Abstract:
Systems and methods are disclosed that promote the remediation of contaminated materials that are produced during industrial processes. These systems and methods include heating a material, transferring heat from the material to an industrial process. During this transfer, contaminants may be introduced into the material. These methods may remove the contaminant by treating the material with a surface modified nanoceramic through nanofiltration and/or active sites adsorption/reaction. The surface modified nanoceramic may remove at least part of the contaminant in the material. No cooling required prior to removing the contaminant from the material, which can lead to great energy saving and pollution reduction.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to recycling systems and more specifically to a system and method for recycling using nanoceramics. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Large quantities of liquids or other materials are often used to transfer heat in industrial processes. During these industrial processes, the liquids or other materials may become contaminated before, during, or after the transfer of heat. One of the problems in industrial processes is how to deal with these contaminated liquids or other materials. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    This disclosure provides a system and method for recycling using nanoceramics. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment, a method is disclosed that comprises heating a material, transferring heat from the material to an industrial process. During this transfer, a contaminant may be introduced into the material. These methods may remove the contaminant by treating the material with a nanoceramic. The nanoceramic may remove at least part of the contaminant in the material. In addition, this method may not require cooling prior to the removal of the contaminant from the material, thus saving huge energy consumption. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, a system is disclosed that comprises a tank of material and a heating apparatus configured to heat the material received from the tank. This system also comprises a heat exchanger that is configured to receive the heated material from the heating apparatus and to transfer heat from the heated material. In addition, this system comprises a recycling unit comprising a surface modified nanoceramic that is configured to interact with the heated material received from the heat exchanger and to remove an impurity from the heated material. 
         [0006]    In yet another embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed that comprises a tube, where the tube is configured to receive a material containing at least one impurity. In addition, the apparatus comprises a first layer that comprises nanoceramics and is configured to promote a chemical reaction to remove the at least one impurity from the material at a high temperature. The apparatus also comprises a second layer that provides support for the first layer and is configured to promote the chemical reaction. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example system with a recycler unit according to one embodiment of this disclosure; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example pipe contained within a recycler unit according to one embodiment of this disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3A  illustrates an example cross-section of a pipe within a recycler unit according to one embodiment of this disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3B  illustrates an example side view of a pipe within a recycler unit according to one embodiment of this disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example composition of a pipe wall prior to exposure with contaminated liquid or other material according to one embodiment of this disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example composition of a pipe wall after exposure with contaminated liquid or other material according to one embodiment of this disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example method of preparing nanoceramics according to one embodiment of this disclosure; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example method of removing contaminants from a liquid or other material according to one embodiment of this disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIGS. 1 through 7 , discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the invention may be implemented in any type of suitably arranged device or system. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example system  10  with a recycler unit according to one embodiment of this disclosure. In this example, the system  10  recycles contaminated heated liquids or other materials using nanoceramics. The embodiment of the system  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is for illustration only. Other embodiments of the system  10  could be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system  10  includes a tank  12 , a heating apparatus  14 , a heat exchanger  16 , a recycler unit  18 , and at least one other unit  20  (such as a waste unit). In this example embodiment, a liquid or other material, such as water, is drawn from the tank  12  into the heating apparatus  14 . The heating apparatus  14  heats the liquid or other material from the tank  12  and transfers the heated material (such as heated water or steam) into the heat exchanger  16 . The heat exchanger  16  uses the heated material in an industrial process. Examples of this industrial process include, but are not limited to, transferring the energy from the heated material to another material or to an apparatus or system. During the transfer of energy in the heat exchanger  16 , some or all of the heated material may be in a gaseous state. 
         [0019]    One problem associated with this industrial process is that, when the heated material is used to transfer heat, the material may become contaminated, resulting in the creation of contaminated heated material. The heat exchanger  16 , when the material has been used, transfers the contaminated heated material into the recycler unit  18 . The recycler unit  18  helps to remove the contaminants from the contaminated heated material, creating treated heated material. The removal of contaminants such as iron, oil, silicon or other contaminates may be performed in a single step or through multiple steps. The recycler unit  18  transfers the treated heated material to the tank  12 , the heating apparatus  14 , or another unit  20 . This process allows for the reuse of the contaminated heated material, without losing all of the energy introduced by the heating apparatus  14 , or causing any pollution issue. 
         [0020]    One method of removing contaminants from the contaminated heated materials involves the interaction of surface modified nanoceramics with the contaminated heated material. The surface modified nanoceramics allow for the recycling of contaminated heated material through nanofiltration and surface active sites (such as a negatively-charged surface group used to adsorb or react with Fe, Ca, Mg, and other metal ions), while still working under high temperature and pressure. The use of nanoceramics also removes the requirement that the contaminated heated material be cooled prior to remediation. 
         [0021]    The tank  12  represents any apparatus, structure, or enclosed area capable of holding a liquid. Liquids that the tank  12  may hold include, but are not limited to, water, oil, or other liquid. Tank  12  may be connected to a plurality of different devices and may be capable of transferring a liquid from one or more of the devices to another device. 
         [0022]    The heating apparatus  14  may represent any device or other structure capable of transferring heat from a source to a liquid, gas, or other material. Examples of the heating apparatus  14  may include, but are not limited to, an oven, a boiler, or other device capable of introducing heat into a liquid or gas using a heat source. Examples of heat sources may include, but are not limited to, flames, steam, radiated heat, or other sources. 
         [0023]    The heat exchanger  16  may represent any device, pipeline or other structure capable of transferring heat from a source to a destination. The destination may be used in conjunction with an industrial process. Heat exchangers generally force a liquid or gas to pass over or through parts of this industrial process. During this process, the heated material may become contaminated with lead, iron, oil or other materials that are dangerous to the environment and the system  10 . Therefore, prior to reusing the heated material contaminated by the heat exchanger  16 , the heated material may be treated. 
         [0024]    The contaminated material (such as a liquid or gas) from the heat exchanger  16  is transferred into the recycler unit  18 . The recycler unit  18  removes contaminates from the heated contaminated material using nanoceramics. For example, the recycler unit  18  may pass the contaminated material through a series of tubes, where the tubes use nanoceramics to remove impurities from the contaminated material. In some embodiments, the impurities may attach to the walls of the tubes through chemical bonding. This process may be performed at any suitable temperature (including high temperatures) and promotes the safe remediation of contaminated materials. 
         [0025]    The recycler unit  18  may send the treated material into the tank  12  for use in a future application, to the heating apparatus  14  to be reheated, or to another unit  20  and leave system  10 . It is understood that the material, after it has been treated by the recycler unit  18 , may be usable in a wide variety of applications. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example pipe  50  contained within a recycler unit  18  according to one embodiment of this disclosure. Within the pipe  50 , there is a first tube  52 , a second tube  54 , a third tube  56 , and a fourth tube  58 . Each of these tubes may run the entire length of the pipe  50 . The first tube  52 , the second tube  54 , the third tube  56 , and the fourth tube  58  may be substantially similar. While four tubes are illustrated in  FIG. 2 , any number of tubes may be used within the recycler unit  18 . It is also understood that pipe  50  may itself be a single large tube. 
         [0027]    The pipe  50  generally represents a structure capable of encapsulating various tubes. It is understood that, in applications where heat is retained by the recycler unit  18 , the pipe  50  may have insulation placed around the tube  50  to retain heat. 
         [0028]    In some embodiments, heated contaminated material is forced to move through one or more of the tubes  52 - 58 . Nanoceramics, or other material substantially similar in reactivity to nanoceramics, line the walls of the tubes  52 - 58 . The contaminated material is forced through the tubes  52 - 58  and into contact with the nanoceramics. The nanoceramics in the tubes  52 - 58  remove the contamination from the contaminated material, as discussed below. In this way, the tubes  52 - 58  can help to remove impurities from the contaminated material being recycled, even at high temperatures and pressures. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3A  illustrates an example cross-section of a pipe  50  within a recycler unit  18  according to one embodiment of this disclosure. In particular,  FIG. 3  illustrates three separate layers along the walls of the first tube  52 , namely a first layer  62 , a second layer  64 , and a third layer  66 . When material is passed through the first tube  52 , contaminates are absorbed or filtered through the first layer  66 , the second layer  64 , or the third layer  62 . It is understood that each layer (e.g. first layer  66 , the second layer  64 , or the third layer  62 ) may be surface modified. It is further understood that while three layers are used in this example, any number of layers of surface modified materials may be used. 
         [0030]    The first layer  62 , the second layer  64 , and the third layer  66  will be discussed in  FIG. 3A  using the “in-out” mode of operation. It is understood that in other modes of operation that the layers may be reversed. Therefore, in alternative modes of operation, such as those shown in  FIG. 3B , the first layer  66  and the third layer  62  may be swapped (e.g. the third layer  62  may be substantially similar to the first layer  66  and the first layer  66  may be substantially similar to the third layer  62 ). 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the first layer  62  may be formed of at least one supporting material. This supporting material may include, but is not be limited to, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , TiO 2 , and SiO 2 . This supporting material is intended to provide a mechanism for support for an interface layer. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, the second layer  64  may be formed of at least one interface material. An example of the interface material includes, but is not limited to, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO2, SiO2, TiO2. The second layer  64  may allow for the trapping of additional impurities (same surface modification scheme and same ion removal scheme) as well as supporting the nanoceramics. The second layer  64  generally has smaller pores than the first layer  62  and larger pores than the third layer  66 . It is understood that the pores of the first layer  62 , second layer  64 , and third layer  66  may be nanopores. 
         [0033]    In some embodiments, the third layer  66  may be a membrane with nanosize pores.  FIG. 3A  shows this through the use if a broken line. This membrane may be made of ZrO 2  or any other material known to one skilled in the art. This membrane may, in some embodiments, block all material that is larger than the pore size, while allowing anything smaller that the pore size to pass through the third layer  66 . This configuration reduces blocked material that may accumulate on the membrane. This layer may be modified to perform specific functions, such as adjusting hydrophic qualities of the nanoceramics, adjusting positive and negative surface properties of the nanoceramics, and adjusting the nanoceramics to be selective reactive to chelating groups or ligand groups. It is understood that the second layer  64  and the first layer  62  may be configured to promote a chemical reaction similar to the third layer  66 . 
         [0034]    In some embodiments, the layers  62 ,  64 ,  66  may be formed of surface modified nanoceramics that can serve various functions including, but not limited to, filtration and selective ion removal of impurities from liquids or other materials. Filtration may refer to the physical trapping of impurities in processes including, but not limited to, nanofiltration and microfiltration. Selective ion removal may refer to performing selective ion removal from liquids or other materials. In particular embodiments, these surface nanoceramics promote the effective removal of iron, oil, and other impurities in condensation water. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a side view of first tube  52 . In this side view, arrows  67  and  68  show a first mode of operation, and arrows  69  and  63  show a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, known as the “out-in” mode, material is pushed through the first layer  62  as shown by arrow  67 . In this first mode of operation, the material is then pushed through the second layer  64  and into the inner chamber created by third layer  66 . The material then exits the first tube through the inner chamber created by third layer as shown by arrow  68 . In this mode,  62  is nanopore membrane,  64  and  66  are supporting layers. All three layers may be surface modified. 
         [0036]    In the second mode of operation, known as the “in-out” method, material enters first tube  52  through the inner chamber created by third layer  66  as shown by arrow  63 . The material is pushed through the third layer  66 , through the second layer  64 , and exits the first tube  52  through the third layer  62  as shown by arrow  69 . In this mode,  66  is nanopore membrane,  64  and  62  are supporting layers. All three layers may be surface modified. 
         [0037]    It is expressly understood that the chemical structures of the nanoceramics may be formed using any suitable materials. These materials may include metals and silicon oxides, nitrides, sulfides, selenides, or tellurides of metals. These nanoceramics may also be created using any suitable technique, including chemical techniques (such as hydrothermal, solid state reaction), physical techniques (such as grinding, sonication), or combinations thereof (such as sol-gel). As particular examples, nanoceramics may be formed of materials including, but not limited to, the followings compounds or any combinations of the following compounds: ZnO, CdO, SiO 2 , TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , CeO 2 , SnO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , In 2 O 8 , La 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 8 , Cu 2 O, Ta 2 O 5 , Nb 2 O 5 , V 2 O 6 , MoO 3 , WO 3 , CdS, ZnS, PbS, Ag 2 S, GaSe, CdSe, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdTe, AgCl, AgBr, AgI, CuCl, CuBr, CdI 2 , PbI 2 , CdC 2 , SiC, AlAs, GaAs, GeAs, InSb, BN, AlN, Si 3 N 4 , Ti 3 N 4 , GaP, InP, Zn 3 P 2 , Cd 3 P 2 , phosphates, silicates, zirconates, aluminates, stannates, zeolites, soils. 
         [0038]    The hydrophic qualities of the surface modified nanoceramics may be adjusted to change the reactivity of the nanoceramics. For instance, the nanoceramics may be more hydrophic for improved oil/organic removal. Other alterations of the hydrophic qualities may be performed using chemical, plasma/radical, heat, and/or other chemical/physical treatments. 
         [0039]    Surface modification may also be used to create reactions with specific positive and negative surface groups. For instance, surface modification for negative charges may be used to immobilize negatively-charged surface groups such as, but not limited to, sulfonic groups (including derivatives), carboxyl groups, acidic groups, hydroxyl groups, surfactants, phenol or hydroxybenzene groups, organics, and polymerics. Surface modification may also be used to create or immobilize positively-charged surface groups such as, but not limited to, amine derivatives (including —NH2, NHR, NR2), metallics, metal ions, surfactants, organics, and polymerics. 
         [0040]    In addition to modifying the charge of a surface group, surface modification may be used to create or immobilize any chelating groups or ligand groups that can selectively bind to the metal ions or other functional groups. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example composition of a pipe wall  70  prior to exposure with contaminated liquid or other material according to one embodiment of this disclosure. The pipe wall  70  includes a surface modified nanoceramic  72  prior to interaction with contaminants. This cross-section of a nanoceramic shows the surface modified ions  74  and the nanofiltration pores  76 . Impurities are shown as B+, and the nanoceramic ions are shown as A+. Impurities are shown outside of the surface modified nanoceramic  72 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example composition of a pipe wall  80  after exposure with contaminated liquid or other material according to one embodiment of this disclosure. In this example, contaminates may travel through pore  84  and may be attached to the surface  82  of a surface modified nanoceramic  86 .  FIG. 5  shows that the contaminants and ions of the surface modified nanoceramic may become bonded together on the surface on the surface modified nanoceramic. 
         [0043]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example method  88  of preparing nanoceramics according to one embodiment of this disclosure. In block  90 , a surface modification scheme is selected. This surface modification scheme may be directed towards the removal of one or more impurities from a material, as discussed above. For instance, the nanoceramics may have been treated with Mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) to create a reaction site. Through H2O2 oxidization it may be prepared for sulfonic precursors. Through hydrolysis reaction, the sulfonic precursors are used to attach —SO3H to the wall of the nanoceramic. 
         [0044]    In block  92 , in situ preparation of surface modified (e.g. sulfonic acid) nanoceramics precursors is performed. In block  94 , post treatment and oxidation of the nanoceramic precursors creates a surface modified nanoceramics powder. In block  96 , water treatment functional components are prepared, such as by molding and/or coating methods. In block  98 , characterizations of the surface modified nanoceramic for temperature stability, pore sizes, crystal structure, and surface sulfonic acid contents are determined. In block  100 , the surface modified nanoceramic ion exchange properties are tested, such as for adequate Fe removal. In block  102 , the surface modified nanoceramic nanofiltration effects of the proposed nanoceramic materials are tested. 
         [0045]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example method  110  of removing contaminants from a liquid or other material according to one embodiment of this disclosure. In block  112 , liquid is heated for an industrial process. In block  114 , contaminants are introduced into the liquid. In block  116 , heat is transfer from the liquid to another apparatus or other material(s) during the industrial process. In block  118 , the contaminants are removed from the liquid using nanoceramics. The liquid is then reused in the industrial process. Note that while a liquid is shown as being used here, any other material(s) could also be used in the method  110 . 
         [0046]    It is understood that over time, the effectiveness or reactivity of the nanoceramics may be decreased. It is also understood that the nanoceramics could be regenerated to regain the effectiveness of the nanoceramics. This regeneration could be carried out by flow water, acidic solution (e.g. HCl, NH 4 Cl to provide H+), NaCl, basic solution (e.g. NH3.H2O, NaOH, KOH, etc) or a combination thereof. A solution rinse with a pH less than or equal to 8.5 could also be used. It is explicitly understood that any number of different methods of regeneration may be used to restore the effectiveness of the nanoceramics as known to one skilled in the art. 
         [0047]    It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. 
         [0048]    While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.