Claims
- 1. A sorbent material effective to sorb oil or other liquid hydrocarbons from surfaces contaminated therewith by contact of said sorbent with said oil or liquid hydrocarbon, comprising substantially dry, heat-expanded reject fibers from a source selected from the group consisting of reject fibers obtained from the chemical pulping of wood according to a sulphite process, reject fibers obtained from the chemical pulping of wood according to a sulphate process, and mixtures thereof, said sorbent material possessing the capability of binding the oil or liquid hydrocarbon in a form which renders the oil- or hydrocarbon-laden sorbent essentially non-sticky.
- 2. A sorbent material according to claim 1 wherein said source of reject fibers is reject fibers obtained from the chemical pulping of wood according to a sulphite process.
- 3. A sorbent material according to claim 1 wherein said source of reject fibers is reject fibers obtained from the chemical pulping of wood according to a sulphate process.
- 4. A sorbent material according to either of claims 2 or 3 wherein said heat expansion is effected by subjecting of a moisture-containing reject fiber source to rapid heating at a temperature sufficient to expand the fibers by gasification of the moisture therein.
- 5. A sorbent material according to either of claims 2 or 3 further comprising a thin coating of waxy material on the surface thereof, applied after effecting heat-expansion.
- 6. A process for manufacturing a sorbent material effective to sorb oil or other liquid hydrocarbons from surfaces contaminated therewith by contact of said sorbent with said oil or liquid hydrocarbon, and wherein said sorbent material possesses the capability of binding the oil or liquid hydrocarbon in a form which renders the oil- or hydrocarbon-laden sorbent essentially non-sticky, said process comprising subjecting a moisture-containing reject fiber source, selected from the group consisting of reject fibers obtained from the chemical pulping of wood according to a sulphite process, reject fibers obtained from the chemical pulping of wood according to a sulphate process, and mixtures thereof, to rapid heating at a temperature sufficient to expand the fibers by gasification of the moisture therein.
- 7. A process according to claim 6 wherein said moisture-containing reject fiber source contains at least about 10% water by weight.
- 8. A process according to claim 7 wherein said rapid heating is at a temperature in the range of from about 220.degree. F. to about 1200.degree. F.
- 9. A process according to claim 8 wherein said reject fiber source contains in excess of 50% moisture by weight and wherein at least a portion of said moisture is removed by mechanical means prior to said rapid heating.
- 10. A process according to claim 6 wherein, after said rapid heating to expand the fibers, a thin coating of waxy material is applied on the surface thereof.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
7909748 |
Nov 1979 |
SEX |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is a divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 583,934, filed Feb. 27, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,156, which in turn is a continuation of Ser. No. 355,370, filed Mar. 8, 1982, now abandoned, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 285,105, filed July 14, 1981, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
2898293 |
Capell et al. |
Aug 1959 |
|
3770575 |
Ball |
Nov 1973 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
982951 |
Feb 1976 |
CAX |
94363 |
Nov 1983 |
EPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Markham et al., "Pulp Mill Reject Handling System", TAPPI, vol. 62, No. 9, Sep. 1979, pp. 59-62. |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
583934 |
Feb 1984 |
|
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
355370 |
Mar 1982 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
285105 |
Jul 1981 |
|