Patent Application
20160074791
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for treating fluids; to such systems and methods for purifying water; and, in certain particular aspects, to systems and methods for purifying water using electrical current passed through the water to kill undesirable things in the water, the current flowing via electrically conductive nanomaterial in a treatment structure though which the water flows; and in certain aspects, such systems and methods in which undesirable things are killed by the biocidal effects of silver. The present invention is directed to systems and methods for removing nanomaterial from other material which may be in the form of masses, combinations, or agglomerations of solids; fluids; fluid or gas with solids entrained therein; slurries; vapors; or gases. The removal systems are directed to removing nanomaterial from industrial material and fluid; and, in certain aspects, removing nanomaterial from fluids or bodily material, with removal of bodily material done inside a body or outside a body. In one particular aspect, nanomaterial is removed from fluids used in industry; e.g., but not limited to, fluids used in the oil and gas industry; e.g., but not limited to, drilling fluids, completions fluids, brines, injection fluids, and fluids used in fracturing operations or “fracking fluids.”
2. Description of Related Art
The present invention, in certain aspects, discloses systems and methods for treating fluids, e.g., but not limited to, water and air; such systems and methods for killing things in fluids, e.g., but not limited to, killing bacteria, viruses, algae and/or fungi; in certain aspects, such systems and methods which employ fluid movement by mechanisms or action other than, or in addition to, gravity feed; and such systems and methods in which a treatment structure through which the fluid flows has silver or silver alloy material and electrically conductive nanomaterial which, when an appropriate potential difference is applied across it, results in a current flow and in a lethal current being applied to living thing(s) in the fluid flowing through the treatment structure.
In certain embodiments of systems and methods according to the present invention, undesirable things are killed by the biocidal effects of silver. In certain particular aspects, silver is provided with electrically conductive nanomaterial; in some aspects such nanomaterial in combination with another source of silver; and in other aspects with another source or silver and/or with a solution of colloidal silver. In certain embodiments of systems and methods according to the present invention, liquids are moved by capillary action, siphonage, and/or by moving structures; while in other aspects when silver is provided by nanomaterial with silver therein or thereon (with or without silver wires, pieces, or the like) gravity fed liquid is employed.
In certain embodiments of systems and methods according to the present invention, fluid is heated by imposing an electrical current on electrically conductive nanomaterial in the liquid thereby resistively heating the nanomaterial and, in turn, heating the liquid. In one particular aspect, the liquid is heated sufficiently to kill undesirable things in the liquid. In certain aspects, the current is applied by applying a potential difference across a treatment structure according to the present invention.
Electrically conductive nanomaterial includes any known nanomaterial which can conduct electricity and which is present in treatment structures according to the present invention in sufficient amount, dispersion and concentration so that things in fluid being treated are killed by a current passing through the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial; the electrically conductive nanomaterial including, but not limited to, electrically conductive nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanoparticles, nanostructures, nanofibers, nanofabric, nanocylinders, nanographene, nanographene ribbons, transformed nanomaterials, functionalized nanomaterial, metallized nanomaterial, carbon nanomaterials, e.g., but not limited to, carbon nanotubes, and electrically conductive nanotubes including single walled nanotubes, multi-walled nanotubes, functionalized nanotubes and metallized nanotubes. Electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver is any electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver thereon and/or therein and/or combined therewith which silver acts as a silver ion donor to provide silver ions for killing undesirable things, including, but not limited to nanomaterial metallized with, coated with, or plated with silver or silver alloy(s), including, but not limited to, nanotubes with such metallization, plating, or coating and/or nanotubes with protection material that is silver added or applied as in, for example, any of the methods for protecting nanotubes with protective material disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/638,999 filed Nov. 14, 2008. The electrical conductive nanomaterial is added to and dispersed in a fluid by any suitable known means, including, but not limited to, mixing, pouring, blending, stirring, and sonication.
Silver material includes silver and silver alloys present in sufficient amounts, dispersion and concentration so that the killing effects of silver for killing certain living things are achieved; including, but not limited to, silver, silver alloys, argentium (either 93.5% minimum silver content and 96% minimum silver content, billion, silver electrum, goloid (including, but not limited to, as in U.S. Pat. No. 191,146), britannia silver, shibuichi, sterling silver, and tibetan silver, or some combination of two, three or more of these and silver and silver materials that provide a desired amount of the bioactive silver ion Ag+. The silver material can be present in any form, e.g., but not limited to, as particles, granules, wires, pieces, discs, fiber, fabric, mesh, or in solution.
The present invention provides methods for removing nanomaterial from a fluid or from a bodily material (e.g., fluid, tissue, or cells). In one aspect, the nanomaterial is introduced into a body (e.g, of a living thing, an animal, a human being) and then is located in bodily material; and then nanomaterial is removed from the material. In some aspects, the bodily material is within the body when it is removed. In certain aspects, the bodily material is removed from the body and the nanomaterial is removed. In certain aspects, the bodily material is removed from the body, the nanomaterial is removed, and then the bodily material is returned to the body. In certain aspects, the method is an autologous method in which the bodily material is fluid, the fluid is removed from the body and treated to remove nanomaterial, and the fluid is returned to the body; and, in one aspect, this is done continuously.
In certain aspects, the nanomaterial is introduced into the body or into bodily material intentionally and is then removed. In certain aspects, the nanomaterial is unintentionally introduced into the bodily material or into the body and is then removed. Bodily material can include plasma, blood, blood, urine, feces, bile, lung fluid, mucous, spinal fluid, bone, fluid in a brain, and/or saliva.
Removal of nanomaterial from a bodily material, according to the present invention, can be done inside the body or outside the body, with or without the return of the bodily material to the body. In certain aspects, a thing (thing, apparatus, device, system, equipment) that effects nanomaterial removal is placed within a body in, near, or on bodily material which has nanomaterial therein or thereon; nanomaterial is removed from the bodily material to a location in or on the thing; and then the thing, or part of it with the nanomaterial, is removed from the body.
The removed nanomaterial may be any nanomaterial in the references referred to in the previous paragraph, in the following paragraph, and/or those disclosed in these U.S. patents and in these U.S. applications: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,820,132; 7,812,083 and 7,670,831 and U.S. Applications publication numbers 2010/0288980; 2010/0173376; 2010/0160553; 2010/0158193; 2010/0140097; 2010/0068526; 2010/0012922; 2010/0000770; 2009/0314647; 2009/0311166; 2009/006846; 2009/0001326; 2008/0233396; 2008/0145300; 2008/0044651; 2008/0020130; 2007/0236325; 2006/0135030; 2006/0093642; 2004/0202603; 2003/0012723; 2004/0028901 and 2004/0235016 (all said references incorporated fully herein for all purposes); and nanomaterial includes NanoTags and McNanos, e.g., as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 13/374,573 and 13/373,283; and nanomaterial and nanoTags and McNanos as disclosed in PCT Application PCT Int'l App. NO. PCT/US2012/000105 (all said applications U.S. and PCT incorporated fully herein for all purposes); and “nanomaterial” includes any known nanomaterial, nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanoparticles, nanostructures, nanofibers, nanofabric, nanocylinders, nanotextiles, nanographene, nanographene ribbons, transformed nanomaterials, functionalized nanomaterial, metallized nanomaterial, carbon nanomaterials, e.g., but not limited to, carbon nanotubes, and electrically conductive nanotubes including single walled nanotubes, multi-walled nanotubes, functionalized nanotubes and metallized nanotubes. nanomaterial metallized nanotubes with protection material that is silver added or applied as in, for example, any of the methods for protecting nanotubes with protective material
In certain aspects, the present invention provides a method to remove nanomaterial from a bodily material in which the nanomaterial has a tag thereon and nanomaterial removal is facilitated using the tag. Any two or more of all of the removal techniques herein may be combined. Any known tag and any known tagging method may be used, including, but not limited to, those disclosed in or referred to in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20120039790 naming Sandhu as applicant, and any tag or method disclosed in references cited in this application. Nanomaterial may be tagged inside a body or outside a body.
It is within the scope of the present invention to remove nanomaterial by any system or method disclosed herein from industrial fluids such as liquids, vapors, gases, and slurries and fluids used in the drilling, completion, maintenance, injection, and workover of geothermal wells, oil wells and gas wells and in formation fracturing methods, including, but not limited to drilling fluids, fracturing fluids, completion fluids, injection fluids, cements, lost circulation fluids, fluids with biocide, and brines. Accordingly, the present invention includes features and advantages which are believed to enable it to advance fluid treatment technology and nanomaterial removal technology. Characteristics and advantages of the present invention described above and additional features and benefits will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and referring to the accompanying drawings. What follows are some of, but not all, the objects of this invention. In addition to the specific objects stated below for at least certain preferred embodiments of the invention, there are other objects and purposes which will be readily apparent to one of skill in this art who has the benefit of this invention's teachings and disclosures. It is, therefore, an object of at least certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide: New, useful unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods for removing nanomaterial from other material; new, useful unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods for removing nanomaterial from fluids and, in certain particular aspects, for removing nanomaterial from animals, e.g., animals and/or human beings; and in certain particular aspects, for removing nanomaterial from blood, e.g., but not limited to extracorporeally and/or autologously; new, useful unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods for treating fluids to kill things in fluid such as, but not limited to, bacteria, algae, fungi and viruses using silver and/or lethal electric current flowing via electrically conductive nanomaterial; such new, useful, unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods using fluid movement by mechanisms or action other than, or in addition to, gravity feed; such new, useful unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods in which liquids are moved by capillary action, siphonage, upflow, and/or by moving structures; and new, useful unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods for treating fluids in which an electric potential difference is imposed on electrically conductive nanomaterial within a structure through which the fluid flows, so that electric current flows for killing things in the fluid; the structure, optionally, also containing silver and/or silver alloy(s); and such systems and methods in which liquid passing through structures according to the present invention is heated by the resistive heating of electrically conductive nanomaterial within a treatment structure according to the present invention; and such systems and methods in which structures according to the present invention through which fluids flow have pores with pores sizes sufficiently large that the fluid is not filtered and/or with pores sizes that are sufficiently small that the fluid is filtered; and, in certain aspects, a treatment structures is a filter elements or filter cartridge;
New, useful unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods in which treated fluids are passed through secondary structure for removing things killed within a primary structure and/or secondary structure for removing nanomaterial from treated fluid (either of which can be true for any base material disclosed herein).
Such new, useful, unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods in which nanomaterials are removed from treated fluids and, in one aspect, nanomaterials are used which have or which are combined with magnetic material (magnetically attractive and/or magnetically susceptible) so that magnet(s) and/or magnet apparatus are used for removing the nanomaterials from treated fluid.
Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual feature disclosed here, but include combinations of them distinguished from the prior art in their structures, functions, and/or results achieved. Features of the invention have been broadly described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order that the contributions of this invention to the arts may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects of the invention described below and which may be included in the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this invention, its teachings, and suggestions will appreciate that the conceptions of this disclosure may be used as a creative basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out and practicing the present invention. The claims of this invention are to be read to include any legally equivalent devices or methods which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The present invention recognizes and addresses the long-felt needs and provides a solution to problems and a satisfactory meeting of those needs in its various possible embodiments and equivalents thereof. To one of skill in this art who has the benefits of this invention's realizations, teachings, disclosures, and suggestions, other purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of certain preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detail in these descriptions is not intended to thwart this patent's object to claim this invention no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form, changes, or additions of further improvements.
It will be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention may include one, some, or all of the disclosed, described, and/or enumerated improvements and/or technical advantages and/or elements in claims to this invention.
A more particular description of embodiments of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by references to the embodiments which are shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification.
These drawings illustrate embodiments preferred at the time of filing for this patent and are not to be used to improperly limit the scope of the invention which may have other equally effective or legally equivalent embodiments.
Certain embodiments of the invention are shown in above-identified figures and described in detail below. Various aspects and features of embodiments of the invention are described below. Any combination of aspects and/or features described below can be used except where such aspects and/or features are mutually exclusive. It should be understood that the appended drawings and description herein are of certain embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In showing and describing these embodiments, like or identical reference numerals are used to identify common or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness. As used herein and throughout all the various portions (and headings) of this patent, the terms “invention”, “present invention” and variations thereof mean one or more embodiments, and are not intended to mean the claimed invention of any particular embodiment. Accordingly, the subject or topic of each such reference is not automatically or necessarily part of, or required by, any particular embodiment. So long as they are not mutually exclusive or contradictory any aspect or feature or combination of aspects or features of any embodiment disclosed herein may be used in any other embodiment disclosed herein.
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, treatment structures according to the present invention in embodiments described below have base material electrically conductive nanomaterial and, optionally, silver or silver material. Current flowing in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial kills living thing(s) in fluid flowing through the treatment structure and, when present, silver ions contributed by the silver material also act to kill the living thing(s). The present invention provides methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material in a base material, the fluid, optionally, containing silver material, the treatment structure, optionally, containing silver material other than silver in or on nanomaterial, the methods including flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, and killing undesirable things in the treatment structure. Such methods may have one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: wherein the fluid is water; wherein the fluid passes through the treatment structure by the force of gravity; wherein the fluid passes through the treatment structure by siphoning; wherein the fluid passes through the treatment structure by pumping; wherein the treatment structure is moved through the fluid so that the treatment structure takes in fluid and said fluid passes through the treatment structure for treating thereby; wherein electric current flows through substantially all of the treatment structure; wherein electric current flows through a portion of the treatment structure; wherein the treatment structure contains base material and the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material is in the base material; wherein the base material is one of nylon, plastic, fibers, granular media, fabric, fibril materials, filamentous materials, inorganic or organic materials, biological organism selective materials, natural or synthetic materials, cotton, wool, polyester, fiber glass, metal, woven or nonwoven, air laid web material, sheets of material, interleaved sheets, material with pores or openings or pore sizes such that it does not filter fluid or material with pores or openings or pore sizes of such dimensions that fluid is filtered, material containing silver and/or silver material; wherein the nanomaterial is one of nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanoparticles, nanostructures, nanofibers, nanofabric, nanocylinders, nanographene, nanohorns, nanographene ribbons, transformed nanomaterials, functionalized nanomaterial, metallized nanomaterial, carbon nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes, single walled nanotubes, multi-walled nanotubes, functionalized nanotubes and metallized nanotubes; flowing treated fluid from the treatment structure; wherein the treated fluid contains dead things killed in the treatment structure, the method further including removing dead things from the treated fluid; wherein the treated fluid contains nanomaterial, the method further including removing nanomaterial from the treated fluid; wherein the removed nanomaterial contains magnetically attractive material, the method further including removing the nanomaterial containing magnetically attractive susceptible) material with magnet apparatus; wherein the magnet apparatus is one of magnet, at least one magnet, a plurality of magnets, an electromagnet apparatus, at least one electromagnet apparatus, and a plurality of electromagnet apparatuses; wherein magnet apparatus is within the treatment structure, adjacent the treatment structure, within a member through which the treated fluid passes, or within a container containing the treated fluid; wherein the electric current heats fluid in the treatment structure; wherein the electric current boils fluid in the treatment structure; and/or wherein the electric current heats fluid in the treatment structure thereby killing living things in the fluid.
The present invention provides methods for treating a fluid which include: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material, flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, killing undesirable things in the treatment structure producing treated fluid, flowing the treated fluid back to the treatment structure, passing the treated fluid through the treatment structure, flowing an electric current in the treated fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure. The present invention provides methods for treating a fluid which include: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material, flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, and killing undesirable things in the treatment structure, wherein the fluid is moved through the treatment structure by siphoning or by pumping or wherein the treatment structure is moved through the fluid. In such a method the electrically conductive nanomaterial may include electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver.
The present invention provides methods for treating a fluid which include: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material, flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, the electric current passing through only a portion of the treatment structure, killing undesirable things in the treatment structure. In such a method, the electrically conductive nanomaterial may include electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material.
The present invention provides methods for treating a fluid which include: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material, flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, killing undesirable things in the treatment structure, flowing treated fluid from the treatment structure, and removing dead things from the treated fluid. In such a method, the electrically conductive nanomaterial may include electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material. The present invention provides methods for treating a fluid which include: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material, flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, killing undesirable things in the treatment structure, removing nanomaterial from the treated fluid. In such a method, the electrically conductive nanomaterial may include electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material; and, optionally, the removed nanomaterial contains magnetically attractive material, the method further including removing the nanomaterial containing magnetically attractive material with magnet apparatus. In such a method, the magnet apparatus may be one of magnet, at least one magnet, a plurality of magnets, an electromagnet apparatus, at least one electromagnet apparatus, and a plurality of electromagnet apparatuses and/or the magnet apparatus may be within the treatment structure, adjacent the treatment structure, within a member through which the treated fluid passes, or within a container containing the treated fluid.
The present invention provides methods for treating a fluid which include: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material, flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, killing undesirable things in the treatment structure, wherein the electric current heats the electrically conductive nanomaterial which heats fluid in the treatment structure. Such a method may include one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: wherein the electric current boils fluid in the treatment structure; wherein the electric current heats fluid in the treatment structure thereby killing living things in the fluid; and/or wherein the electrically conductive nanomaterial includes electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material. The present invention provides methods for treating a fluid which include: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial material to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, killing undesirable things in the treatment structure producing treated fluid, flowing the treated fluid back to the treatment structure, passing the treated fluid through the treatment structure, flowing an electric current in the treated fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure. In such a method, the electrically conductive nanomaterial may include electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material.
The present invention provides treatment structures for fluids which include therein electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material. Optionally, such a structure includes a power source for applying current to the nanomaterial to kill things in the fluid, e.g., but not limited to, a battery or a solar power source. In any system herein, a power source may be located as desired, including, but not limited to, location outside of nanomaterial, adjacent nanomaterial, in or adjacent base material used with nanomaterial, in or adjacent filter material used with nanomaterial, within nanomaterial, on or adjacent a container or housing for a treatment structure, and/or on or within a filter cartridge with nanomaterial therein.
The structure 183 (enlarged in
It is within the scope of the present invention to delete the silver material SM (e.g., to delete the silver material SM from any of the embodiments of
In certain particular aspects, the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver is metallized nanotubes including silver or silver material; functionalized nanotubes with silver; coated nanotubes coated with silver or silver material; electrically conductive nanotubes with protective material that is silver or silver material, including, but not limited to, carbon nanotubes protected with silver or silver material which is added, applied or included as protective material is combined with nanotubes as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/738,999 filed Nov. 14, 2008 (incorporated fully herein for all purposes), whether or not such application teaches the use of silver or silver material as a protective material and including, but not limited to, mixing nanotubes with silver or silver material, comminuting nanotubes with silver or silver material, grinding nanotubes with silver or silver material, pulverizing nanotubes with silver or silver material, combining nanotubes with silver or silver material or blending nanotubes with silver or silver material; or plated nanotubes plated with silver or silver material. It is also within the scope of this invention to delete the silver wires AgNws from the system of
is true for any embodiment of the present invention and for any treatment structure according to the present invention, the power source V may be any suitable known apparatus, device, or system that can impose a potential difference across the structure 23 or across part of the structure 23, including, but not limited to, conventional power source, a battery, solar power system or generator, generator, wind power system, or combination thereof. As is true for any embodiment of the present invention and for any treatment structure according to the present invention, the structure 23 may be a structure like any disclosed herein.
In one aspect, the structure 23 is like the structure S. Optionally, the structure 23 has electrically conductive nanomaterial NM (not shown to scale). A base material of the structure 23 and a base material BM of the structure 26 (as is true for any base material BM indicated in other drawing figures) may be, but is not limited to, nylon, plastic, fibers, granular media, fabric, fibril materials, filamentous materials, inorganic or organic materials, biological organism selective materials, natural or synthetic materials, e.g., including but not limited to cotton, wool, polyester, fiber glass, metal, or blends or mixtures thereof; and fabric base material can be woven or nonwoven (e.g. air laid webs), or mixtures or combinations of sheets or portions thereof or interleaved sheets thereof. The base material BM can have openings or pore sizes such that it does not filter fluid passing through a structure containing it or it can have openings or pore sizes of such dimensions that fluid flowing through a treatment structure is filtered.
The lower vessel 24 is below vessel 22. Siphoning action is maintained between a liquid 18 (e.g., water) contained in the vessel 22 and the liquid 28 that has flowed into the vessel 24. A valve 32 (in an inlet 30) opens; the liquid is introduced into vessel 22 until a liquid level 20 is close to a top of the vessel 22; then, the valve 32 closes. The liquid 18 wets the intake end 14 and enters the structure 901 at the liquid surface level 20. The liquid 18 rises through the structure 901 above the level 20 to a top portion of the structure 901. A bent portion of the structure 901 directs liquid flow downward toward the discharge end 16. Siphoning takes over once liquid flow passes the liquid level 20 on the downside portion. Treated liquid 28 exits the discharge end into the lower vessel 24. At this point, in continuous operation mode, the valve 32 and a valve 40 (in an outlet 38) may be adjusted to maintain a desired flow rate. In one aspect, in a batch operation, the valve 32 remains closed until a new batch of liquid 18 is introduced to the system. The discharge end 16 may be left suspended over the vessel 24 so that liquid 28 falls from discharge end 16 into vessel 24. The liquid level 20 and the support 12 may be adjusted so that the bent portion of the structure 901 is in contact with the surface level 20.
The structure 901, as is true for any treatment structure according to the present invention, can be sized and/or configured in many forms and may have any cross-sectional area to fit any particular application, e.g., but not limited to, circular crosssection, cylindrically shaped, square shaped, or rectangularly shaped. Also, as is true for any treatment structure according to the present invention, the base material be made of a combination or composite of two, three or several materials having different characteristics to fit any particular application.
Optionally, as shown in
The temperature control may take a variety of forms. It is shown as one which heats or cools, but it could take other forms such as heating and cooling coils surrounding a housing. Additionally, the pressure, temperature and composition of a gas in the enclosure may be controlled by a plurality of individual controls, or by a single control apparatus. Although the ends 44 and 46 of the enclosure 42 are shown immersed in the liquids 18 and 26, this is only to provide a seal for the inner atmosphere 52. The enclosure is not intended to work as a siphon. In one aspect, the liquid does not flow through the inner space occupied by the atmosphere 52, but only through the structure 901. The enclosure 42 may take a variety of forms, and it may also completely enclose vessels 22 and 24. A separate container (shown by a rectangle in dotted lines) may be used to enclose both vessels 22 and 24 and the enclosure 42.
A power source V (shown schematically; like any power source disclosed herein) imposes a potential difference on the structure 901 (on substantially all of it or on a part or parts of it) so that, via the electrically conductive nanomaterial NM, a lethal current flows killing living thing(s) that pass through the structure 901.
Power sources V (shown schematically; like any power source disclosed herein) impose a potential difference on their respective treatment structures 108, 110 (on substantially all of or on a part or parts of the treatment structure) so that, via the electrically conductive nanomaterial therein, a lethal current flows killing living thing(s) that pass through the structure.
As shown in
As shown in
Optionally, and as may be included with any treatment structure according to the present invention, a battery system BA connected to the structure 131 imposes a potential difference on substantially all or part of or parts of the structure 131; and/or optionally, and as may be included with any treatment structure according to the present invention, a solar power system SP connected to the structure 131 with a solar cell (or cells) SC imposes a potential difference on substantially all or part of or parts of the structure 131. Any power system used with the system 130 (or with any system according to the present invention), may supply sufficient power to heat the treatment structure, to heat fluid passing therethrough, to boil fluid therein, to boil water therein, and/or to kill undesirable things in fluid passing through the treatment structure.
A moving apparatus MA with rollers RL moves the treatment structure 141 through liquid LQ in a container 142 and then this liquid passes through part of the structure 141 and, as the structure 141 moves as indicated by the arrows therein, the treated liquid flows from the structure 141 into a container 143 from which it can be evacuated via an outlet 144. Optionally a system 145 with piping 146 and a pump 147 provides fluid (e.g., gas and/or liquid) that is pumped through the structure 141 for further treatment of fluid passing through the structure 141. The structure 141 moves through appropriate openings 147 in the piping 146. The fluid supplied by the system 145 may be any known fluid provided in known treatment and/or filtration systems.
It is within the scope of the present invention to include with any system according to the present invention and/or with any treatment structure according to the present invention an apparatus 172, an apparatus 173 and/or both such apparatuses. It is also within the scope of the present invention to recycle fluid from any step shown in
It is within the scope of the present invention to pump fluid to a treatment structure according to the present invention, e.g., as shown in
The optional apparatus 172 may be any suitable known apparatus, machine, device or method for removing the dead things from the liquid; including, but not limited to, filters, porous membranes, centrifuges, skimmers, precipitation-based apparatuses and methods, density-differential separation systems and/or structures, and bottom sweepers; and may also include systems and methods for separating treated water from other things, e.g. distillation and condensation systems and methods which result in the fluid, e.g. water, being separated from the dead things. The optional apparatus 173 may be any suitable known apparatus, machine, device or method for removing nanomaterial from liquid. The apparatus 173 may be or may employ the separation principles disclosed in any reference referred to herein, including, but not limited to, the following United States references, all fully incorporated herein, for all purposes and in the references cited in these references: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,250,188; 7,815,806; 7,074,310; 7,727,505; 7,074,310; 7,514,063; and in U.S. Applications with publication numbers 2004/0232073; 2006/0054555; 2006/0062718; 2008/0290007; 2008/0260616; 2008/0063587; 2007/0269364; and 2007/0258880.
The electrically conductive nanomaterial used in embodiments of the present invention may be any electrically conductive nanomaterial in the references referred to in the previous paragraph and those disclosed in these U.S. patents and in these U.S. applications: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,820,132; 7,812,083 and 7,670,831 and U.S. Applications publication numbers 2010/0288980; 2010/0173376; 2010/0160553; 2010/0158193; 2010/0140097; 2010/0068526; 2010/0012922; 2010/0000770; 2009/0314647; 2009/0311166; 2009/006846; 2009/0001326; 2008/0233396; 2008/0145300; 2008/0044651; 2008/0020130; 2007/0236325; 2006/0135030; 2006/0093642; 2004/0202603; 2003/0012723; 2004/0028901 and 2004/0235016 (all said references incorporated fully herein for all purposes). The silver material used in methods according to the present invention (e.g. the silver material SM in some drawings) may be any thing with silver disclosed in the references referred to in this paragraph or in the previous paragraph and/or in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,820,292; 6,918,284; 7,355,216; and 7,820,291 and/or in U.S. Applications publication numbers 2005/0208304 and 2010/0000770 and in the references disclosed in these patents and in these published applications. Nanomaterial with silver therein, therewith, or thereon may be, but is not limited to, any nanomaterial with silver in any of the references in this paragraph or in the previous paragraph. In any embodiment herein, silver may be provided by connectors, wires, or leads used with an electrical power source, with the connectors, etc. in and/or exposed to liquid to be treated.
In one aspect, the nanomaterial has magnetically attractive (sometimes called “susceptible”) material therein or thereon or combined therewith (e.g., in a fabric, mesh, intertwined material, material adhered together, bonded together, sintered together, connected together, tied together, or fused together as disclosed in any of the references in the previous two paragraphs) and a source of magnetism (any suitable known source) is used to attract the nanomaterial for removal from the liquid. As shown in
It is within the scope of the present invention to pass sufficient current for a sufficient time period through any electrically conductive nanomaterial in any embodiment hereof so that the fluid with the nanomaterial is heated. In one particular aspect, the heating is sufficient to kill undesirable things in the fluid. In one aspect the fluid is water and the heating is sufficient to kill undesirable things in the water, and, in one particular aspect the heating is sufficient to boil the water. Any power source disclosed herein with suitable sensors and controls may be used for this purpose. Also, for example, as shown in
Referring now to
The screen apparatus A has electrically conductive nanomaterial NM therein and/or thereon (not shown to scale), or the screen is made of such material. Optionally the system 192 includes silver material SM on the screen apparatus, in liquid in the container C, or both. A system W imposes a potential difference across the screen apparatus thereby applying a current to the nanomaterial NM which is sufficient to kill things in the fluid flowing through or into contact with the screen apparatus. Any method or system herein may use a removal apparatus W to facilitate the movement, evacuation, or removal or treated fluid, e.g. but not limited to water treated to kill living things, for a flow stream or from a container. Instead of the screen 191 or the apparatus A, any treatment structure according to the present invention can be used with the systems 190 and 192.
The material 201 has electrically conductive nanomaterial NM therein, thereon, and/or combined therewith (nanomaterial not shown to scale), optionally, silver material SM. Optionally, the nanomaterial NM is electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material. Optionally, such materials are throughout the material 201 or only in a part of or parts of it. Fluid flows through the material 201 and the fluid is treated as it flows therethrough. A power source PS (shown schematically; like any power source disclosed herein) imposes a potential difference on the material 201 on substantially all of or on a part or parts of the material so that, via the electrically conductive nanomaterial therein, a lethal current flows killing living thing(s) that pass through the material 201.
Optionally, the material 201 contains silver material SM which may be any silver material disclosed herein. Optionally, the material 202, the screens 208a and 208b, and/or the apparatus 203 may have nanomaterial NM and/or silver material SM as described for the material 201.
A power source PR (like any disclosed herein) imposes a potential difference across the material 201. Optionally, the material 202 may also have its own dedicated power source like the power source PR. Optionally, the screen 208A and/or the screen 208b may also have its own dedicated power source like the power source PR. Optionally the apparatus 203 is like the electrical conductive means disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,425 (incorporated fully herein for all purposes).
The filter cartridge 215 has filter material 216 (which is any known suitable filter material for filtering a fluid, e.g., a gas, a liquid, or a combination thereof). Fluid flows through the filter material 216 which filters out things of a desired size and then filtered fluid flows into an interior 215a from which it flows to the filter cartridge outlet 219. Optionally, the filter material fills the filter cartridge. The housing 211, inlet 213, outlet 214, outlet 219, and the general overall shape of the filter cartridge 215 may be any desired shape and, in one aspect, each of these is generally circular in crosssection.
The filter material 216 contains nanomaterial NM (not shown to scale) which is present in sufficient amounts and is sufficiently dispersed so that, when a potential difference is imposed thereon by a power source 217 (labeled APC@), current flows of sufficient power to kill live things in fluid being filtered. The nanomaterial NM may be any electrically conductive nanomaterial disclosed herein. Optionally the filter material 216 also has silver material SM therein (not shown to scale) which may be any silver or silver material disclosed herein. In one aspect, such a filter system is provided in which the nanomaterial is not used. Optionally, silver material SM is provided in the fluid flowing into the housing by a system 218 (e.g., but not limited to, a silver solution, e.g, but not limited to, a colloidal silver solution). Any system herein according to the present invention may have a system like the system 218 for providing silver for a fluid in a container or injection into a treatment structure.
The power source 217 may be located as indicated in
The present invention, therefore, provides, in at least certain embodiments, a treatment structure or apparatus, and/or a method for treating a fluid, the method using the treatment structure and including: passing fluid (e.g., gas, water, or a mixture thereof) through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure; and killing undesirable things in the fluid. Such a method may include one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: wherein the fluid is water; wherein the fluid passes through the treatment structure by the force of gravity; wherein the fluid passes through the treatment structure by siphoning, pumping, and/or upflow; wherein the treatment structure is moved through the fluid so that the treatment structure takes in fluid and said fluid passes through the treatment structure for treating thereby; wherein electric current flows through substantially all of the treatment structure; wherein electric current flows through a portion of the treatment structure; wherein the treatment structure contains base material and the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material is in the base material; wherein the base material is one of nylon, plastic, fibers, granular media, fabric, fibril materials, filamentous materials, Kevlar, ballistic material, inorganic or organic materials, biological organism selective materials, natural or synthetic materials, cotton, wool, polyester, fiber glass, metal, woven or nonwoven, air laid web material, sheets of material, interleaved sheets, material with pores or openings or pore sizes such that it does not filter fluid or material with pores or openings or pore sizes of such dimensions that fluid is filtered, material containing silver and/or silver material; wherein the base material contains silver and/or silver material; wherein the nanomaterial is one of nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanoparticles, nanostructures, nanofibers, nanofabric, nanocylinders, nanographene, nanographene ribbons, transformed nanomaterials, functionalized nanomaterial, metallized nanomaterial, carbon nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes, single walled nanotubes, multi-walled nanotubes, functionalized nanotubes and metallized nanotubes; flowing treated fluid from the treatment structure; wherein the treated fluid contains dead things killed in the treatment structure, the method further including removing dead things from the treated fluid; wherein the treated fluid contains nanomaterial, the method further including removing nanomaterial from the treated fluid; wherein the removed nanomaterial contains magnetically attractive material, the method further including removing the nanomaterial containing magnetically attractive material with one of at least one magnet, a plurality of magnets, at least one magnet apparatus, and a plurality of magnet apparatuses; wherein the magnet apparatus is one of an electromagnet apparatus, at least one electromagnet apparatus, and a plurality of electromagnet apparatuses; wherein magnet apparatus is within the treatment structure, adjacent the treatment structure, within a member through which the treated fluid passes, or within a container containing the treated fluid; wherein the electric current heats fluid in the treatment structure; wherein the electric current boils fluid in the treatment structure; wherein the electric current heats fluid in the treatment structure thereby killing living things in the fluid; wherein a power source imposes a potential difference across the nanomaterial so that the electric current flows, the power source location being one of outside a container with the nanomaterial therein, within the nanomaterial, within base material, within filter material, adjacent nanomaterial, adjacent filter material, said power source including connectors for connection to impose the potential difference; and/or wherein the electric current is provided by a power source that is one of generator, solar power system, and battery.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the method including: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure; killing undesirable things in the treatment structure producing treated fluid; flowing the treated fluid back to the treatment structure; passing the treated fluid through the treatment structure; flowing an electric current in the treated fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure; and killing undesirable things in the treatment structure, wherein the fluid is moved through the treatment structure by siphoning or by pumping or wherein the treatment structure is moved through the fluid. Such a treatment structure and method may include the electrically conductive nanomaterial including electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure, the electric current passing through only a portion of the treatment structure; and killing undesirable things in the treatment structure. In such a method and such a structure the electrically conductive nanomaterial includes electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure; killing undesirable things in the treatment structure; flowing treated fluid from the treatment structure; and removing dead things from the treated fluid and/or removing nanomaterial from the treated fluid. In such a structure and in such a method the electrically conductive nanomaterial includes electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure; and/or killing undesirable things in the treatment structure, and/or removing nanomaterial and/or silver material from the treated fluid. Such a treatment structure and/or such a method may include one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: the electrically conductive nanomaterial includes electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material; the removed nanomaterial contains magnetically attractive material, the method further including removing the nanomaterial containing magnetically attractive material with magnet apparatus; wherein the magnet apparatus is one of magnet, at least one magnet, a plurality of magnets, an electromagnet apparatus, at least one electromagnet apparatus, and a plurality of electromagnet apparatuses; and/or the magnet apparatus is within the treatment structure, adjacent the treatment structure, within a member through which the treated fluid passes, or within a container containing the treated fluid.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial, the fluid containing silver or silver material; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure; killing undesirable things in the treatment structure; wherein the electric current heats the electrically conductive nanomaterial which heats fluid in the treatment structure. Such a structure and such a method may include one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: the electric current boils fluid in the treatment structure; the electric current heats fluid in the treatment structure thereby killing living things in the fluid; and/or the electrically conductive nanomaterial includes electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: passing fluid through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial material to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure; killing undesirable things in the treatment structure producing treated fluid; flowing the treated fluid back to the treatment structure; passing the treated fluid through the treatment structure; flowing an electric current in the treated fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure. In such a method, optionally the electrically conductive nanomaterial includes electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: a treatment structure for treating fluid, e.g., but not limited to water, air, and liquid, the treatment structure including: base material; electrically conductive nanomaterial including electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material. Such a structure may include a power source for applying current to the electrically conductive nanomaterial with silver or silver material to kill things in the fluid, e.g., but not limited to a solar power apparatus, generator, or battery and/or the structure may be a liquid filter or an air filter.
The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments treatment structures and methods for treating a fluid, the methods including: passing fluid up through a treatment structure, the fluid containing undesirable living things, the treatment structure containing electrically conductive nanomaterial; flowing an electric current in the fluid in the treatment structure via the electrically conductive nanomaterial silver to kill undesirable living things in the treatment structure; and killing undesirable things in the treatment structure. In such a method a removal apparatus may facilitate flow of fluid from the treatment structure; the removal apparatus may be one of pump and vacuum apparatus; the treatment structure may be one or two or more screen apparatuses; at least one of the treatment structure and the fluid may contain silver material; the treatment structure may be a filter; and/or a power source may impose a potential difference across the nanomaterial so that the electric current flows, the power source location being one of outside a housing containing the treatment structure therein, within material in the housing that contains the nanomaterial, and within the housing but not within the material that contains the nanomaterial.
The present invention, in certain aspects, discloses vibratory separators and shale shakers, and screen(s) used with them with killing ability to kill living things in fluids flowing to and/or from a separator or shaker. In certain aspects such a separator or shaker has a screen or screens according to the present invention suitable for use with a separator or shaker, e.g., a screen with the silver or silver material as in (but not limited to) the screens of
In certain aspects, silver, silver material, /or a silver solution (“silver etc.”) is introduced either into an initial stream fed to a separator (or shaker) or into a receiver that receives an initial stream. In another aspect, silver, etc. is fed separately to a component or components of a separator system. In one aspect in which the separator is a shale shaker, silver etc. is applied to, introduced into, or fed to one, two, or all three of: initial feed stream itself; receptacle, tank, or “possum belly” into which an initial stream is introduced; and/or directly onto screening apparatus of the shale shaker (with a screen or screens essentially all at one general level or with a screen or screens at two, three, four or more distinct levels). Optionally, killing material is added into any of these structures, streams and/or screen(s) to kill living things therein.
The present invention provides shale shaker screens with screening material, media, or mesh made, in whole or in part of silver or silver material and, optionally, with nanomaterial with silver or silver material therein or thereon.
Silver and/or silver material 278 may, optionally, be added to the stream 273, of a size that will pass through the screens, of a size that will not pass through the screens, or both. The solids Z flow off the top of the screen(s) 272 to a discharge area. Screened fluid that has passed through the screens flow away in a stream 275 (four down pointing arrows below separator 271; material 278 that may have passed through screen(s) 272 shown in dotted lines).
In one particular aspect the stream 273 is a stream of drilling fluid or mud that contains solids (e.g., and not by way of limitation debris, drilled cuttings, and/or drilled solids) which are to be screened out of the fluid by known screen(s), e.g., “shale shaker screens,” with a vibratory separator often called a “shale shaker.” The screen(s) 272 may be any known shale shaker screen, but with silver or silver material in and/or on the screening material according to the present invention, e.g., a screen like the screens in
Optionally, the screen or screens 272 of the shale shaker 271 may have nanomaterial NM therein and/or thereon (e.g., as in any filter material, media, mesh, screening material, etc. herein according to the present invention) with a power source 279 which applies a voltage across the nanomaterial. A control system 276 controls the power source 279 and can be any suitable control system disclosed herein.
In one aspect, the nanomaterial is any electrically conductive nanomaterial, including, but not limited to, those disclosed herein.
The present invention provides a membrane with carbon nanotubes embedded in a matrix. In one aspect the nanotubes are hollow allowing fluid passage therethrough and the matrix is impervious to the fluid that is to flow through the nanotubes. In one aspect the matrix is simply the material that adheres the nanotubes together (and it does not impede or prevent fluid flow) and the nanotubes act as a filter media with pores between adjacent nanotubes providing the pore size for filtration. In one aspect, the matrix is a solid polymeric matrix through which the fluid that is passable through hollow nanotubes cannot pass.
In one aspect, the carbon nanotubes are metallized nanotubes that include silver and/or silver material (any disclosed herein) and/or functionalized nanotubes that include silver or silver material SL (any silver material disclosed herein); and, optionally, in one aspect, the matrix includes silver material SM in an amount effective to kill living things in the fluid to be filtered (as is true for the amount of silver material in any embodiment herein).
In one aspect, a system V imposes a potential difference across the membrane 300 (either across the nanotubes or the matrix, or both) thereby applying a current which is sufficient to kill things in the fluid flowing through or into contact with the membrane 300 (with the current and the type and amount of nanotubes sufficient and effective to achieve the killing). Optionally the matrix 304 also contains electrically conductive material EC (as may be true for a matrix in any of
Any part or layer of the membrane 310 (and of the membranes of
In one aspect, the carbon nanotubes 313 are metallized nanotubes that include silver and/or silver material (any disclosed herein) and/or functionalized nanotubes that include silver or silver material.
In one aspect, a system V imposes a potential difference across the membrane 310 (any layer or layers) thereby applying a current to the nanotubes 313 and/or to optional nanomaterial NM (in any or all layers) which is sufficient to kill things in the fluid flowing through or into contact with the membrane 310.
The present invention provides improvements to the filtration membranes disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,993,524, improvements neither taught nor suggested by this patent and improvements which are not obvious in view of this patent. According to the present invention, silver material and/or nanomaterial are added to the nanotubes, matricies, fabrics and/or layers of the membranes of U.S. Pat. No. 7,993,524, along with, optionally, apparatus for imposing a potential difference across electrically conductive material (nanotubes or otherwise) present in such a membrane. Such membranes include, but are not limited to, membranes for filtration by size exclusion formed from open-ended nanotubes embedded in a polymeric matrix which forms a layer whose thickness is substantially less than the average length of the nanotubes, allowing the nanotubes to be randomly oriented throughout the matrix while providing channels extending through the layer for the selective passage of molecular species or particles based on size.
The present invention provides filters with a porous supporting component and a carbon nanotube filtration membrane sintered on a top surface of the porous supporting component. In one aspect, as shown schematically in
In one aspect, the carbon nanotubes 346 are metallized nanotubes that include silver and/or silver material (any disclosed herein) and/or functionalized nanotubes that include silver or silver material SL (any silver material disclosed herein); and, optionally, in one aspect, the support 342 includes silver material SM in an amount effective to kill living things in the fluid to be filtered (as is true for the amount of silver material in any embodiment herein).
In one aspect, a system V imposes a potential difference across the filter 340 (either across the nanotubes or the support, or both) thereby applying a current which is sufficient to kill things in the fluid flowing through or into contact with the membrane 340 (with the current and the type and amount of nanotubes sufficient and effective to achieve the killing). Optionally the support 340 also contains electrically conductive material EC.
The present invention provides systems with nanostructured materials including nanotubes, e.g., carbon nanotubes, e.g., but not limited to, defective carbon nanotubes, for example impregnated, functionalized, doped, charged, coated, and/or irradiated nanotubes, and combinations thereof. Certain usable defective carbon nanotubes contain a defect which is a lattice distortion in at least one carbon ring. Optionally a power source provides a potential difference across the nanostructured material to provide current to kill living things passing through the material; and/or silver material is used in the nanotubes and/or in a support for the nanotubes. The nanostructured material may be any material as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,815,806.
Such nanostructured materials according to the present invention with silver and/or silver material can be used in methods of purifying fluids, such as liquids, including water, as well as gases, including air.
In one aspect, a nanostructured material 350 according to the present invention (
In one aspect, a system V imposes a potential difference across the material 350 (either across the nanotubes or the support, or both) thereby applying a current which is sufficient to kill things in the fluid flowing through or into contact with the material 350 (with the current and the type and amount of nanotubes sufficient and effective to achieve the killing). Optionally the support 350 is made from electrically conductive material. In one aspect, the material 350 is like the material of
In one aspect, the nanotubes 362 are carbon nanotubes which are metallized nanotubes that include silver and/or silver material (any disclosed herein), and/or functionalized nanotubes, that include silver or silver material SL (any silver material disclosed herein). In one aspect, the fibers 366 include silver material SM therein or thereon in an amount effective to kill living things in the fluid to be treated (as is true for the amount of silver material in any embodiment herein).
In one aspect, a system V imposes a potential difference across the material 360 (either across the nanotubes or the fibers, or both) thereby applying a current which is sufficient to kill things in the fluid flowing through or into contact with the material 360 (with the current and the type and amount of nanotubes sufficient and effective to achieve the killing). Optionally the fibers 366 are made from electrically conductive material. In one aspect, the material and fibers are like the material and fibers of
In one aspect, a system V imposes a potential difference across the structure 370 thereby applying a current which is sufficient to kill things in the material flowing through or into contact with the structure (with the current and the type and amount of nanotubes sufficient and effective to achieve the killing). Any structure of U.S. Pat. No. 7,655,148 may be used, but with the improvements of the present invention.
The present invention provides articles for removing contaminants from a fluid, the article including carbon nanotubes in a nanomesh. In one embodiment a system 380 according to the present invention has a nanomesh 384 mounted in a housing 382. Contaminated fluid, indicated by the darker arrows, flows to and through the nanomesh 384 and purified fluid (lighter arrows) flows from the nanomesh 384 and out of the housing 382.
The nanomesh 384 is made with carbon nanotubes 386 and supporting fibers 388.
In one aspect the carbon nanotubes 386 (shown schematically as a line) are metallized nanotubes that include silver and/or silver material (any disclosed herein), and/or functionalized nanotubes, that include silver or silver material (any silver material disclosed herein). In one aspect, the fibers 388 are silver or silver material, or they have or contain silver or silver material—the various silver or silver materials for killing living things in fluid flowing through the nanomesh 384. Any suitable known fibers may be used for the fibers 388, of any suitable known material.
In one aspect, a system V imposes a potential difference across the system 380 thereby applying a current which is sufficient to kill things in the material flowing through or into contact with the system.
In the system 380, the nanomesh may be any suitable nanomesh made with any acceptable known method; including, but not limited to, any nanomesh disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,419,601 (with an improvement or improvements according to the present invention) and or with any fibers disclosed in this patent (with or without an improvement or improvements according to the present invention).
It is within the scope of the present invention to provide improvements according to the present invention to the articles for removing contaminants disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,419,601; including, but not limited to, the application of a potential difference to electrically conductive material sufficient to kill living things in flowing fluid and/or the use of nanotubes having silver material therein and/or thereon.
Optionally, the output stream 2237 of the apparatus 2236 is fed to further apparatus 2238 which is nanomaterial removal apparatus (e.g., but not limited to, separation apparatus; cyclone apparatus; centrifuge apparatus; apparatus which employs coagulation of nanomaterial, sedimentation of nanomaterial, flocculation of nanomaterial and/or aggregation of nanomaterial; apparatus for electrocoagualtion of nanomaterial, microfiltration of nanomaterial, and/or electro filtration of nanomaterial; microfluidic particle separation systems (e.g., any such known system with the improvements according to the present invention and/or any known microfluidic method used according to the present invention, including, but not limited to those in U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,044 and in the references cited in this patent), apparatus for magnetic seeding of nanomaterial; apparatus for membrane filtration of nanomaterial—and any system herein or module herein shown schematically can be any of these or employ the techniques of any of these). The magnet(s) and/or apparatuses 236 may be located in the stream flowing through the apparatus 234 or adjacent to the stream.
In one particular aspect, the pump 2232 pumps water or blood from a source (including, but not limited to a container, a filtration system, a transfusion apparatus, an animal or human being) and then pumps the treated blood back to the source with nanomaterial removed therefrom. The optional apparatus 238 may be used with any system or method according to the present invention. It is also within the scope of the present invention to use an apparatus 2238 ahead of the apparatus 234 so that the apparatus 2238 removes nanomaterial before the stream 2231 is processed by the apparatus 2234.
Optionally, a pump apparatus 2249, e.g. like any pump or pump apparatus referred to herein, pumps the blood from the animal to the and through the apparatus 2242. Optionally, the system 2240 includes an apparatus 238a, like the apparatus 238,
In one aspect, the apparatus 2242 is eliminated or bypassed and the apparatus 2238a, the apparatus 2238b, or both of them are used, whether or not the nanomaterial to be removed has magnetically attractive material therein or thereon. Optionally, additional nanomaterial removal apparatuses AP and/or AT are used (which may be any system disclosed herein according to the present invention and/or which use any method disclosed herein according to the present invention).
In certain aspects, the present invention provides a method to remove nanomaterial from a fluid or from a bodily material in which the nanomaterial has a tag thereon and nanomaterial removal is facilitated using the tag. As one option, the tag may contain a ferromagnetic material and the removing may include applying a magnetic field. As another option, the tag may contain an ionic material and the removing may include applying an electric field. As a further option, the tag may contain an atom having an atomic mass greater than the atomic mass of another element, e.g., but not limited to, carbon, and the removing may include applying a centrifugal force to separate the nanomaterial. Any two or more of all of the removal techniques herein may be combined. Any known tag and any known tagging method may be used, including, but not limited to, those disclosed in or referred to in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20120039790 naming Sandhu as applicant, and any tag or method disclosed in references cited in this application. Nanomaterial may be tagged inside a body or outside a body, inside a fluid or outside a fluid.
The module 862 may be a system that removes nanomaterial—either any known system or any system according to the present invention; including, but not limited to, any of the systems herein, and a centrifugal nanomaterial removal system. In one particular aspect, the bodily material removed from the body B is blood and/or plasma. In another aspect, the bodily material removed from the body B is urine. In another aspect, the bodily material is feces. In another aspect, the bodily material is bile. In another aspect, the bodily material is lung fluid and/or mucous. In another aspect, the bodily material is saliva.
Optionally, the bodily material with the or some nanomaterial removed flows back into the body B (as shown); or, as indicated by arrow R, the bodily material with nanomaterial removed is evacuated from the body B. Optionally, the module 66 is removed from the body B with the nanomaterial NT therein (illustrated by the module 66 shown apart from the body B).
Optionally, the module 866 has a collection structure 868 which collects removed nanomaterial NT. Optionally, the collection structure 868 may be removed from the module 866 and from the body B (illustrated by the collection structure 868 shown apart from the body B).
The module 864 may be a system that removes nanomaterial—either any known system or any system according to the present invention, including, but not limited to, any of the systems herein, and a centrifugal nanomaterial removal system.
In one particular aspect, the bodily material removed from the body B is blood and/or plasma. In another aspect, the bodily material removed from the body B is urine. In another aspect, the bodily material is feces. In another aspect, the bodily material is bile. In another aspect, the bodily material is lung fluid and/or mucous. In another aspect, the bodily material is saliva.
In
A flow 852 of material 862 containing nanomaterial 848 (and, if present, nanomaterial 850) enters separation device 880 through a duct 842. A magnetic field B applied to flow 852 moves nanomaterial away from the remainder of the material. A flow 854 containing nanomaterial enters a duct 844 while a flow of the remaining material enters a duct 846.
A flow 854 may contain some or all of nanomaterial 850, e.g., if the nanomaterial 850 includes ferromagnetically tagged nanomaterial or nanotubes.
Instead of a material containing the nanomaterial flowing through a duct,
A flow 822 of nanomaterial 818 and, if present, tagged nanotubes 820 in material 832 enters a duct 812. An electric field E is applied to flow 822, moving nanomaterial 818 and, if present, tagged nanotubes 820 away from the remainder of the material (flow 826) such that a flow 824 enters a duct 814 and contains nanomaterial 818 and/or tagged nanotubes 820. The flow 826 enters a duct 816. Thus, separation occurs within a separation device 30.
The material 832, in one particular aspect, is blood. In another aspect, it is urine. In another aspect, it is feces. In another aspect, it is bile. In another aspect, it is lung fluid and/or mucus. In another aspect, it is saliva.
The material 882, in one particular aspect, is blood. In another aspect, it is urine. In another aspect, it is feces. In another aspect, it is bile. In another aspect, it is lung fluid and/or mucus. In another aspect, it is saliva.
In one removal technique for removing nanomaterial, a centrifugal force is applied to nanomaterial in a fluid or in a bodily fluid. A variety of centrifuges are known, from familiar laboratory centrifuges to ultra-high efficiency centrifuges, which are used to separate materials and/or elemental isotopes by a specific gravity difference. Nanomaterial with different atomic mass from other material and/or tagged nanotubes tagged using atoms having an atomic mass greater than the atomic mass of other material, e.g., but not limited to, carbon may change the nanomaterial's specific gravity compared to other material and/or to untagged nanotubes, allowing separation by applying a centrifugal force, such as in a centrifuge.
In the case of nanomaterial with, made of or formed from carbon, a nanomaterial may be tagged with a tag that contains an atom having an atomic mass greater than the atomic mass of carbon. Thus, the tagged nanomaterial may exhibit a specific gravity different from that of the other substances or elements in a bodily material. Applying a centrifugal force may consequently move the tagged nanomaterial away from the untagged material.
In a centrifuge, a separated fraction with tagged nanomaterial may be removed from the centrifuge, leaving behind the other fraction(s). Conventional centrifuges represent suitable devices for applying a centrifugal force. However, it is conceivable that other devices may be suitable.
It is within the scope of the present invention, as shown by the dotted-line arrows in
Each of the systems A, B, C may be any system disclosed herein for separating nanomaterial from other material. The material that is processed through the systems A, B, and C may be any material disclosed herein, including, but not limited to, bodily fluids and industrial fluids (including, but not limited to, any fluid used in the oil and gas industries). Any one or two of the system A, B, and C may be deleted.
The present invention provides, in at least certain aspects, a method for removing nanomaterial from a fluid or from bodily material, the method including: applying a tag to or depositing a tag on nanomaterial producing tagged nanomaterial; and removing the tagged nanomaterial from the fluid or from the bodily material by using the tag. Such a method may include one or some—in any possible combination—of the following: wherein the tag is applied to or deposited on the nanomaterial by any method disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20120039790 published Feb. 16, 2012; wherein the tag is any tag disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20120039790 published Feb. 16, 2012; wherein the tag is a ferromagnetic material and the removing comprises applying a magnetic field; wherein the tag is an ionic material and the removing comprises applying an electric field; providing an ionic material on the tagged nanomaterial, wherein the removing is applying an electric field; severing a portion of the tag, leaving an ionic material on the tagged nanomaterial, wherein the removing is applying an electric field; wherein a portion of the tag dissociates into a solvent, leaving an ionic material on the tagged nanomaterial, and the removing is applying an electric field; wherein the removing is electroplating; wherein the nanomaterial includes carbon nanotubes, the tag is an atom having an atomic mass greater than the atomic mass of carbon, and the removing is applying a centrifugal force to the bodily material; wherein the nanomaterial is one of nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanoparticles, nanostructures, nanofibers, nanofabric, nanocylinders, nanographene, nanographene ribbons, transformed nanomaterials, functionalized nanomaterial, metallized nanomaterial, carbon nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes, single walled nanotubes, multi-walled nanotubes, functionalized nanotubes and metallized nanotubes; and/or wherein the removed nanomaterial contains magnetically attractive material, the method further comprising removing the nanomaterial containing magnetically attractive material with one of at least one magnet, a plurality of magnets, at least one magnet apparatus, and a plurality of magnet apparatuses, wherein the magnet apparatus is, optionally, one of an electromagnet apparatus, at least one electromagnet apparatus, and a plurality of electromagnet apparatuses.
The present invention provides, in at least certain aspects, a method for treating a fluid, the method including: the fluid containing nanomaterial, the nanomaterial having magnetically attractive material, attracting the nanomaterial with magnet apparatus, thereby removing the nanomaterial from the fluid. Such a method may include one or some—in any possible combination—of the following: wherein the nanomaterial is one of electrically conductive nanomaterial or non-electrically conductive nanomaterial; wherein the magnet apparatus is at least one magnet; wherein the magnet apparatus is at least one electromagnet apparatus; wherein the magnet apparatus is located in a location which is one of within the fluid or adjacent the fluid without being in contact with the fluid; wherein the fluid is blood; wherein the fluid is pumped through the magnet apparatus; wherein the fluid is blood of a living animal and the blood is pumped from the living animal to the magnet apparatus and is then pumped back to the living animal; wherein the animal is a human being; removing nanomaterial from the fluid with nanomaterial removal apparatus which does not utilize magnetic removal; wherein the fluid is an industrial fluid; and/or wherein the fluid is one of drilling fluid, completion fluid, lost circulation fluid, injection fluid, cement, brine and fracturing fluid.
The present invention provides, in at least certain aspects, a method for separating nanomaterial from a fluid, the method including any such method according to the present invention.
The present invention provides, in at least certain aspects, a system for separating nanomaterial from a fluid, the system including any such method according to the present invention.
The present invention provides, in at least certain aspects, a method for separating nanomaterial from bodily material, the method including any such method according to the present invention.
The present invention provides, in at least certain aspects, a system for separating nanomaterial from bodily material, the system comprising any such method according to the present invention; and/or a system for separating nanomaterial from a fluid, the system useful in or with any method according to the present invention; and/or a method for separating nanomaterial from a fluid, the fluid being fluid recovered from a fracturing operation, the fluid having been introduced into earth as part of the fracturing operation, the method comprising any suitable nanomaterial removal method according to the present invention.
In conclusion, the present invention and its embodiments herein and covered by the appended claims are well adapted to carry out the objectives and ends set forth. Certain changes can be made in the subject matter without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. It is intended that each element or step recited herein is to be understood as referring to the step literally and/or to all equivalent elements or steps. It is intended to cover the invention as broadly as legally possible in whatever form it may be utilized. The invention described herein is new and novel in accordance with 35 U.S.C. Section 102. The invention described is not obvious in accordance with 35 U.S.C. Section 103 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in Section 103. All patents and applications identified herein are incorporated fully herein for all purposes. The word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded.
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/374,701 filed Jan. 6, 2012 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/317,588 filed Oct. 21, 2011; and this is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/374,243 filed Dec. 16, 2011. The present invention and application claim priority under the United States Patent Laws from U.S. application Ser. No. 13/317,588 filed Oct. 21, 2011; Ser. No. 13/374,243 filed Dec. 16, 2011 and Ser. No. 13/374,701 filed Jan. 6, 2012 and Ser. No. 13/373,283 filed Nov. 9, 2011 which claims priority from U.S. Application Ser. Nos. 61/458,444 filed Nov. 22, 2011; 61/519,054 filed May 16, 2011; 61/465,783 filed Mar. 24, 2011; and 61/465,132 filed Mar. 15, 2011. This application claims priority under the Patent Laws from U.S. application Ser. No. 13/317,588 filed Oct. 21, 2011; Ser. No. 13/373,283 filed Nov. 9, 2011; Ser. No. 13/374,243 filed Dec. 16, 2011; 61/455,886 filed Oct. 28, 2010; 61/456,397 filed Nov. 4, 2010; and 61/459,484 filed Dec. 13, 2010; 61/458,444 filed Nov. 22, 2011; 61/519,054 filed May 16, 2011; 61/465,783 filed Mar. 24, 2011; and 61/465,132 filed Mar. 15, 2011. Priority is claimed from all said applications in this paragraph and all are incorporated fully herein for all purposes.
