A method for the reception of oily, liquid hydrocarbons for transport purposes, in particular for the elimination of oelschichten on the initially washed

摘要

1422999 Removing oil from water GRANTLEY CO 23 March 1973 [23 March 1972] 14034/73 Heading C1C A method of picking up a spill on water of a liquid hydrocarbon oil comprises absorbing the oil on crumbs of foamed polystyrene of normally closed cell type of which the cells have been opened up by shredding a multi-cellular mass of the polystyrene of density 1À4-2À0 lb/cu. ft. and average cell size 1À0-3À0 mm., the crumbs being of a size passing through a ¥-inch mesh screen but being retained by a “-inch mesh screen. The polystyrene must have a selective absorption for oil when subjected to a mix of oil plus water, must not soil on contact after absorbing a saturated load of crude oil out of a bath of water, and must absorb about 19 times its weight of crude oil. The polystyrene sold under the name of "Styrofoam" (Registered Trade Mark) D.B. brand satisfies all these requirements. It is preferably treated to make it fire retardant, e.g. by immersion in 5% aq. boric acid solution followed by drying. Sometimes it is desirable to soak the polystyrene in water before applying it to an oil spill. When the oil is floating as a layer on water the crumbs are preferably applied by forcing a stream-like jet of them into the oil layer. After application to the spill a P.V.C. solution, e.g. in a solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone, may be added to the layer of saturated polystyrene crumbs to aid in their agglomeration. To recover the oil from the saturated crumbs they may be treated with a solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, acetone, benzene, toluene, xylene, carbon tetrachloride, perchlorethylene or trichlorethylene. In addition to the removal of oil from a spill in the open sea or other body of water, the method may also be used for example to remove oil from contaminated sand and water (by mixing the polystyrene with the sandy oil and water followed by washing the mixture with water to remove substantially oil-free sand from the oil-saturated crumbs); or the crumbs may be used as a filter to pick up oil from an oilwater mixture, e.g. in the treatment of a discharge from ships' bilges and from the flushing of tankers and barges or in the treatment of cutting oil or emulsified oil.