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Title: Method of manipulating the chemical properties of water to improve the effectiveness of a desired process

Patent ·
OSTI ID:874261
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Grand Forks, ND
  2. York, GB
  3. Leeds, GB
+ Show Author Affiliations

The method of the present invention is adapted to manipulate the chemical properties of water in order to improve the effectiveness of a desired process. The method involves heating the water in the vessel to subcritical temperatures between 100.degree. to 374.degree. C. while maintaining sufficient pressure to the water to maintain the water in the liquid state. Various physiochemical properties of the water can be manipulated including polarity, solute solubility, surface tension, viscosity, and the disassociation constant. The method of the present invention has various uses including extracting organics from solids and semisolids such as soil, selectively extracting desired organics from liquids, selectively separating organics using sorbent phases, enhancing reactions by controlling the disassociation constant of water, cleaning waste water, removing organics from water using activated carbon or other suitable sorbents, and degrading various compounds.

Research Organization:
Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FC21-94MC31388
Assignee:
Energy & Environmental Research Center Foundation (Grand Forks, ND)
Patent Number(s):
US 6352644
OSTI ID:
874261
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (5)

Hydrothermal reactions of 1-nitrobutane in high-temperature water journal March 1996
The influence of high-temperature water on the reaction pathways of nitroanilines journal September 1995
Organic synthesis in subcritical water journal July 1998
Reductive Dechlorination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls by Zerovalent Iron in Subcritical Water journal April 1999
Chemical reactions and phase equilibria of model halocarbons and salts in sub- and supercritical water (200–300 bar, 100–600°C) journal June 1998

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method
manipulating
chemical
properties
water
improve
effectiveness
process
adapted
manipulate
involves
heating
vessel
subcritical
temperatures
100degree
374degree
maintaining
sufficient
pressure
maintain
liquid
physiochemical
manipulated
including
polarity
solute
solubility
surface
tension
viscosity
disassociation
constant
extracting
organics
solids
semisolids
soil
selectively
liquids
separating
sorbent
phases
enhancing
reactions
controlling
cleaning
waste
removing
activated
carbon
sorbents
degrading
compounds
sufficient pressure
chemical properties
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