherein the first stage is formed into a generally cylindrical shape which radially surrounds the fill of the second stage.
- 27. A method of removing oil from a flow of an aqueous phase comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an oil-sorbing filter element including a first stage, the first stage being formed of a first medium comprising a consolidated, permeable mass of a first oleophilic polymeric material; and (b) passing the flow through the first stage of the filter element, the first medium of the first stage sorbing at least a portion of any oil in the flow.
- 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the consolidated mass of the first medium has a density of between about 0.2-0.8 g/cm3.
- 29. The method of claim 27 wherein the first oleophilic polymeric material is oil-absorbing.
- 30. The method of claim 29 wherein the oil-absorbing first oleophilic polymeric material is a thermoplastic elastomer.
- 31. The method of claim 30 wherein the thermoplastic elastomer of first oleophilic polymeric material is a styrenic mid-block copolymer.
- 32. The method of claim 31 wherein the styrenic mid-block copolymer of the first oleophilic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), and combinations thereof.
- 33. The method of claim 29 wherein the oil-absorbing first oleophilic polymeric material is a copolymer of styrene and one or more of pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butadiene, butylene, propylene, ethylene, and isoprene.
- 34. The method of claim 27 wherein the first oleophilic polymeric material is oil-adsorbing.
- 35. The method of claim 34 wherein the oil-adsorbing first oleophilic polymeric material is a polyolefin.
- 36. The method of claim 27 wherein the first medium further comprises an oil-sorbing filler dispersed in the consolidated mass of the first oleophilic polymeric material.
- 37. The method of claim 36 wherein the filler is an activated carbon.
- 38. The method of claim 27 wherein:
the first stage is formed into a generally cylindrical shape; and the flow is passed in step (b) radially through the first stage.
- 39. The method of claim 38 wherein the cylindrical shape of the first stage is generally annular.
- 40. The method of claim 27 wherein the filter element provided in step (a) further includes a second stage adjoining the first stage, the flow being passed in step (b) additionally through the second stage of the filter element, the second stage sorbing at least a portion of any oil in the flow.
- 41. The method of claim 40 wherein the second stage is formed of a second medium comprising a fill of a second oleophilic polymeric material.
- 42. The method of claim 41 wherein the second oleophilic polymeric material is oil-absorbing.
- 43. The method of claim 42 wherein the oil-absorbing second oleophilic polymeric material is a thermoplastic elastomer.
- 44. The method of claim 43 wherein the thermoplastic elastomer of second oleophilic polymeric material is a styrenic mid-block copolymer.
- 45. The method of claim 44 wherein the styrenic mid-block copolymer of the second oleophilic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), and combinations thereof.
- 46. The method of claim 42 wherein the oil-absorbing second oleophilic polymeric material is a copolymer of styrene and one or more of pentadiene, cyclopentadiene, butadiene, butylene, propylene, ethylene, and isoprene.
- 47. The method of claim 41 wherein the second oleophilic polymeric material is oil-adsorbing.
- 48. The method of claim 47 wherein the oil-adsorbing second oleophilic polymeric material is a polyolefin.
- 49. The method of claim 41 wherein the flow is passed in step (b) through the second stage of the filter element prior to being passed through the first stage.
- 50. The method of claim 41 wherein:
the first stage is formed into a generally cylindrical shape; and the fill of the second stage radially surrounds the consolidated mass of the first stage.
- 51. The method of claim 41 wherein the first stage is formed into a generally cylindrical shape which radially surrounds the fill of the second stage.
- 52. The method of claim 27 wherein the filter element provided in step (a) is received within a housing, the housing being connected in fluid communication with the flow.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/454,082; filed Mar. 11, 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60454082 |
Mar 2003 |
US |